GRADUATE STUDY IN
HUMAN SERVICES
Psychology
Employment Status
Recent PhDs in Psychology: 2007
Recent PsyDs in Psychology:2007
Realities of Graduate School
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The overall median undergraduate GPA reported
for applicants admitted to master’s degree
programs is 3.37, while that for doctoral programs
is 3.55
Median GRE scores for applicants admitted to
master’s degree programs: 510 (GRE-V), 580
(GRE-Q), and 600 (GRE-Subject)
Median GRE scores for applicants admitted to
doctoral degree programs are 575 (GRE-V), 640
(GRE-Q), and 650 (GRE-Subject)
Source: American Psychological Association. (2009). Graduate Study in Psychology. Washington, DC:
Author.
Average Acceptance Rates for
Doctoral Programs by Subfield
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Clinical = 21.2
Counseling = 21.5
School = 37.4
Industrial/Organizational = 25.7
Quantitative = 42.6
Health = 30.9
Social = 19.4
Neuroscience = 26.9
*Calculated by dividing the number of students accepted into a program by the number of students who applied
Source: Nocross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2006, Spring). Graduate Admissions in Psychology:
II. Acceptance Rates and Financial Considerations. Eye on Psi Chi, 10(3), 20-21, 32-33.
Source: Nocross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2006, Spring). Graduate Admissions in Psychology:
II. Acceptance Rates and Financial Considerations. Eye on Psi Chi, 10(3), 20-21, 32-33.
Acceptance Rates for Master’s
Programs by Subfield
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Clinical = 52.7
Counseling = 65.5
School = 48.9
Industrial/Organizational = 56.6
Quantitative = 72.7
Health = 70.3
Social = 47.6
Neuroscience = 32.3
* Calculated by dividing the number of students accepted into a program by the number of students who applied
Source: Nocross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2006, Spring). Graduate Admissions in Psychology:
II. Acceptance Rates and Financial Considerations. Eye on Psi Chi, 10(3), 20-21, 32-33.
Source: Nocross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2006, Spring). Graduate Admissions in Psychology:
II. Acceptance Rates and Financial Considerations. Eye on Psi Chi, 10(3), 20-21, 32-33.
Realities of Graduate School: Time to
Complete
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It typically takes a full-time student 4 to 7 years to
earn a doctorate in psychology, and 2 to 4 years to
earn a masters degree
On average, students take 7 years from entrance
into a graduate program to complete a doctoral
degree
 80%
of recent PhD recipients also have masters
degrees
Source: American Psychological Association. (2009). Graduate Study in Psychology. Washington, DC:
Author.
Realities of Graduate School: Financial
Aid
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64% of programs indicate that they offer some
form of fellowship or scholarship to 1st year
students; 62% offer to advanced students
81% of programs indicate that they offer teaching
and research assistantships to 1st year students;
87% offer to advanced students
Source: American Psychological Association. (2009). Graduate Study in Psychology. Washington, DC:
Author.
Realities of Graduate School: Financial
Aid
Source: Nocross, J. C., Kohout, J. L., & Wicherski, M. (2006, Spring). Graduate Admissions in Psychology:
II. Acceptance Rates and Financial Considerations. Eye on Psi Chi, 10(3), 20-21, 32-33.
Criteria Considered for Graduate
School in Psychology
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GRE Scores
Research Experience
Work Experience
Clinically Related Public Service
Extracurricular Activities
Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Goals and Objectives
Interview
Major/Minor in Psychology or Record of Specific
Courses in Psychology
Undergraduate GPA
Social Work
Master’s in Social Work (MSW)
Programs
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An undergraduate degree in social work is not an
admission requirement for MSW programs
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Sociology, psychology, and other behavioral sciences
provide a good foundation
Relevant paid or volunteer experiences in social
services, residential or care facilities, shelters, or other
human service settings are very important
Generally requires 2 years of coursework as well as
many hours of supervised fieldwork
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational outlook handbook Social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Master’s in Social Work (MSW)
Programs
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The U.S. Department of Labor (2006) predicts that
employment of social workers will increase faster
than the average for all occupations into the next
decade
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational outlook handbook Social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Child, Family, and School Social
Workers
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Provide social services and assistance to improve
the social and psychological functioning of children
and their families and to maximize the family wellbeing and the academic functioning of children
Median annual wages: $39,530
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational outlook handbook Social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Medical and Public Health Social
Workers
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Provide persons, families, or vulnerable populations
with the psychosocial support needed to cope with
chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as
Alzheimer's, cancer, or AIDS
Median annual wages: $46,650
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational outlook handbook Social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Social Workers
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Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional,
or substance abuse problems, including abuse of
alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs
Median annual wages: $37,210
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational outlook handbook Social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm
Marriage and Family Programs
Marriage and Family Programs
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Marriage and family therapy is one of the fastest growing
mental health disciplines
Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are mental health
professionals who bring a family-oriented perspective to
health care. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional
disorders and other health and behavioral problems, and
address a wide array of relationship issues within the
context of the family system. MFTs believe that individuals
and their problems must be seen in context, and that the
most important context is the family.
Source: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). A career as a marriage and family
therapist. Retrieved from: http://www.aamft.org/resources/Career_PracticeInformation/career.htm
Marriage and Family Programs
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These professionals might be providing family-related education, serving as an
advocate, providing social services, or lobbying for or seeking funding for family
related programs
Those who earn the master's degree in Family Therapy will most often be providing
family-centered interventions, helping couples or families deal with a variety of
issues
Marriage and family therapists might work in a treatment setting, a social service
agency, a school system, or the criminal justice system
Often work in many of the same settings as those with degrees in psychology,
counseling, or social work
A master’s degree is the most common advanced degree in this area, typically
taking about 2-3 years to complete
Source: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). A career as a marriage and family
therapist. Retrieved from: http://www.aamft.org/resources/Career_PracticeInformation/career.htm
The Graduate Record Examination
(GRE)
The GRE General
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The GRE is a computer based, adaptive test
 At
the start of the test, you are presented with test
questions of moderate difficulty. As you answer each
question, the computer scores it and uses that
information, as well as your responses to preceding
questions and information about the test design, to
determine the next question. As long as you answer
correctly, you will typically be given questions of
increasing difficulty. When you respond incorrectly, you
will typically be given less difficult questions.
 Once you answer a question and move on to another,
you cannot go back and change your answer.
Source: About the GRE General Test. (2010). GRE General Test. Retrieved from Educational Testing
Services website: http://www.ets.org/gre/general/about/
The GRE General
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Skills Measured:
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The Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to:
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The Quantitative Reasoning section measures your ability to:
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analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
recognize relationships between words and concepts
understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis
reason quantitatively
solve problems in a quantitative setting
The Analytical Writing section measures your ability to:
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articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
examine claims and accompanying evidence
support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
control the elements of standard written English (this factor plays a role only to the extent
that poor writing skills impede readers' understanding of the argument)
Source: About the GRE General Test. (2010). GRE General Test. Retrieved from Educational Testing
Services website: http://www.ets.org/gre/general/about/
The GRE
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Testing fees range from $160-205
ETS preparation materials:
 http://www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare/index.html
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Kaplan preparation materials:
 http://www.kaptest.com/GRE/Home/index.html
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Princeton Review preparation materials:
 http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/free-gre-
practice-test.aspx
Source: About the GRE General Test. (2010). GRE General Test. Retrieved from Educational Testing
Services website: http://www.ets.org/gre/general/about/
The GRE Subject Test: Psychology
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Most editions of the test consist of approximately 205 multiplechoice questions. Each question in the test has five options from
which the examinee is to select the one option that is the correct or
best answer to the question.
Some of the stimulus materials, such as a description of an
experiment or a graph, may serve as the basis for several
questions.
The questions in the Psychology Test are drawn from the core of
knowledge most commonly encountered in courses offered at the
undergraduate level within the broadly defined field of
psychology.
A question may require recalling factual information, analyzing
relationships, applying principles, drawing conclusions from data,
and/or evaluating a research design.
Source: About the GRE Subject Tests. (2010). GRE Subject Tests. Retrieved from Educational Testing
Services website: http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/about/content/psychology/index.html
The GRE Subject Test: Psychology
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There are questions in three content categories:
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Experimental or natural science oriented (about 40 percent of
the questions), including learning, language, memory, thinking,
sensation and perception, and physiological
psychology/behavioral neuroscience. They contribute to the
experimental psychology sub-score and the total score.
Social or social science oriented (about 43 percent of the
questions). These questions are distributed among the fields of
clinical and abnormal lifespan development, personality, and
social psychology. They contribute to the social psychology subscore and the total score.
General (about 17 percent of the questions), including the history
of psychology, applied psychology, psychometrics, research
design, and statistics. They contribute to the total score only.
Source: About the GRE Subject Tests. (2010). GRE Subject Tests. Retrieved from Educational Testing
Services website: http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/about/content/psychology/index.html
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Prepare early!
Inform yourself of the facts
 Application
methods and fees
 Application deadlines
 Admission criteria
 Typical GPA and GRE criteria
 Typical acceptance rates
 Tuition, financial aid options
 Cost of living
Helpful Resources
Resources
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Guide to careers in the helping professions:
 http://teachpsych.org/otrp/resources/himelein99.pdf
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What is the interview process like?
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_644.aspx
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/01/questions.a
spx
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Recommendations for the application process:
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_801.aspx
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Organizing your personal statement:
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_756.aspx
Resources
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Letters of recommendation:
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_721.aspx
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How do I select programs to apply to?
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_695.aspx
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What is graduate school like?
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_667.aspx
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/01/culture-
shock.aspx
Resources
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What is the difference between clinical and
counseling psychology?
 http://www.psichi.org/Pubs/Articles/Article_663.aspx
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/03/similarities.
aspx
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Top 10 habits that hold graduate students back:
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/09/bad-
habits.aspx
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What can I do if I get a low GRE score?
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2009/03/score.aspx
Resources:
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American Psychological Association:
 http://www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/career
s.aspx
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Association for Psychological Science:
 http://www.psychologicalscience.org/
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APA Grad Psych:
 http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/index.aspx
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Eye on Psi Chi:
 http://www.psichi.org/pubs/eye/past.aspx
Resources
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National Association of Social Workers:
 http://www.socialworkers.org/
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Council on Social Work Education:
 http://www.cswe.org
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Association of Social Work Boards:
 http://www.aswb.org/
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Social Work Graduate School:
 http://socialworkschool.tripod.com/
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American Sociological Association:
 http://www.asanet.org/
Resources
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American Association for Marriage and Family
Therapy:
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http://www.aamft.org
Occupational Outlook Handbook:
 http://www.bls.gov/oco/
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Guide to careers in the helping professions:
 http://teachpsych.org/otrp/resources/himelein99.pdf
Resources
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Educational Testing Services: http://www.ets.org
Kaplan Test Prep: http://www.kaptest.com
Princeton Review: http://www.princetonreview.com/