Graduate Studies in Psychology

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Graduate Studies in Psychology

• An Overview

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1. What is graduate school?

• Prerequisite is undergraduate degree
• BA / BSc Bachelors 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

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1. What is graduate school?

• credit-hour load is lighter
• thesis research occupies your time
• primarily psychology courses
• freedom/responsibility
• mature, independent scholar

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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

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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

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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

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4. What can I do with a doctorate?

• academia
• research
• pharmaceuticals
• clinical / counselling
• private practice
• public consultation

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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

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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?

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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 dont 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?

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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?

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6. When to attend?

• now? later?
• many wait
• advantages / disadvantages to both approaches

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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)

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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 ,