Areas of Graduate Study
Areas of interest in psychology
Psychology is a vast discipline and an undergraduate degree in psychology provides a solid foundation for specialization in graduate school. It is important for prospective Â鶹´«Ã½s to identify particular areas of interest and then search for programs that have faculty members actively engaged in those areas, as they will be the ones to guide and shape your graduate education. Graduate programs in psychology include the following specialities:
- Behavior analysis and therapy
- Behavioral medicine
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Clinical psychology
- Cognitive psychology
- Community psychology
- Counseling psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Educational psychology
- Experimental psychology
- Forensic psychology
- Health psychology
- Industrial/organizational psychology
- Marriage and family therapy
- Neuropsychology
- Psychiatry (medical school)
- Rehabilitation
- School psychology
- Sensation and perception
- Social psychology
- Social work (clinical)
- Sports psychology
explains more about these programs.
Considerations in selecting a school
There are a wide variety of considerations to consider when choosing a graduate program.
Type of program
Doctoral programs are often more competitive than master's programs, clinical programs are more competitive than other types of programs, and Ph.D. programs are more competitive than Psy.D. programs. When selecting programs, it is strategic to choose a variety of doctoral and master's programs to increase the chances of being accepted. If you are absolutely sure you want to get a Ph.D. but are not accepted into a program, think about getting a Masters and then reapplying.
Research interests
When searching for programs, especially doctoral programs, it is important to find departments that have faculty members currently engaged in research within the areas you are interested in studying. Finding a professor who is a good match can be done by reading articles in possible areas of interest and talking with other faculty who might know individuals in the field. Once a faculty member is identified, familiarize yourself with their work by reading every article and books they have written.
Clinical Â鶹´«Ã½
If your interests are applied in nature, it is important to find a faculty mentor who is working within your area of interest. You will want to find out a faculty member who is practicing within the clinic you would like to work in.
Theoretical orientations
It is important to determine the theoretical orientation of the graduate program you are interested in applying to in order to make sure it is a good fit for both you and the program Five common orientations include:
- Psychodynamic/psychoanalytic
- Applied behavioral analysis/radical behavioral
- Family systems/systems
- Existential/phenomenological/humanistic
- Cognitive/cognitive-behavioral
Financial aid
Some types of common aid include tuition waivers, assistantships, assistantship and waiver, and graduate fellowships in addition to Â鶹´«Ã½ loans. It is also important to know what duties would be expected of you by receiving these certain types of aid (e.g., teaching, research, etc.). Some schools require additional applications to be considered for different forms of financial aid so make sure you have the proper paperwork filled out when you apply.
Resources for researching graduate programs
Tips for success
- Research programs and professors to find the right fit and apply to a wide variety of master's and doctoral programs.
- Talk with current professors about your goals, and they may be able to direct you to certain professors or graduate programs that are a good match.
- Make contact with potential professors to request more information about their current work and inquire if they will be taking graduate Â鶹´«Ã½s in the upcoming year.
- Attend professional conferences to meet faculty working in particular areas of interest.