PREPARING FOR PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE SCHOOL

          This manual is designed to assist you in preparing for graduate school in psychology. With successful

application becoming increasingly difficult, it is important that you be prepared to place time and energy

into the process.

          The psychology curriculum at Concordia is designed to give the student a well-rounded foundation

in the science of psychology. This will assist you in preparing for graduate school, but fulfilling the minimal

requirements will not ensure your admission into the graduate program of your choice. This guide is part of

a program that the psychology faculty at Concordia have developed in order to assist your graduate school

application. The liberal arts program at Concordia prepares you well for graduate school. An education that

develops your abilities to think and create will assist you in graduate school where you will focus only on

the study of psychology.

Why Graduate School

           Graduate level work is not a prerequisite for employment after a B.A. in psychology. Many

employment areas exist for the psychology program graduate, however, graduate schooling is recommended

and even required for employment in many areas of psychology.

          Counseling and clinical psychology graduate programs prepare students to become therapists, able

to practice in many different settings. These psychologists require graduate training to prepare them for the specific

abilities a therapist needs. States with licensing laws require psychologists to have some graduate work experience.

Psychologists who teach and/or conduct research at a university or college setting are expected to have obtained a

graduate degree, usually a Ph.D., although some schools employ M.A. level teaching psychologists. Research

institutes and companies expect their employees to have the additional research methodology and statistical expertise

graduate school supplies. Thus, graduate school serves as a pre-requisite for many vocational areas within psychology.

          Employment opportunities appear to be very positive for many areas of psychology. Therapeutic service

delivery areas continue to expand nationwide, with a great need for psychologists in rural and some suburban areas

of the U.S.. Research opportunities continue to increase and a projected increase in openings at colleges and

universities will make available many positions for psychologists interested in teaching and research. While some

areas are more open to new psychologists, employment can be found in most areas of psychology.

What to look for in a graduate program

         Graduate programs may at times carry the same name (e.g. Social, Experimental, Counseling), but

programs potentially vary widely within a certain area. Thus, it is important for you to decide a number of issues in

the course of application. One basic question is - what area of psychology do you wish to pursue? This is a process

that may evolve during the course of your undergraduate education or it may be something that you have long

decided. Discuss your possible choices with your advisor and/or with someone who is in the particular field you

wish to study. Consult journals from your selected area to see if the articles reflect questions you are interested in.

         Masters or Doctorate Degrees

         The next step is to ask what you expect from a graduate program. What type of degree do you wish and

how long are you willing to devote to it? M.A. or M.S. programs usually last from 1 to 2 years. These vary due to

the types of training provided and the research expectations of the students, i.e. whether a formal thesis is required.

This brings us to my first definitional tangent. I want to take a minute to discuss the topics of "thesis" and

dissertation. A thesis is usually an initial research project that is proposed, the data is collected, the final paper is

written, and then the paper is defended in front of a group of faculty. The thesis must be completed before the degree

is awarded in most schools, although some schools do not require a master's thesis, replacing it with some other type

of project. A dissertation is much like a thesis, i.e. research is proposed, conducted, written and defended, with the

dissertation usually required before the Ph.D. is granted.

          A Ph.D. will require four or five years of education beyond the B.A. or an additional 2 to 3 years beyond the

M.A.. Counseling and clinical students must also complete a one year training internship after completing your

coursework and research.

         Program Emphasis

           Another area that should be addressed is what type of program you wish to enter. Say you are interested in

Counseling Psychology; some programs specialize in vocational development, others in marital and family therapy,

others in college counseling center work, while others are in general mental health. You need to establish goals you

want your program to address, and to seek programs with the best fit to your goals. Consulting "A Guide to Graduate

Education in Psychology and Related Fields" will provide you with some information about programs. This guide is

available in the library reserved reading under the department chairperson's name or in the psychology department to

be used in consultation with your advisor. Another area of information is the faculty at Concordia.

         Below is a list of faculty and the graduate school where they received training. We also are acquainted with a

large number of other institutions.

          Dr. Albert Bartz U. of North Dakota and Arizona

          Dr. Mark Covey Washington State University

          Dr. Pat Halvorson U. of North Dakota

          Dr. Mark Krejci Notre Dame

          Dr. Susan Larson McMaster University

          Dr. Monica Mori University of British Columbia

          Dr. Lisa Sethre-Hofstad U. of New Mexico

          Program directors at various graduate schools tell me that they are impressed with students who appear to be

very familiar with their program.

Where to look for application information

          Now, I would like to further discuss how to use "A Guide to Graduate Education in Psychology and Related

Fields." This book is divided into four sections, the first one devoted to Ph.D. programs and the latter two on

master's level programs. This book has the programs listed according to the state where the program is located.

Each entry provides an overview of the program, average entrance requirements, prerequisites, and information on

financial assistance.

          The Guide also lists whether a program is approved by the American Psychological Association. The APA

certifies doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and educational psychology. These programs usually have the

most competitive entrance requirements because of the high number of applicants. Do not let this discourage you

though as many recent Concordia graduates have received admissions to these programs.

What graduate schools look for.

Many studies have been conducted that survey directors of graduate programs and what they look for in

applicants. While these studies are constructed to assess Ph.D. programs, they serve as a good indicator of what

graduate faculty value. In a recent survey, Alexander et. al. (1989) listed, in order of importance, factors that

graduate school faculty reported as important criteria for candidates. The factors include:

          1. Ethnic minority

          2. Several published articles

          3. One published article

          4. GRE Quantitative and Verbal score of 1200 or over

          5. Interested in counseling diverse populations

          6. GPA of 3.80 or above

          7. Evidence of research experience.

          The list continues, but you can see that GPA, GRE and publications play a major role. Note that these are desired

attributes and that lacking one or more does not mean that you cannot gain acceptance into a program.

In another study, Descnutrer and Thelen (1989) asked students and faculty of clinical psychology

programs what they thought were important for students in their programs. People relating skills were highly

regarded, as was research. One can see that graduate schools value students who have a proven research record.

Thus, if you plan to apply to Ph.D. programs, carry out research activities during your time at Concordia. Research

options will be discussed later in this manual.

          Masters programs are usually not as competitive as doctoral programs and the need for a research

background varies with these programs. Most require psychology course work, but expectations vary widely

beyond that. The "Graduate Guide" can assist you in assessing the goals of the MA programs. Generally, if the

program requires a thesis, undergraduate research will help your application.

How to prepare for Graduate School.

          The psychology curriculum is designed to provide students with courses that can prepare them for a number

of graduate programs. The Liberal Arts model of education provides you with a very attractive bachelors degree for

graduate work. We will first discuss general courses you should take and then courses will be reviewed for

different types of graduate schools.

Coursework

Many graduate programs like their students to have basic coursework in the natural sciences (Biology,

Chemistry, Physics). These courses come in handy when the biological basis for behavior is covered during

graduate training. Other courses such as anatomy, genetics and physiology are also helpful in graduate work.

Writing courses can assist you with the large amount of writing you will do while in a graduate program. A college

level math course is also highly recommended.

          Students interested in a Clinical or Counseling Program: Beyond the required courses, you should consider

1: personality, 2: abnormal, 3: developmental, 4: social, 5: co-op placement in a clinical setting, 6: Senior

Seminar.

          Students interested in an Experimental Program: (Cognition, Learning, Social, Developmental). These

students should consider such things as 1: advanced physiological psychology, 2: developmental, 3: advanced

general, 4: sensation & perception; 5: social, 6: Senior Seminar.

          A final note: These lists are presented as suggested areas of study and NOT to be considered to be the only

courses you should take. Many other courses exist that will aid your development of a well rounded undergraduate

degree, as well as assist your continued study at the graduate level.

Research

          An undergraduate has a number of opportunities to become involved with the research process. Students

are introduced to research during the Experimental Methods course and the application of research methodology is

covered in every class, which provides you with a thorough introduction to the research process.

Further research opportunities exist in assisting faculty with their ongoing research areas. The list below

gives you an overview of research interests in the Concordia College Psychology Department.
 

Dr. Albert Bartz	Dr. Mark Covey
Behavioral Medicine	Aggression and T.V.
	Honest and Dishonest Behavior
	Values and Education
Dr. Patricia Halvorson	Dr. Mark Krejci
Eating Disorders	Psychology of Religion
	Family Relations
Dr. Susan Larson	Dr. Monica Mori
Drug Tolerance and Learning	Cognition and Memory
Psycho Neuroimmunology	Lifespan Psychology
Dr. Lisa Sethre-Hofstad
Development of Emotion Regulation
Parent-Child Interactions
Developmental Psychology

          Feel free to ask these faculty if they need assistance. Some may already have enough student help, but they

may be able to assist you in finding another faculty person.

          After working with a faculty member's research, you may be interested in conducting your own research

under the guidance of a faculty advisor or by taking the Senior Seminar class, which focuses on students completing

their own research work. These can be as extensive as you desire, but any project allows you to develop your

methodological skills. These projects can be published in a number of locations, including journals devoted to

undergraduate research, or presented at the Minnesota State Undergraduate Conference, the Red River Valley

Undergraduate Conference, the Midwestern Psychological Association meeting in Chicago, or even the national

convention of the American Psychological Association.

Graduate Record Exam

          The GRE is a standardized exam that students applying to any graduate program complete. It is divided

into three parts; a Quantitative section that tests math skills, a Verbal section that tests your word knowledge and

reading skills, and an Analytical section that tests your reasoning skills. Graduate programs usually rely on the

Quantitative and Verbal scores, while the Analytical exam, being a recent addition to the GRE, has met with some

skepticism. Therefore, when you read that programs expect a GRE combined score of 1200, they refer to the summed

Quantitative and Verbal skills

          You should prepare yourself for the GRE. This has been shown to raise scores. Numerous booklets are

published or designed to assist your preparation. They can be purchased at college/university bookstores or at the

mall. A number of students have told me that they wished they had completed all of the practice exams supplied in

these books. Be prepared to invest a good deal of time and money for GRE preparation.

Another section of the GRE is the Advanced Test in Psychology. This four hour multiple choice exam

asks you questions only about psychology. Many graduate programs like to see how much you know about

psychology and reveals such information. The advanced general psychology course can serve as a preparatory aid

for this GRE section.

Co-Operative Education

These provide an opportunity to work in an applied setting. Students have been placed in psychiatric wards

in area hospitals (St. Ansgars, St. Lukes), worked with day-treatment facilities for chronically mentally ill, placed in

child-care programs, and a variety of other settings. Co-ops allow you to gauge your interest in a certain area and

provide faculty an opportunity to evaluate you in a different setting. Contact Mrs. Hausmann, Department Associate,

for information on this program.

The Application

          Plan to apply to a number of schools at varying degrees of admission difficulty. "Apply to at least 10 schools:

1-2 long shots, 2-3 borderline schools, 4-5 comfortable schools and 2-3 sure things." (Ware, 1984, p. 11). Your goals

for the application process is to 1: have at least one offer and 2: have a choice between two or more programs. Expect

to be rejected by several programs, so apply to as many appropriate programs as you can afford.

Send for application materials from a number of schools and then, based on the additional information they

provide, decide to which schools you will submit an application. The application usually requires you to have certain

individuals write letters of recommendation. Select professors who know you well, e.g. research collaborators,

advisors, someone from whom you have had a number of classes. Additionally, advisors at Co-op or summer

placements may be appropriate.

          Provide your professor with the name and address of the program. Include any forms the program wants

your recommender to complete, as well as a summary of your goals for graduate school, and a list of significant

accomplishments during your undergraduate years. The department will provide a letterhead envelope but you

should address and stamp envelopes for each letter you want us to write.

          Have your advisor review your application process and inform her or him where you are applying. The

department wants to keep track of where people are applying, where accepted, and where people plan to attend.

Therefore, please keep us informed about the status of your applications.

TimeLine

          When should all of the above be carried out? Here is a timeline that we suggest you follow: Notice how

early the process begins.

Sophomore year

• Inform your psychology advisor of your interest in graduate school
• Register for statistics (Fall) and experimental methods (Spring) This is important!!
• Enroll in other lower level psychology courses
• Contact your psychology advisor indicating your interest in graduate school
• Get to know the psychology professors
• Join Psychology Club

• Inform your psychology advisor of your plans to apply
• Become involved with faculty research
• Enroll for Co-op credit if so desired (if not junior year, then first semester senior year)
• Explore graduate school options in "Guide to Graduate Education in Psychology & Related Fields" (Spring)
• Enroll in upper division psychology courses
• Plan research project for submission to conference
• Join Psi Chi
• Discuss the GRE with your advisor (i.e. tips on studying)
• Apply to psychology honors program

• Purchase GRE preparation book
• Send GRE application to national GRE office (application forms can be obtained at the Registrar's Office)
• Study, Study, Study GRE prep book
• Review for Advanced GRE

        September (Early)

• Consult with your psychology advisor
• Enroll in Senior Seminar and Advanced General Psychology (if you desire preparation for the

• Send for application materials
• Review application materials, decide where you want to apply
• Enroll in final psychology courses
• Begin self-directed research (or continue from last year)

• Take GRE exams (optional to take GRE-advanced tested in December)
• Begin to prepare application materials (some schools have application deadlines as early as Dec. 15)

• Finish application materials
• Give letters of recommendation requests to professors

• Complete GRE advanced test (if applicable)
• Prepare self-directed research for submission to conference (include submission in application materials)
• Send applications

• Call programs, ask to talk to the chair or director of admissions in order to inquire on the status of your
  application folder.

contact is limited to phone conversations Have a specific reason for calling the program (e.g. to see if all

application letters have arrived, to ask about your status if you are placed on a waiting list). You may want to

contact programs before you send your application in order to ask some questions to clarify information about

the programs. Finally, be sure to treat the secretary who may answer the phone with respect, some programs

will make note of your phone behavior.] Be professional!

February

• Sweat out your applications

• Sometime before the 15th of the month you should be notified of the fate of your application. If you receive a letter stating that you are on a waiting list, call the program to inquire where you are in the list, how far into the list the program usually selects, and when you will be called if an offer is to be made to you. If you are accepted without any financial aid commitments, call the program to see how other students have been financially supported in the past. If you are accepted, you usually have until April 15th to decide if you will accept (this is not always the case)

          Some students occasionally find that they are not accepted. You should discuss with your advisor to assess

possible reasons why you were not accepted. And by all means, try again next year, many students enter in such a

fashion. One word of cheer, of the students in recent years who completed application to graduate programs,

80-90% of the students were accepted into a program. The Psychology Department at Concordia College hopes that

you become a member of that 80-90%.