How To Find Best Graduate Programs in Psychology

Searching for a grad program can be a daunting, long and drawn out process. While some people choose to only apply to top ranked graduate programs in psychology, I would offer a better bit of advice. Does the particular program meet your career needs?

Instead, there are 3 questions to ask if you’re pursuing the best masters or doctoral program for you:

1. Is the program APA-accredited? Does accreditation matter for what I want to do with my masters or Ph.D. in psychology?

In case you’ve never heard of it, the American Psychological Association lends its stamp of approval on academic programs that meet their standards of quality. Not every graduate program is APA-accredited.  Why is accreditation important? Although accreditation is not necessarily associated with job opportunities upon graduation, it does provide a sense that the program you’re considering has met certain professional and ethical standards that characterize the field of psychology. It provides a sense of accountability that the program is indeed doing it sets forth to do — provide superior career training. To find out if the program you’re considering is APA-accredited, check the annual listings in December issue of the American Psychologist.

2. What kinds of career opportunities are the graduates of your program embarking upon after graduation?

Are graduates of the program you’re considering going on to similar career paths as those you are interested in? It makes little sense to spend 1.5 to 2 years in a graduate program if you cannot successfully transition to the career that you want. Are they going into applied fields? Teaching at traditional universities? Online universities? Corporations? These are the questions you need to ask before you enroll and pay tuition to attend any university.

3. For programs that require an internship or practicum to complete, what is the rate of successful placement?

Many graduate programs whether on the masters or Ph.D. level have additional requirements besides coursework. Research-oriented programs tend to emphasize the production of original research in the form of the masters thesis. And many applied program require a practicum or internship. One question to ask upfront is whether students are being successfully placed into practicums or internships in order to complete their degrees.

If the graduate program you’re considering meets all of your particular lifestyle and professional needs, then why not apply and enroll?

Please Tweet, Digg, Stumble, or Delicious to spread the word on how to get into graduate school in psychology!