» Admissions

Application will open in July 2024 for Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 starts

Office of Graduate Admission

(714) 997-6711

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There is a priority review deadline for applicants who submit their application along with ALL required supplemental materials by:

September 15th for Spring admission
January 15th for Fall admission

Applicants must submit their completed application by the above dates to be considered for a fellowship.

Applications submitted after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis and the application may close at any time

Students are admitted based on the strength of their application combined with the quality of their interview.

Chapman University provides a comprehensive and personal education that attracts students from different backgrounds from all over the world. We have students from 39 states, the U.S. territories and 60 different countries.

Our diverse student body combined with our small classes make it possible for you to connect across borders and backgrounds, opening your experience to different cultures and ways of viewing the world.

Chapman University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, religion, military status, or veteran's status in its admissions policies or administration of its educational programs, including scholarship and loan programs, under Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

You must possess a bachelor's degree in psychology or an approved mental health degree(please check with the MFT department for approval prior to submitting your application) from an accredited college or university, or you must provide evidence of a satisfactory academic background in ALL of the following:

Introduction to psychology
Abnormal psychology
Developmental psychology or human development
Research methods or statistics

You must be enrolled in or have completed at least three of the four required prerequisite courses by the admission deadline to be considered for admission.

All prerequisite courses must be taken from a regionally accredited college or university. Please submit proof of completion or enrollment by submitting an official transcript from the institution(s) where you have completed or are currently taking the required prerequisite courses.

A minimum grade of C+ or higher is required in all prerequisite courses.

All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the start of the program.

Online application for admission (which includes $60 non-refundable application fee)

Official transcript from degree-granting institution and institution(s) where prerequisite courses were completed (if applicable).

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores: If your bachelor's degree cumulative GPA is below a 3.3, you may be considered for admission by submitting a satisfactory Graduate Record Exam (GRE) as listed below.

Verbal: 153
Quantitative: 146
Analytical Writing: 4.5

Chapman University School Code: 4047

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Letters of recommendation are required. At least one letter should come from an individual actively engaged in teaching and/or clinical practice, who is in a position to evaluate your academic and personal qualifications for the program, such as a professor. One letter may come from an employer or individual who can speak on behalf of your work qualifications related to the field.

Letter should not be submitted by a family member, a friend, or your own therapist
If you have been out of school for several years, you may submit letters of recommendation from those who are familiar with you in a professional setting, such as supervisors or managers who are familiar with your work

Personal Statement: No more than three double-spaced typed pages in length. The statement should address how each of the following areas have contributed to your career objectives and prepared you to begin graduate studies in marriage and family therapy:

Educational background
Professional work experience (clinical internships or volunteer work) in mental health, human services, or related fields
Personal or family background and experiences

Resume: A resume or curriculum vitae is required. Please be specific by providing both the month and the year for each experience that is relevant to the program.

Non-Discrimination Policy and Licensure Notification Form: Complete, sign and submit with application.

Applicants who have completed their undergraduate degree outside of the United States:

Applicants who earned their bachelor's degree (or higher) at an institution outside the United States where the language of instruction was not English will need to submit official scores from an approved English Language Proficiency exam to apply to Chapman.

If you're not sure if you will need to submit scores or not, please contact the Graduate Admission Office at gradadmit@chapman.edu with more information about your degree(s).
TOEFL iBT: 94
IELTS: 7.0
PTE Academic: 76
Cambridge C1 Advanced: Level C1

International students are also required to fill out a Financial Certification Form

For more information, please visit: Graduate Admission-International Students

We strongly encourage students who are currently in or have graduated from Chapman’s B.A. Psychology program to apply. Those who have met the minimum application requirements are guaranteed an interview with the department. Please review the above minimum application requirements carefully.

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Work Part-time at Chapman

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Foundation for the Advancement of Human Systems (FAHS)

Minority Fellowship Program

CAMFT Educational Foundation