Graduate Studies in Psychology An Overview

1. What is graduate school? Prerequisite is undergraduate degree –BA / BSc: Bachelor’s degree –strongly recommend Honours degree –Majors next best –General Degree with concentration in Psych limits odds of acceptance to grad school graduate school: AKA post-graduate how long? graduate school differs from undergrad

1. What is graduate school? credit-hour load is lighter –thesis research occupies your time primarily psychology courses freedom/responsibility –mature, independent scholar

1. What is graduate school? smaller classes –seminars, lectures, library work full-time, year round with limited holidays intense experience –with fellow students, friendships –with faculty / thesis supervisor

2. Must I go to graduate school? no – a number of factors to consider other options –BA or BSc as entry requirement –work that builds on BA or BSc –advanced study in related areas

3. What can I do with a Masters? greater mobility than with only BA or BSc careers in industry counselling school / education Masters career advancement terminal vs non-terminal masters

4. What can I do with a doctorate? academia research pharmaceuticals clinical / counselling –private practice –public consultation

5. How do I decide if graduate school is for me? immersion in a field by preparing you for your career –practical professional skills –in-depth knowledge –original research –comprehensive exam

5. How do I decide if graduate school is for me? QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF Do I really love the field enough to obtain an advanced degree? Is an advanced degree required to enter a particular profession or obtain a certain level within the field?

5. How do I decide if graduate school is for me? Are my grades high enough to receive a scholarship to pay me to go to graduate school? Do I have financial resources to subsidize going to graduate school if scholarships or graduate-student work opportunities don’t work out? Am I burned out academically and do I need to take some time off? Am I postponing some tough decisions by going to graduate school?

5. How do I decide if graduate school is for me? Do I want to go to school full-time or part- time? –some programs only full-time Do I have the personal qualities and skills that are needed to be successful in graduate school?

6. When to attend? now? later? –many wait advantages / disadvantages to both approaches

7. How to prepare perform well academically the sooner you start, the better objective measures: GPA, GRE strong background in psychology research experience (honours thesis, research-based directed studies, research assistant)

7. How to prepare what kind of courses should I take? [Table 1] other measures [Tables 2 & 3] –letters of recommendation –relevant experience: counselling web sites: *, **