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Graduate Program Selection in Psychology-Related Fields
Graduate Program Selection in Psychology-Related Fields
I have always been keen on my education progress in an area that is psychology-related since I desire to enhance my skills of understanding, assisting, and engaging with the individuals in significant aspects. Studying graduate programs will not only allow me to learn what type of role I may pursue (a clinical one, research, educational psychology, etc.), but it will also enable me to discover programs that serve my interest, experiences and professional goals. The three programs I chose are a combination of purposeful development and academically demanding, and it is due to this that I maintain a flexible choice in the plans I make but towards a direction that is meaningful to me.
My decision of selecting a Master and possibly doctoral level initiatives at the moment was informed by the state of my academic and professional life. My Master level degree could be the right amount of credential and skills training that I need to obtain to work directly, or further refine my education, but a doctoral degree would give me the opportunity to participate more extensively in research and advanced practice. I pursued programmes which offered a balance of good program (comprising of research methods, assessment placement option, practicum/internship placement options, etc), good fit with my background, time and cost commit and place of delivery format which I could commit to. The other significant requirement was the preparation of graduates to undergo licensure or any other progress (in my area or where I wish to practice).
The practical considerations also played a major role in my decision. This can be the place of location as I will not have the same amount of dedication to graduate study due to the price of living, travel and proximity to resources that will assist me (family, mentors, professional networks). The issue of format (online or in-person) is relevant since I might want to continue working or other types of activities during my learning. The feasibility of programs dependable on such financial aspects as the price of tuition, whether or not the program will have assistantships or scholarships, and the likely payback time all provided me with an intriguing business case. I also considered the number of programs and the openness of the requirements or gaps that I will need to fill out before embarking on the program.
The feasibility of the programs was also tempting based on my personal interests and experience. To show an example, in case I have completed psychology course work, research methodology, statistics or volunteering work in a mental-health, education or organizational organization, then any program that focuses on those areas will be suitable. On the other hand, those programs that have numerous prerequisite courses that I never took would have to spend additional effort. The program selection is a manifestation of the agreement between the past experience and my perception of the program: coursework requirements, the aspects of practicum/internship, research approaches, and the faculty/curriculum orientation. Considering that I would like to work with a diverse population and I believe that the culturally responsive practice is the means of reaching my goal, I also needed the program that will bring attention to the differences between people, practical work and ethics.
Overall, all of the three programs which I have selected are of interest to me as they offer me slightly different opportunities: one of them is oriented on clinical practice (and includes internship and testing) and the other one is oriented on psychology in general (and these opportunities would allow me to have a wide range of career opportunities), the third one is oriented on educational psychology (which is also associated with teaching and learning contexts). I will secondly compare more closely costs and other funding options, contact faculty or current students in these programmes, develop an application strategy (part I believe the right selection of graduate programme would enable me to meet my long-term goal of wanting to contribute positively to the psychology career and cause a change in the society positively.
Schools of Interest
1. Washburn University (Topeka, Kansas) - MA in Clinical Psychology
2. Calumet College of St. Joseph (Whiting, Indiana) - MA in Psychology
3. Emporia State University (Emporia, Kansas) - MS in Clinical Psychology
References
American Psychological Association. (2024). Admission criteria for graduate psychology programs are changing. Monitor on Psychology.
Calumet College of St. Joseph. (2025). Master of Arts in Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.ccsj.edu/academics/degrees/master-of-arts-in-psychology/#1609788548674-70e36c3b-fd215521-854d
Emporia State University. (2025). MS in Psychology – Program overview and requirements. Retrieved from https://www.emporia.edu/applied-health-sciences/psychology-home/psychology-academics-programs-graduate/ms-psychology/
Washburn University. (2025). Graduate Degree in Clinical Psychology – Program requirements. Retrieved from https://www.washburn.edu/academics/college-schools/arts-sciences/psychology/graduate-degree/index.html
