1) When is the application deadline?
Applicants are encouraged to submit their completed applications as soon as possible. Once the cohort has reached its capacity for the term, new applications will be considered for admission for the following year. We are now accepting applications for the 2018 Fall cohort and the deadline is March 1, 2018.
2) What is the application fee?
There is no fee to apply to NLU.
3) From whom should the letters of recommendation be?
The three letters should be from individuals you believe can speak to your ability to do doctoral level work and/or to contribute to the field of community psychology.
4) What days and times do the classes meet?
Classes meet one night a week from 4-10pm at the Chicago campus.
5) Will there be interviews prior to acceptance to the program?
The faculty interview is conducted in the final stages of the admissions process IF a candidate meets all of the basic requirements for admissions, they will be granted an interview by members of the program’s faculty.
6) How much does the program cost?
Currently the tuition rate is $774 per semester hour. Students who are admitted having already completed a master’s thesis will complete 69 semester hours (SH) of credit; those who are admitted without a thesis will complete 72 SH. Please be advised that the tuition rate is subject to change at any time.
7) What financial aid is available?
You are encouraged to visit the Student Services portion of the NLU website at www.nl.edu/t4/financialaid/officeofstudentfinance/. In addition, eligible students are invited to apply to participate in a Research Assistantship/Teaching Assistantship. In order to qualify, students must be fully admitted to the program and have completed the FAFSA. This is a needs based and highly competitive program with a limited amount of space available. Eligibility is based on the results of the FAFSA. Students may work up to twenty hours per week.
8) Is the program APA accredited?
As with many non-clinical degrees, the American Psychological Association does not have any type of accreditation for Community Psychology programs. National Louis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), 230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 800-621-7440, and is a participant in the HLC's Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP).
9) Who should I contact for more information about the program/application process?
Please contact an Enrollment Advisor at 847-947-5680.
10) When do classes begin?
We begin cohorts each fall term.
11) Will you consider transfer credits?
AFTER a student has been accepted into the program, we would consider transfer courses. However, these courses need to be 600 level courses that cover the material covered in one of the Ph.D. courses. It would be a very rare instance for a student who was not in a Community Psychology doctoral program to have taken courses that would meet these requirements.
12) Do you require the GRE test scores for admissions?
Students are not required to submit their GRE General Test scores.
13) I completed my master’s but did not do a thesis, will I have to back track and complete one now even though I completed the master’s years ago?
A master’s thesis is not required for admission into the program. Students admitted without an acceptable master’s thesis will be required to complete LAP 601 Pilot Research in Community Psychology (3 semester credit hours). In this course, students will investigate a social issue from the community psychology perspective in a disciplined empirical inquiry, thus taking this opportunity to use research completed in this course as a stepping stone toward their doctoral dissertation. Students may complete this course over years 1 and 2 in the program in one semester hour increments.
14) You state that a thesis must be completed, are there specific requirements for the thesis?
Yes, the thesis should demonstrate your ability to conduct empirical research. It should have Methodology and participants. Secondary analysis of data is appropriate; however, literature reviews do NOT meet the “thesis” requirement.
15) Do you require a written statement for admissions?
Students will be required to submit a Research Interest Statement and a Personal Statement, with questions, directions, directions, and suggested volume to be established and periodically revised by faculty.
16) When/How will I be notified if I am accepted into the program?
Applicants will be notified of acceptance to the program via postal mail upon completion of the admissions process. Applicants should expect an answer four to six weeks after completing the application process.
