Psychology Graduate Schools

A doctorate is required in most countries to be considered a psychologist. Other countries, states or provinces license or certify "Masters level psychologists." Another exception is that school psychologists are not usually required to have a doctorate. The traditional doctorate is a Ph.D. "Doctor of Philosophy" as in other academic disciplines. More recently graduate schools have begun to offer the Psy.D. "Doctor of Psychology" degree in clinical psychology that focuses more on practical clinical skills and less on research.

Psychology as a discipline is somewhat divided. The American Psychological Association (APA) has been the major body of psychologists since 1892. In 1988 the American Psychological Society (APS) was founded "by a group of scientifically oriented psychologists interested in advancing scientific psychology and its representation as a science at the national level." These psychologists were concerned by the growing dominance of practice-oriented psychologists in APA and by the escalating dues and growing bureaucracy. Many research-oriented psychologists continue to hold memberships in APA or in both organizations, while others have left APA for APS. Most graduate programs in the U.S. seek APA accreditation as a way of assuring that they provide a quality program.

To begin exploring graduate schools in psychology:

Graduate Study in Psychology
A book published every two years by APA giving up-to-date information on graduate programs in psychology. Highly recommended for anyone serious about graduate school. Be sure to get the most recent version.

The Graduate Record Exam
Most grad schools in the U.S. require that you take this test. Find out more, including sample questions.

Psychology & Counseling Graduate Program Directories
A good site with current information on programs throughout the world.

Graduate School and Careers in Psychology
A good brochure from Ryder University advising students about these programs.

Advice for Undergraduates Considering Graduate School
An article by Phil Agre on how to approach this process

Accepted.com
Information on how to write the personal essay that will get you into grad school.