1. Should I go straight to graduate school or should I take time off?
This is one of the most common questions that we receive, and the answer is specific to you and your goals. Taking time off can be beneficial for many reasons including: clarifying which field you want to enter, gaining valuable real-world experience within the field, becoming more competitive when it comes to applying to graduate school (e.g., through gaining new academic and interpersonal skills, co-authoring publications, networking, etc.), and having an income for a year or two! For others, taking time off might hold fewer advantages and going straight to graduate school is a more comfortable choice.
Another important deciding factor about whether or not to take time off is the type of graduate program to which you will apply. For example, clinical psychology doctoral programs (PhD) are highly competitive and taking time off may increase your chance for admission (to the extent that you maximize your time off by gaining relevant experience). Alternatively, social work (MSW) and professional (PsyD) programs admit more students, which makes them somewhat less competitive. It is important to remember that regardless of the competition level, taking time off might still be right for you given your maturity, personal circumstances, and preparation level.
2. What is the appropriate type of graduate program/degree for me?
This, of course, is for you to decide! There are many types of programs in psychology and related fields, and each will allow you to do different things once you graduate. Thus, it is important to educate yourself about the distinctions. Here are some common degrees within the field of mental health:
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PhD)
PhDs in clinical psychology are multifaceted in that they train students on how to conduct research, teach, and provide clinical services. Training includes courses in theories and techniques of practice, psychological assessment, diagnosis, statistics, and research methodology, and students tend to gain clinical experience through clinical practica. There is a strong research and theory component in doctoral programs; at a minimum, students are required to complete an empirical dissertation, but very often they are involved in other activities, such as publishing scholarly articles and attending research conferences. In the final year of a doctoral clinical program, students are required to attend a year of clinical internship, which allows them to hone further their clinical skills. After graduating, people are typically employed as academic researchers in university or hospital settings, while some go into clinical practice. The typical length of a PhD program in clinical psychology is 5-6 years plus one year of clinical internship.
Doctorate in Counseling Psychology (PhD)
The differences between counseling and clinical psychology doctoral degrees are minimal. Traditionally, counseling psychology programs have focused on assessing and treating phase-of-life concerns (e.g., divorce, vocational concerns), while clinical psychology programs have focused more on assessing and treating serious mental health concerns (e.g., schizophrenia, depression). However, the clinical-counseling distinction has become less clear-cut recently and the differences will primarily depend on the program in which you enroll.
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
PsyDs in clinical psychology are professional degrees in that they focus on the practice of psychotherapy with less emphasis on research training than clinical PhD program. Training typically includes similar coursework as a clinical psychology PhD program, but with less advanced emphasis on research methodology and statistics. Beyond coursework, students are typically required to complete multiple clinical practica, which allow them to accrue substantial hours of clinical experience before internship. In the final year of a Psy.D. program, students are required to attend a year of clinical internship, just like clinical psychology PhD students. After graduating, most individuals enter clinical practice, through a minority enter academia. The typical length of a PsyD program is 4-5 years plus one year of clinical internship.
Masters in Social Work (MSW)
Social work programs have traditionally trained students to help others navigate and connect with community resources, and there is a strong emphasis in social work on the individual’s place within the societal context. Many social workers are not involved in the delivery of mental health care, so often social work degree programs are divided into various tracks or areas of specialization. General social workers might focus on social policy development or managing human services or community organizations, while clinical social workers often practice psychotherapy. The specialization you choose within a social work program will determine the types of courses and experiences that will comprise your program. However, you can expect to take some general courses in social policy, the structure of community organizations, and possibly research methods within social work. If you are looking to become a clinical social worker, you will also take courses in diagnosis and theories and techniques of practice. In all social work degree programs, it is also likely that one or more practical experiences will be an integral part of your training. Research is not usually emphasized in MSW programs; however, if you are interested in social work research, it is also possible to enter a social work PhD program. After graduating from a MSW program, people enter a broad range of jobs (e.g., administrative positions in community organizations, academia, private practice). The typical length of a MSW program is 2-3 years.
**Note: LICSW stands for “Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker,” which indicates that in addition to receiving a master’s degree in social work, this person has also engaged in supervised clinical work and passed a licensing exam to practice psychotherapy (these notations vary from state to state, but are identical in meaning).
Masters in Psychology (MS/MA)
Masters degree programs (i.e., clinical or counseling psychology) typically emphasize the practice of therapy and require that you write and defend a master’s level thesis. These programs do not train you in assessment techniques and often teach very little about research. After obtaining a MA/MS some individuals continue on to receive their PhDs, while others practice therapy with a master’s degree. Depending on the type of master’s degree you obtain, you may or may not be able to practice psychotherapy without supervision, but this is often determined by the laws in the state in which you live. The typical length of a MA/MS program is 2 years.
3. Where can I search for post-graduate employment if I choose to gain experience prior to applying to graduate school?
First, you should stay connected within the Psychology Department at UMass, specifically your own lab if you are part of one, because these are the places where jobs might be posted, emailed, or discussed. You should also use typical job search engines, as well as contact human resource departments at agencies at which you want to work. You may also have to consider volunteering; although not ideal in many instances, there is often a greater demand than supply for research- or clinically-oriented positions, and it is the experience more than the income that will help prepare you for graduate study.
Here are links to just a few places or search engines that often post relevant positions:
National Institute of Mental Health
4. How do I choose appropriate recommendation letter writers? How do I approach them about writing letters?
Recommendation letter writers should be individuals with whom you have had a strong, working relationship. Professors you have worked with one-on-one and for sustained periods of time are your best options. Thus, a professor of a large lecture class who you met with in office hours once would not be a good option, but a professor with whom you did research or an independent project would be ideal.
Approaching letter writers should be done with care because they are (hopefully) going to provide you with a great service when they write your letter! Talking to the individual in person is probably best. This way you can let him or her know exactly what you are looking for in your letters and assess whether they can meet your needs. Meeting is not always possible, so a carefully crafted email that offers to meet in person is also acceptable. Above all else, you should make the letter-writing process as easy as possible for your writers!After a letter writer agrees to write on your behalf, you should provide him or her with all of the necessary information, such as the list of the schools to which you are applying, deadlines, addresses, an updated curriculum vitae, a summary of all of the ways in which you worked with him or her, and envelopes and postage when applicable.
5. When should I take the GRE? Do I have to take the Psychology GRE?
You should plan to take the GRE no later than the summer or very early fall of your application year. That being said, the more time you give yourself, the more options you will have down the road if you are not satisfied with your score. For example, if you take the GRE in January and are disappointed with your scores, you still have plenty of time to study and take the exam again before application season begins. Beyond timing, you should only take the GRE when you are ready. This means that you have studied on your own or with the help of a course and you are comfortable with the exam format and the content. General GREs are usually self-scheduled and are offered multiple times per week.
As for the Psychology GRE, it is not required by all programs, so you should investigate whether or not the programs to which you are applying require the exam. If you are not required to take it, then you should think about whether taking the exam will really benefit you. For people who were not psychology majors as undergraduates, taking the exam might be beneficial if you get a strong score. If you were a psychology major, then the exam might be less important for you. The bottom line is, if you take the exam, get a pretty good score, and include it in your application, it will not hurt you, but it could also be unnecessary. The Psychology GRE is only offered two times per year, so plan ahead! Information about all forms of the GRE can be found here.