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Researching Graduate Programs

Researching graduate programs is a great way to figure out if pursuing a specific career and/or graduate degree is the right path for you and familiarize yourself with the application requirements for the program(s) you are interested in.  

Note: The information on this page is designed to provide an overview of what to expect when applying to graduate school in psychology. If you are seriously considering applying to graduate school, you should connect with a faculty member from the Department of Psychological Science or PSYC Advising as soon as possible.

Conduct Informational Interviews

If you are thinking about applying to graduate school, connecting with professionals in the field(s) you are interested in is a great first step. One way to do this is by conducting something called an informational interview. An informational interview is a meeting to learn about the real-life experience of someone working in a job or field that interests you. Specifically, informational interviews can help you get first-hand information about working in a particular job or field, figure out how to prepare for a certain type of career, focus your career goals, and expand your network.  

  • Visit the Career Services website for more information about informational interviews, including how to find professionals to contact, prepare for interviews, and types of questions to ask.

Get Familiar With Application Requirements

Before applying to graduate school, it is also critical that you familiarize yourself with the prerequisite and other application requirements of the program(s) you are interested in applying for. Application requirements can vary widely depending on the type of program you are applying for. Similarly, application requirements can differ from school to school, even if the program focus is the same. For example, two forensic psychology graduate programs may have different application requirements even though they focus on the same subject (forensic psychology). 

A great way to begin familiarizing yourself with the application requirements for graduate school is to start searching for the types of programs, or specific programs, that you are interested in applying to. A couple of resources are listed here to help you get started. 

  • Gradschools.com is a free resource that allows you to search for Master’s and PhD programs in many different fields, including psychology. 
  • The American Psychological Association (APA) Graduate Study in Psychology database allows you to search and compare admissions information for more than 1,300 Master’s and Doctoral programs in the United States in Canada. You must purchase a subscription to access this resource – subscriptions range from $19.99 to $49.99, depending on the number of months of access. 
  • View and download this spreadsheet to help keep track of the different graduate programs you are interested in, as well as their application requirements, important deadlines, and other relevant information.

Questions to Ask Yourself

As you begin researching graduate programs, it may be helpful to start asking yourself questions such as the following: 

  • What are the admissions requirements for this program? 
  • What kind of time commitment am I willing or able to make? 
  • What is the acceptance rate for this program? 
  • What is the cost of attendance? Does the program offer graduate assistantships, graduate fellowships, or other forms of financial aid? 
  • What is the job placement rate of graduates from this program? 
  • Are there any faculty members I would be interested in working with at this program?

Additional Resources

  • The American Psychological Association (APA) divisions are interest groups organized by APA members. There are 54 APA divisions to choose from, all of which focus on different topics within the field of psychology. Students can apply to join any APA division for no cost – an APA membership is not required. 
  • Professor Dr. Eric Landrum from the Department of Psychological Science co-authored an article about common mistakes and other errors students sometimes make when applying to graduate school. Click here to view and download the article.Â