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Graduate Studies In order to pursue a career as a professional psychologist, one must attain at least a Master's degree in the field. In some specialties, a Doctorate is required, either for licensure or for employment. In general, one may expect to spend at least one year (usually it requires two years) in fulltime graduate study to attain a Master's degree; three years may be necessary for programs which require an internship (e.g. clinical psychology). One may expect to spend at least four years in fulltime graduate study to obtain the Ph.D. degree; five years may be necessary for programs which require an internship. Many graduate schools require reading proficiency in German, French, or Russian for the Ph.D. degree. All graduate schools prefer that applicants for Ph.D. programs have several math and science courses in their undergraduate curriculum (even clinical and counseling Ph.D. programs). Graduate School in Psychology In general, one may expect to spend at least one year, usually two, in full-time graduate study to attain a Master’s degree; three years may be required for programs that require an internship, such as School Psychology. One may expect to spend at least four years, sometimes more, to obtain a Doctorate. The Ph.D. is the "Doctor of Philosophy" degree, which requires two or three years of study beyond the Master’s degree and a dissertation, which is a significant empirical research project. One may obtain a Ph.D. in any area of Psychology, including Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. The Psy.D. is the "Doctor of Psychology" degree, which can be obtained in Clinical Psychology; it requires a clinical dissertation, rather than a research dissertation. Students who are interested in obtaining a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology, Experimental Psychology, or Psychometrics may choose to combine the B. S. Psychology Major with a second major or a minor in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, computer science, or mathematics. Resources Students who are considering the possibility of graduate study should discuss their intentions with their Psychology Advisor so that an appropriate course schedule can be planned. For advice on selecting a specialty in psychology, selecting courses, selecting a graduate school, and preparing application materials, students should consult one or both of these publications, which are available from the Department Chair: (1) Preparing for Graduate Study in Psychology: Not for Seniors Only! And (2) Getting In: A Step-by-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology. A third book to be consulted is Graduate Study in Psychology, published annually by the American Psychological Association. It contains a description of all the Psychology graduate programs in the United States, along with the admissions criteria for each program. A copy is available in the Department Chair's office. Also available in the Department Chair’s office are Insider’s Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology and Careers in Social Work. Preparation Graduate Schools look at Grade Point Average (GPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, recommendations from faculty, and relevant experience (research and/or internship). GPA. For a Master’s program, a GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 is likely to be adequate. The nationally competitive programs can select students with the highest grades, so a GPA of 3.0 or higher may be needed. For a Doctoral program, a GPA of 3.5 or higher is recommended. Therefore, it is important to make good grades through out your undergraduate career. Some Graduate Schools look at the junior and senior years more closely than at the first two years, and most will look at the difficulty level of the courses you took. For example, a "B+" in Chemistry may be more valued than an "A" in Flower Arranging 101. GRE. Many Master’s programs do not require the GRE, but the nationally competitive ones do. All Doctoral programs require the Aptitude (Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical) part of the GRE, and some may also want the Advanced Psychology GRE as well. It is recommended that you take the Aptitude part in the spring or summer between the junior and senior year, so that it can be re-taken if necessary. The Advance Psychology part should be taken in the senior year. Each School has its own criteria for scores, which can be found in the Graduate Study in Psychology book. Recommendations. Letters of recommendation include the faculty member’s opinion about your motivation, reliability, ability to work independently, and integrity, as well as his or her assessment of your academic abilities. Therefore, you should work individually with as many faculty members as appropriate, in Research Practicum, Internship, Independent Study, and Honors Project. You should also be aware that judgments are made about motivation and reliability based on behaviors such as regular class attendance, habitual tardiness, missing appointments, consistently failing to meet deadlines for papers, and classroom demeanor. Relevant Experience. Master’s programs look favorably on Internships and research experience. Doctoral programs require evidence of research ability, which can best be demonstrated by Research Practicum, Independent Study, and Honors Project. Presentation of an empirical study at the Carolinas Undergraduate Research Conference would be a plus for any applicant! Graduate Programs in which Psychology Majors have been accepted in recent years include the following:
Timetable
for Choosing and Sophomore Year 1. Discuss your interest in graduate school with your psychology advisor and plan a schedule of courses. 2. If you are interested in the Ph.D. degree, select the B.S. degree option or plan to take more than the three math and science courses needed to meet the general studies requirement. 3. Take Research Methods (PSYC 200). 4. Consult Not for Seniors Only! or Getting In for information and advice about your plans. Junior Year 1. If you are interested in a Master’s degree program, arrange an Internship for the Spring Term. If you are interested in a Doctoral program, apply for Research Practicum for the Spring Term. 2. Consult the publication, Graduate Study in Psychology (available from the Department Chairperson) or see the Peterson's Guide to Graduate Studies at www.petersons.com/graduate for the schools which offer programs that interest you. Check the admission requirements of these schools (minimum GPA, GRE scores, and other tests that may be required). 3. Register for the aptitude Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Plan to take the GRE in the Spring or Summer before your senior year; this allows time in the senior year to take the exam a second time if your scores were low, and it enables you to eliminate graduate schools which have requirements higher than you can meet. 4. Prepare for the GRE by reviewing course work in math, by studying a vocabulary book, and working practice tests in Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test (Arco Publishing Company). A copy is available in the Department Chair’s office. 5. Apply for student membership in the American Psychological Association. Forms are available on the "For Psychology Majors" bulletin board in the hall. 6. Apply for membership in Psi Chi. 7. Discuss ideas for an Independent Study with a faculty member and prepare a proposal. 8. Submit a proposal for The Summer Scholar program. Summer between the Junior and Senior Years 1. Take the GRE Aptitude Test (if you did not do so in the Spring). 2. Write to graduate schools that you are interested in and request brochures, catalogues, financial aid forms, and department application forms. 3. Prepare for the GRE Advanced Test in Psychology by reviewing a recent comprehensive introductory psychology textbook and working practice tests in Psychology: Advanced Test for the GRE (Arco Publishing Company). 4. Conduct Summer Scholar research, if you are selected. If not, be prepared to do the Independent Study in the Fall. Beginning of Senior Year 1. Take the GRE Aptitude Test a second time if your first scores were low or if you did not take it in the Summer. 2. Take other tests (such as GRE Advanced Test in Psychology) that are required by the schools to which you plan to apply. November of Senior Year 1. Use the latest edition of Graduate Study in Psychology to determine whether your GRE scores and current GPA meet the minimum qualifications of schools in which you are interested. If necessary, revise your plans. 2. Make a final list of schools and collect application forms. 3. Check the application deadlines for each school on your final list. Deadlines for financial aid are earlier than for admission. 4. Request that GRE and other test scores be sent to all the schools on your final list. 5. Request a study copy of your transcript from each college you have attended. Check for errors. 6. Prepare a resume for inclusion in your application. 7. Prepare a folder for each faculty member from whom you are requesting a letter of recommendation. Include the recommendation form (with deadline date circled or highlighted or otherwise indicated), a copy of your transcript (obtain from your advisor), a copy of your resume, and a statement about your goals. Stamped and addressed envelopes are not necessary; the Psychology Department will provide them. Give the folders to faculty members who have agreed to write letters for you. The faculty members may want to discuss your plans with you. 8. Begin writing your personal statements which are required for the applications. Consult Not for Seniors Only! or Getting In for advice. December of the Senior Year 1. Submit your Independent Study or Practicum research to the Carolinas Conference on Undergraduate Research. If your paper is accepted, you can include the acceptance on your resume. 2. Prepare final copies of application materials. Type them neatly. Include a photocopy of GRE scores, in case the official reports are late. Keep a photocopy of your applications. Mail your applications in time to meet the deadlines. 3. Request that official transcripts be sent to all schools to which you are applying. 4. Check on the status of your letters of recommendation. 5. Take GRE a second time if scores from the first time are low. January-April of the Senior Year 1. If you receive your GRE scores from the December test, send a photocopy of the results immediately. 2. If you have applied to clinical or counseling programs, you may be asked to interview. Be prepared to interview at as many schools as financially feasible. Ask faculty members for advice about interviewing. 3. Offers are usually made before April 1st. You have until April 15th to accept or reject any offers. |
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