Frequently Asked Questions

Are students accepted all year round? 

No, we admit students once per year. Applications are due January 15th for the cohort starting in the Fall of the same year.

What does the admissions process entail? 

Each new cohort enters at the same time, in fall quarter. All application materials must be received by the January 15 application deadline. Application packets are available from Graduate Admissions or the Psychology Department. Be sure to request that an official transcript be sent to Graduate Admissions from every college or university attended. Confirm with each institution their policy for issuing official transcripts. If mailed to you directly, the transcript must remain in a sealed envelope. Carefully assemble application materials as instructed below. Assemble the following documents, including recommendations, and send them in the manila envelope addressed to Graduate Admission. Please see our website for additional criteria and information. 

What are the prerequisites for entrance into the MAP program?

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution including the following six prerequisite psychology courses: intro to psych, abnormal, developmental, major theories of personality, statistics, and scientific research (e.g. experimental psychology/research methods).* This is ordinarily equivalent to a minor in psychology. Transcript showing a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) is required. Please see our website for additional criteria and information.

What qualifies as supervised experience in the field?   

Our intention with this prerequisite is that applicants have a good sense of what it will mean to be a psychotherapist prior to beginning the program.  This 'sense' of the profession can come through a variety of avenues.  We prefer that an applicant have a structured experience in a mental health setting or related, human services setting (e.g. teaching dually diagnosed children would likely qualify, but not being a teacher in general) that includes mentoring and/or supervision by a professional in the field.  As for what defines supervised work, we take this broadly to mean any oversight of your work as a volunteer or paid employee.  This can take various forms, so we do not strictly define this.  The key is that you are not left alone to struggle with the volunteer experience and that you do receive some form of mentoring. We do not require documentation of your practical experience in the field.  However, the applicant should address this prerequisite in the personal statement. 

What is the MAP program’s student body size? Are students part of a cohort?  

Students are part of a yearly cohort, the average size of which is 20-22.

What is the average class size?

Class sizes vary somewhat between electives and required courses, but in general our class size is approximately 20-22. Since students are part of a cohort, they take many of the same classes. However, elective classes tend to be smaller due to the choices involved. 

When do the majority of classes meet?

Classes take place on weekdays. They begin no earlier than 3:45pm and end no later than 9:00pm.

How long will it take to get my masters degree?

2 years if enrolled full time.

When was the program founded?

1981 - Co-founders were Drs. Halling and Kunz.

Do you have to have an emphasis and what are the options?

You do not have to have an emphasis on a specific clinical population, though most of our students have an interest on which they focus. What you get from your practicum and electives depends on your choices in what populations to work with and what types of therapy to pursue.

What is the curriculum?

Please see our Graduate Bulletin of Information on the Registrar’s website for course descriptions.

The MAP program will become a 72 credit hour degree beginning with the Fall 2012 cohort. We have made this change due to national trending in state licensure policy, which is more frequently requiring that applicants for licensure graduate from master level programs with 72-quarter credit hours within the degree. Unfortunately, this increases the cost of your education, but will make moving from WA State to other states for licensure, should you choose, less of an issue. Please note that while the MAP curriculum fulfills current WA state policy for master level licensure, we do not make this representation with respect to other states. Be aware that state licensure policy changes from year to year depending on the jurisdiction. MAP cannot guarantee that the set of rules enacted by a state at the time of entering the program will remain the same by time you are ready for licensure. 

Program Requirements

The Program Requirements represent the central body of the curriculum. You are required to take the following courses for a total of 46 credits, including the integration paper:

How is the Master of Arts in Psychology program at SU different from other programs?

SU’s MAP program is existential-phenomenological (EP) and therapeutic in its orientation. EP is a continental philosophical tradition that speaks to contemporary psychology and psychotherapy by offering a fundamentally different model of training than most other training programs. The program offers a broad foundation in psychology, philosophy, and psychopathology and engages the humanities as well. Through exploring these in relation to psychotherapy and counseling, students come to appreciate the significance of therapeutic attitude and presence. Most fundamentally, we place a strong emphasis on the relational and ethical dimensions of psychotherapy.

How is the SU Faculty different from other programs?

At SU, there is a full time faculty of five professors. Each faculty member brings their distinct educational background and experience to the preparation of psychotherapists. Some are experienced clinicians; all of us are active researches in the human sciences. In addition, we have an excellent team of adjunct lecturers, many who have graduated from MAP, with specific expertise in certain clinical areas. 

Can I work and still attend the program?

Yes. 20 hours per week is easily doable. 30 hours is difficult. We do not recommend working full-time while in the program.

If the catalog changes, do I have to meet the new requirements? No.

If I get an Incomplete in a class, can I enroll in the following quarter? Yes. 

What is estimated cost of the program?

Between $48,000 - $52,000

Are scholarships available?
All Psychology Department students are eligible for the MAP Scholarship. For other financial aid options, http://www.seattleu.edu/sfs/default.aspx?id=39476

Additional information on courses and program costs: http://www.seattleu.edu/registrar/default.aspx?id=31286

Additional information on the application:http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/map/Inner.aspx?id=19172