Choosing a Psychology Graduate Program

Psychology covers a lot of ground. It splits into many branches, each with its own areas of focus, so picking a graduate program is not a decision to rush. Start with yourself. What actually interests you? Before you commit to any program, take an honest look at your needs, your interests and, most of all, where you want to end up professionally. If your plan is to practice as a licensed psychologist, for example, you will likely need either a PhD or a PsyD, since those degrees are what qualify you to sit for the licensure exam.

Your own interests matter, but you don't have to sort this out alone. Talk to faculty members. Ask friends or older students who are in a psychology program now or have already finished one; they can tell you things a brochure never will. Put in a bit of footwork and compare several programs side by side before you decide. Beyond weighing research interests and the career doors a program might open, confirm that the one you like is run by a school that is reputable and properly accredited.