This page is designed for Washington State University Vancouver undergraduate psychology students who are considering graduate study. You will find a collection of links that should help you get started, but this is still a work-in-progress and no substitute for other sources of information.
NEW! The
The program is completely
online and includes a series of five modules: Exploring Careers in Psychology,
Preparing for
- Understanding your options
and different kinds of degree programs
- Finding the best graduate
programs for you
- Developing your vita or
resume
- Crafting your personal
statement
- Securing letters of recommendation
- Interviewing (on the phone
and in-person)
- Making effective decisions
- Accepting or declining
offers
-And
MANY others
Click
HERE to
participate.
(I’m
not sure for how long this link will be active. Please email me if you find the
study is closed or the link is no longer active: kblease
at
General Resources for
Graduate Study in Psychology
Psi Chi’s info on gaining admission to grad school.
Psychgrad.org Lots of good information here.
gradPsych is for graduate students in psychology. Some of their information is relevant for undergraduates, and much of it will give you an idea of what graduate school is like.
Social Psychology Network’s Online Psychology Career Center
Choosing
a graduate program.
Portland State University has some interesting information on different types of programs.
APA’s list of graduate programs
in the
Some
M.A. in Mental Health Counseling
Ed.D. in Counseling Psychology
City University of
Seattle (Campus in
Eastern Washington State M.S.W.
Lewis and Clark Counseling Psychology (M.A./M.S./M.F.T.)
M.A./Ph.D. Applied Psychology (this is not a clinical degree)
Marriage
& Family Therapy (M.F.T.)
Medical Family Therapy Certificate
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (M.A., Ph.D.)
Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.)
University of Washington Ph.D. (various specialties, including clinical)
Ph.D. and M.A./M.S. (various specialties, including clinical)
Applying to Graduate
Schools
How to write graduate school application essays
GRE info including how to sign up to take the test.
Obtaining outstanding
letters of recommendation
The most recent piece of information recommenders will have about you is the way you go about asking for a letter of recommendation. Use the opportunity to demonstrate professionalism.
Social Psychology Network’s advice
FAQs
Should I take time off after I get my B.S.
degree before applying to graduate school?
In most cases, yes. Admissions committees usually value the
extra experience and maturity students gain from your experiences after
college. Students usually report much less stress and more time for studying
for GREs and for researching and applying for programs when they are not also
completing classes. Many MSA and clinical programs require more hands-on
experience with the population you are interested in working with than most
students can obtain while also completing classes. An entry-level job at a humans services agency provides that experience. On the
other hand, there are valid personal and professional reasons to go straight
into grad school. Some people go straight into grad school to minimize the
impact on family members, to take advantage of military financial aid, or
because this is a second career and there’s not as much to be gained by
waiting. In these cases, you’re best off discussing your plans with a trusted
faculty member before applying so that you can make a good decision, and
explain your plans to the school you are applying to, if necessary.
I eventually want to get a Ph.D. or Psy.D.,
but for now I’m going to apply to master’s degree programs and later on I’ll
transfer to a Ph.D. or Psy.D. program.
Is that ok?
In general, this is not a good plan. Most likely, you’ll end up having to retake classes for your Ph.D. or Psy.D. program that you took in your master’s program. For accreditation, terminal degree programs are often not allowed to accepted transfer credit from other programs. If you are planning to move from a master’s to a Psy.D or Ph.D, be sure to discuss your plans in detail with both the master’s program and any Ph.D. or Psy.D. programs that you might want to transfer to. Often, Ph.D. and Psy.D. slots are more competitive, and programs are unlikely to automatically allow you to move from a masters to a higher degree program.
I eventually want to get a degree in
clinical psychology, but I’ve heard that other specialties are less
competitive, so I plan to apply to the developmental (or social or cognitive or
…) program and later switch to a clinical specialty.
This plan is unlikely to work out. Clinical slots are often more competitive than spots in other specialties, and programs are often uneasy with the idea of allowing students to come in to a clinical program through the “back door”. You’re better off taking some post-baccalaureate or graduate courses to boost your GPA and obtain prereqs, studying to get the highest possible GRE score, and/or gaining volunteer research or human services experiences to make yourself a better candidate for a clinical Ph.D program than wasting time and money trying to get into a program via another specialty.
Additional
Career FAQs from the Social Psychology Network.
Last update: 9.25.08.
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