1. The Graduate School Process

2. Decide what you want to study u If not sure----You are not alone--Don’t panic –Do research on career options--use counselors, books, web, professional organizations, people

3. Some areas of psychology u Clinical u Counseling u Social u Personality u Developmental u Biopsychology u School u Forensic u Cognitive u Experimental u Community u Health u Industrial Organizational Google: “areas in psychology”

4. APA Divisions—one for everyone! u Society for General Psychology u Society for the Teaching of Psychology u Experimental Psychology u Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics u Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology u Developmental Psychology u Society for Personality and Social Psychology u Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) u Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts u Society of Clinical Psychology13Society of Consulting Psychology u Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology u Educational Psychology u School Psychology u Society of Counseling Psychology u Psychologists in Public Service u Society for Military Psychology u Adult Development and Aging u Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology u Rehabilitation Psychology u Society for Consumer Psychology

5. APA Divisions—but wait there’s more! u Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology u Behavior Analysis u Society for the History of Psychology u Society for Community Research and Action: Division of Community Psychology u Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse u Psychotherapy u Society of Psychological Hypnosis u State, Provincial and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs u Society for Humanistic Psychology u Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities u Society for Environmental, Population and Conservation Psychology u Society for the Psychology of Women u Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality u Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice u Health Psychology u Psychoanalysis u Clinical Neuropsychology u American Psychology-Law Society u Psychologists in Independent Practice u Society for Family Psychology u Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues

6. …and more…. u Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues u Media Psychology u Exercise and Sport Psychology u Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division u Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy u Society of Addiction Psychology u Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity u International Psychology u Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology u Society of Pediatric Psychology u American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy u Trauma Psychology u **Most of these represent areas for graduate study!

7. Clinical Psychology u General Career Pathways u Education options

8. What does “clinical psychology” mean as an area of work and education? u Related to the study and treatment of mental illness u Related to the study and promotion of mental health u This is not limited only to “clinical” populations u May also include “non-clinical” populations

9. Work in Clinical Psychology u May be Research u May be Teaching u May be Practice –Therapy, treatment etc. u May be all three!

10. Will I get rich? u Probably not u Will you earn a good living? –Probably so u Check APA.org for salary surveys

11. What about Getting a “License”? u To “do therapy” you need a license u If you seek a Ph.D. only to do research (which is really what the Ph.D. is for) you don’t need a license—though you can get one u The PsyD and many MA degrees provide options for licensure u Getting a license requires a combination of coursework and therapy training u Licensure is on a state-by-state basis

12. Some Licensable Degrees u Ph.D. u Psy.D. u M.D. u MSW u M.Ed u Masters in School Psychology u Masters in Counseling u Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy* u MS in Autism Studies

13. Educations related to Clinical Psychology u Ph.D. –This is a research and teaching oriented degree –If you don’t like research you should not pursue it –If you only and/or mostly want to do treatment, you should not pursue it

14. Ph.D. in Clinical u A Scientist Practitioner Model u Available through Universities –Usually includes some funding –If you don’t get funding you should not go u Very competitive –Programs typically get 300-600 applications in a year and take 6-8 applicants u Mentored (usually) –An applicant works with an individual faculty member –Completes the masters and dissertation with this person –Choice based on shared interests

15. More Ph.D. u Includes clinical training –Requires a one year clinical internship u Focus is on research –Quantitative/Qualitative –Collecting data –Publishing u A Ph.D. program is not just more/more difficult, classes u It is possible to flunk out of a Ph.D. program –It is not a degree to rush into –If you aren’t really really sure, you are better off waiting –And it helps tremendously to have research experience –Consider working in a research lab for a year or two before applying

16. Psy.D. u This is a clinical treatment oriented doctoral degree u Four years (typically) of coursework and training u Focused on clinical work u Research is a minor focus, but necessary u Whether it requires an internship varies by state u Licensure requirements vary by state

17. Psy.D. u Programs are most often free standing professional degree programs –Like some law or medical schools u Accept a larger cohort than Ph.Ds –E.g. around 100 in a class u May not have much access to funding u May be costly

18. Psychiatrist u A medical degree u Requires you to go to medical school u May lead to research u Commonly leads to practice –Private, clinic, hospital all common u Practice is usually oriented towards medication related treatment u It may also include therapy

19. MSW u Master of Social Work u A two year degree u Will confer an opportunity for a clinical license u Can be a treatment related degree u Can also lead to other applied work –Policy, community organizing, human services management

20. M.Ed. u Master of Education u A two year degree typically u May be a treatment related degree –Can lead to licensure in counseling, school counseling, marital counseling u May be an education related degree –If you want to go into teaching and have a more advanced understanding and training in the field –Can also lead to licensure as a teaching professional

21. Masters in Counseling u Also a treatment related degree u Typically two years u Can lead to licensure in counseling u May include individual, group, or system related counseling work

22. Masters in School Psychology u May be a treatment degree u Typically two years u Usually orients towards working within a secondary school system u Clinical treatment u Assessment and testing

23. MA in Marital and Family Therapy u Programs that focus education specifically on this area u Not all states offer licensure u You should check the program/state guidelines carefully to be certain

24. Some programs in the area u Ph.D. in Clinical –Umass Boston (also counseling and school psych) –Clark University –Umass Amherst –Harvard –Northeastern (Ph.D. in counseling) –BU –BC u Psy.D. in Clinical –Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology

25. A few area MA Programs u Simmons u Assumption College u BU u BC u UMass Boston u UMass Amherst u UMass Lowell u Salem State u Worcester State

26. Deciding what to study (cont) u Talk to a Career Counselor 978-934-2355 u Talk to people ---professors, friends, alumni--- ---INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS u Get experience in different fields to better understand options u Think about what you really like to do and relate it to jobs and academic areas u Review different Graduate School offerings

27. Initial Graduate School Search u Do a google search with key words that are most relevant to your search: –“graduate program” plus v Area of psychology (clinical, social, developmental) v Location v Type of degree (MA, PhD, MFCC) u Apa.org – American Psychological Association link on graduate & postdoctoral education –http://www.apa.org/education/grad/index.aspx

28. Researching Graduate Schools u Compile list of schools offering your field of study –Directories and web sites list schools by fields of study –http://www.psychgrad.org/ http://www.psychgrad.org/ u Talk to people about schools’ programs –Professors –Administrators –Staff members –Professionals –Friends u Read professional journals--what schools are represented / professors?

29. Narrow the list of schools u Location u Admission requirements - Test scores, grades, field experience,... u Time frame of program - –Day, evening, part-time, full-time----Start time also

30. Narrow list of schools (cont) u Reputation and mission of school, program u Programs and coursework offered u Professors’ backgrounds and interests u Current Students’ and Alumni’s comments u Accessibility of faculty u Accreditation

31. Choosing a School “Attend the best school to which you have been accepted and can afford” u Academic Requirements –Entrance Test Scores –Grades u Class and Program Offerings –Cost u Financial Package offered to you –Free Monies - Scholarships, fellowships, grants –Loans –Graduate Assistantships: teaching, research, administrative, resident halls

32. Choosing a School (cont) Size of student body in relation to size of faculty Facilities (library, housing, study space, etc.) Demographics of student body Enrollment and class size Make a site visit (research professors before visit)

33. School Admission Criteria u GRE scores u GPA u Personal Essay u Work experience u Letters of reference / recommendation u Interview u Samples of previous work (optional) u Financial Aid Application

34. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) u Computer adaptive test u General aptitude test of three parts –Analytical –Verbal –Quantitative –$fee u GRE Subject test – 8 tests of major fields of study-ex. Biology, Psychology –Is not computerized –$fee –check with school if required u http://www.gre.org

35. Potential Benefits of Waiting a Year or More u Work in related profession and decide if field is right for you u Earn money to help pay for education u Gain work experience which may assist admissions chances u Relax before the rigors of Graduate school u Mature

36. Potential Costs of Waiting a Year or More u May lose some reading, writing, and analytical skills u May be difficult to motivate yourself to go back to school (may indicate your desire was not as strong as you had thought) u The longer you wait, the longer it will take to finish u Some schools have a deferment policy u May lose contact with references: Go ahead and secure letters of recommendation before leave undergraduate institution.

37. Application Tips u Follow Directions of application u Start Early--Most applications due in December, January or February u Contact schools to be sure application is complete

38. Letters of Recommendation u Should come from people who know you well enough to offer a truly informed assessment of your abilities u Academic references carry most weight u Provide your references with –a copy of your personal statement and CV –Instructions on how the letter should be submitted u May be a checklist format or a letter request –*** Which box do you check? Do you waive your right to view the letter?

39. Personal Statement u Usually in some manner covers the question: Who are you, and why do you want to go to graduate school? u Include your “plan” for graduate school –research and experiences you hope to attain at that specific program u Writing should be clear and concise u Draw attention away from your weak points by focusing on your strengths. u Try to not exceed 2 pages (length may be mandated)

40. Funding Graduate School u Forms of financial aid –Grants / scholarships which do not require repayment –Scholarships: check out www.fastweb.monster.com –Wages, which are provided in return for work –Loans, which require repayment v 75% students finance education with loans

41. Questions to Ask Graduate Schools

42. Plan Ahead !!!

43. Time table u Spring semester of your junior year: –think about what type of program you're interested in –start talking to the faculty –if you haven't already done so, find out if you can get involved in faculty research or an Independent Study project; consider taking a fieldwork course u Summer before your senior year: look over Graduate Study in Psychology –make a rough list of schools you might apply to –start writing your personal statement –begin studying for the GREs

44. Time table u Fall semester of your senior year –near the start of the semester, write to schools for information about their programs –as you receive this information, start making your final list of schools you will apply to –IN OCTOBER TAKE THE GREs –near the end of the semester, ask professors to write letters of recommendation u After the fall semester –complete your applications and send them off -deadlines may be in January, February, or March, depending on the school –if possible, visit the schools

45. UMass Lowell Grad Programs How to Figure out Which Program and Increase Success of Getting Accepted

46. Some areas of psychology u Clinical u Counseling u Social u Personality u Developmental u Biopsychology u School u Forensic u Behavioral u Cognitive u Experimental u Community u Health u I/O u Education Google: “areas in psychology”

47. Some areas of psychology u Clinical u Counseling u Social u Personality u Developmental u Biopsychology u School u Forensic u Behavioral u Cognitive u Experimental u Community u Health u I/O Google: “areas in psychology”

48. M.A. in Community Psychology u Faculty and students share a commitment to social justice and the empowerment of all citizens u Designed to help students understand the complex relationships between individual, family and community well-being

49. M.S. in Autism Studies u Launched in September 2012 u 42 credit program u Mix of online and on-campus courses u Enables individuals to meet the education, experience and supervision requirements for board certification

50. Behavior Intervention in Autism (BIA) u We offer 5 BIA courses within a post-baccalaureate graduate certificate. 1. You can complete the certificate with 4 of the 5 courses, or 3 plus an approved elective. This is designed for those just beginning their graduate study 2. You can complete the certificate with all 5 BIA courses. –This option is designed for those who already possess or are currently pursuing a master's degree – All 5 of our BIA courses enable you to meet the education requirements for national certification as a Behavior Analyst

51. How do I figure out which program is right for me? 1. GET INVOLVED!!! u Volunteer (see craigs list) u Work in the field (Melmark, May Institute) u Conduct research with faculty u Volunteer to participate in research u Interview faculty u Take advantage of all of your opportunities u Join Psychology Club