Questions Frequently Asked by Psych Majors
Subfields of Psychology
Who can I talk to
here at UMD to know more about experimental psychology?
Any of the professors are great resources, but the
professors who teach the Psy 3021-3022 series could be very helpful. They are, Dr. Gordon, Dr. Durgunoglu,
Dr. Taylor, Dr. Lloyd, or Dr. Slowiak.
Can you work in
educational psychology with a school psychology degree and vice versa?
Educational is more research-oriented with application in
the schools (developing educational methods) whereas school psychologists do
more assessment with individual students. They may consult each other for ideas, but most likely will not work in
the other’s position.
What are some I/O
psychology resources?
http://www.wcupa.edu/_Academics/sch_cas.psy/Career_Paths/Industrial/Career06.htm
Undergraduate Coursework
I am currently
enrolled in Psy 3020 and would like to make sure that I am guaranteed to get
into 3021 with the same professor because I have had problems getting into the
classes I need before.
You do not need to take Psy 3020 and 3021 with the same
professor. However, you do have to
take Psy 3021 & 3022 with the same professor. Once you are in Psy 3021, your professor will give you an
override number to register for 3022. No one else can register for 3022 with that professor.
How can I fit in a
double-major and/or a minor?
Plan ahead! You need 48 credits to complete the psychology
major, but many credits double for lib eds. You need at least 120 credits to graduate, so after major
requirements and lib eds, there is plenty of room for a minor or a second
major.
Can I request a
specific psychology advisor?
Yes. You can
fill out a change of advisor request form (available from CEHSP in 120 BohH),
and have the new advisor sign the form before you return it to CEHSP.
Opportunities as an
Undergraduate
Is it more important
during undergrad to focus on doing research, being a TA, etc. or getting
practical experience in the field?
This depends on what you want to do when you graduate. If you want to do research, research
is important. If you want to
teach, being a teaching assistant is important. Getting practical experience in the field will always help
you if you want to get a job. However, no matter which extracurricular activity you choose, any
activity other than school will look good on a resume or vita.
Does our research for
Psy 3021 & 3022 count for research experience?
Yes
What is a UROP?
A UROP is an undergraduate research opportunity
project. You can find more
information at: http://www.duluth.umn.edu/cehsp/urop_guidelines.html
How do I apply for
UROP?
You can apply online at
http://www.research.umn.edu/undergraduate/UROP/urop_how_to_apply_2.html.
When is a good time
to start thinking about doing a UROP? Is it mandatory to get into grad school?
Students generally do UROPs after they have completed the
research methods series (Psy 3020, 3021, & 3022). UROPs are not required to get into graduate school, but
research experience is highly desired among applicants.
Can you do a UROP
more than once?
Yes
When doing a UROP, do
you have to present your project?
No, but this would help you add to your vitae.
Is the McNair program
free or do you have to pay tuition?
Actually, they pay you to do the McNair program. There is a $2800 stipend that you can
get in payments as you complete parts of your research project. For more information on McNair, go to their web page.
If I want to be a TA,
when is a good time to ask the professor?
Usually the semester before you want to TA. That way they
know that you want to do it so they don’t start looking for anyone else.
How much time does a
TA position take up?
This depends on the class, but usually TAs are expected to
do around 10 hours a week.
What is better, a
research assistantship or a teaching assistantship?
Most often, research assistantships are stronger components
of a grad school application than a teaching assistantship.
How do I do an
internship?
Within the psychology department, you must first take Psy
3010, Ethics. The semester
following this course, you can take Psy 3011, Internship for 3 credits. For
every credit, you are expected to do 3 hours at your intern site per week. You can take additional credits if you
so desire.
What are the benefits
of doing an internship versus working on research (like a UROP) during your
time as an undergrad (or vice versa)?
Doing an internship provides you with real-world job
experience that you cannot get from within the university. The research projects shows that you
are willing to go beyond your coursework and work on a project of
interest. Luckily, both of them
usually last one semester, so you don’t have to choose between them.
Can I do an
internship in the Twin Cities as a UMD student?
You can, but this is generally on your own instead of
through the psychology department here at UMD. You will have to apply for internships versus getting placed
in Psy 3011.
Does study abroad
interfere with psychology courses? Would I have to be in school longer if I studied abroad?
A lot of students that study abroad finish in four years, as
long as they plan it right. Most
students take their lib ed credits while abroad, but some programs offer other
classes that can transfer to your major or minor.
Resources at UMD
Where is Career
Services, and do I need an appointment?
Career Services is located in 22 Solon Campus Center, and
you can walk in if you have general questions, but you will want to make an
appointment for career counseling sessions.
Can Career Services
help with grad school applications or help you find a job?
They will help with applications and help you find a job,
but they will not place you in a job after graduation.
Is there a psych
masters or Ph.D. program at UMD?
Not currently. There used to be a masters in counseling
here, but it has since been discontinued.
Where do I access
Grad Planner?
https://onestop2.umn.edu/gradplanner/home.asp
Where can I get
information on interviewing?
Check out Career Services. They have a lot of resources for
interviewing.
Graduate School
How can you tell if
you are ready for grad school?
Read this: http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/grad/testing-the-water.html
Where can I find
information about graduate schools?
You can generally find programs in your field by doing a
Google search, or using a grad school search program like Gradschools.com. One you find a program you are
interested in, you can then go directly to that program’s web site to find more
detailed information. Another
really good resource for psychology programs is the APA Graduate Study in
Psychology. This book is printed
yearly and lists all APA accredited programs. You can search by degree or by location.
At what point do you select your area of interest?
This is usually done prior to applying to graduate school
programs. Most programs have
specific specialties, and you will most likely apply to work with one or more
faculty members at that school. It
is generally a good idea to have a major area of interest prior to graduating
with your B.A.S.
When should I start
planning for and applying to grad school?
You should start planning for graduate school as soon as you
know you want to go. It takes time
to develop relationships with faculty members, to do research projects, and to
prepare yourself for the type of work required in graduate school. Students usually apply in the fall or
winter before they want to attend (students are usually only admitted for the
fall semester). Ph.D. programs
usually have deadlines in December/January whereas Master’s programs are later.
Is it a bad idea to
take a year off between receiving your B.A. and beginning grad school?
That really depends on the person. If you decide to take a year off, you may want to do
something that will increase your chances of getting accepted into graduate
school (working on research or psych related job). If you continue to work in retail or food service, you
won’t gain any related experience. Taking a year off my be good for those who are burnt out from school and
need time to figure out what they really want to do. Others may never go back to grad school if they take the
year off.
What is the average
number of schools that students apply to?
Students usually apply to anywhere between 6 and 15 schools
depending on the types of programs they are applying to (competitive vs.
non-competitive).
How time consuming is
putting together all your graduate school applications?
It is very time consuming, and the work increases with the
number of schools you apply to.
Why should I apply to
a variety of graduate school programs?
Applying to a diverse range of programs increases your
chances of getting in, because these programs are very competitive. There are a limited number of spot for
the number of people that apply.
What is more
important - GRE or GPA?
Both are looked at very highly by graduate schools, but some
say GREs are more important because there are known means and standard
deviations. GPA averages vary from
school to school, so it is harder to compare them between applicants.
What do I do if my
GPA or GRE scores are not very high?
You can explain this in your personal statement and show
that you have matured or you can go to a master’s program that does not have a
high GPA or GRE requirement.
How do I know who to ask for letters of recommendation?
Ask a professor who will write you a STRONG letter of
recommendation. They should know
more about you so they can write more than, “he/she got an A in my class.”
Are advisors
considered a faculty who can write you a letter of recommendation?
Students are usually assigned to faculty advisors in their
sophomore year, so you be able to ask them for a letter of recommendation.
What are some
extracurricular activities I can do to be prepared for grad school?
You can join Psychology Club and Psi Chi, become a T.A. or R.A. (research
assistant), do a UROP, or do an internship?
What kind of work
experience should I get if I want to apply to a M.A. or Psy.D. program?
You should try to find work that relates to what you want to
do in grad school or beyond.
Why do Psy.D. program
accept more students?
Psy.D. program are typically housed in private professional
schools that do not receive government funding. That means your tuition is
covering the cost of running the school They accept more students so they can cover those costs.
How likely is it for
students to get into a Ph.D. program without obtaining a masters degree?
Less than 10% of those who apply to Ph.D. programs get
accepted to one. A masters may
improve your chances of getting in, but Ph.D. programs generally look for
bachelor’s level admits.
Would it be better to
skip a masters and go right to the Ph.D.?
If you are a planning to get a Ph.D., most schools allow you
to get your masters along the way. If you get a masters and transfer into a Ph.D. program, you might have
to redo some coursework, and it could take longer. Some people go to a masters program first to increase their
GPA, which would then let them get into a Ph.D. program.
Can you clarify the
difference between Ph.D. & Psy.D.?
Should I major in
psychology if I want to be a psychiatrist?
Yes. Medical schools accept students from all majors (with
psychology being one of the top majors of students accepted into medical
school). You just have to make
sure that you take all the prerequisite courses (see the Pre-Med track in the
UMD course catalog.
If my main goal is to
deal with counseling/therapy, would it make sense to pursue psychiatry?
Psychiatrists do not normally do therapy. They are trained as medical
practitioners, so they will most likely spend 10-15 minutes with a patient to
prescribe medications.
Who has to take “the
boards” (psychiatrists vs. psychologists)?
Psychiatrists take the medical boards; clinical or
counseling psychologists take licensure exams.
What degree is
preferred for social work: Ph.D. or Psy.D.?
Actually, social workers don’t need a doctoral degree. Most social workers have a masters in
social work, or M.S.W.
What is the
difference between a masters degree and a terminal masters degree?
A terminal masters degree is intended to be a step into the
job market. These programs
generally do job placement on the program is complete. This does not mean that
some with a terminal masters cannot continue on to get more education.
How long does it take
to get a masters degree?
Generally, about 2 years.
Do you have to go to
graduate school for psychology if that is your major?
No. Most graduate
programs only request that you have completed the prerequisite courses prior to
applying to their program. You
usually do not have to have an undergraduate major in that subject area.
Would it be
recommended to go on to a masters degree?
This depends on the person. If you are not satisfied with the job opportunities
available at the bachelor’s level, then getting more education can open more
doors.
What sort of research
do you do in a Ph.D. or Psy.D. program and is that where stats, experimental
design, and applied methods & measurement come in handy?
You do research based on your area of study (e.g., clinical
psychology may do research on a mental disorder). Yes, that is where stats and research methods will benefit
you.
GRE
What is the GRE?
Graduate Record Exam, similar to ACT or SAT, but for graduate school.
Should students going
to medical school take the GRE?
No, because it is more likely that you will need to take the
MCAT.
When should I start
preparing for the GRE?
You should prepare for at least 8 weeks before taking the
test.
What is the best way
to study for the GRE?
There is no “best way” to study for the GRE, but there are a
few suggestions from students who have taken it:
- Know
the format of the test inside and out, including all question types. You shouldn’t waste time during
the test reading directions.
- Do as
many practice tests as possible, then review your answers so you can learn
from your mistakes.
- Build
your vocabulary. If you don’t
have time to memorize a long list of words and definitions, than root
words, prefixes, and suffixes will help tremendously.
- Work
on resiliency. The test is
about four hours long.
What is the most
difficult part of the GRE?
This is relative to each person’s strengths, but many people
say the verbal section is the hardest. You are asked to know many words that are not in your everyday
vocabulary, and then relate them to other words that are not used regularly.
Careers
What types of jobs
are available for psychologists with just a bachelor’s degree?
The term “psychologist” is used for someone with an advanced degree (usually
Ph.D. or Psy.D.).
These are some bachelor’s level job titles:
- counselor
- rehabilitation
worker
- corrections
- case
worker
- behavioral
health technician
- development
officer
- medical
case worker
- rape
crisis services
- sexual
offenders program
- chemical
dependency counselor
- employee
relations assistant
- housing
and student life coordinator
- marketing
research
- human
resources recruiter
- advertising
agent
- employee
relations assistant
- human
resources training
- affirmative
action officer
- community
organization worker
- mental
health practitioner
- counselor
in children’s services
What can I do to get
a job/specialize in chemical dependency rehabilitation?
You need a bachelor’s degree in a social science field and a
license in alcohol and drug counseling. This is a certificate that is not offered at UMD, so you will have to do
some continuing education to get licensed.
What is a psychiatric
technician?
http://www.cnei.edu/Psychiatric_Technician
Do you make more
money as a psychiatrist or a psychologist?
Generally, psychiatrists make more money.
What do research
psychologists do?
Research psychologists develop ways to test hypotheses in
their area of interest.
What does it mean to
“practice” as a masters or Ph.D. or Psy.D.?
Usually, “practice” means doing some sort of applied
psychological services, such as providing therapy or doing assessments.
What is the
difference between a medical doctor (M.D.), psychiatrists, and professors (Dr.)?
Medical doctors go to medical schools. Psychiatrists go to medical school,
then specialize in psychiatry in their residency. Professors have usually gone to graduate school and have a
doctorate in philosophy (Ph.D.).
What is the
difference between a masters in clinical social work and a masters in clinical
psychology in terms of job duties?
A masters of clinical social work is considered a “terminal
degree” so that you would be prepared to get a professional social work job
upon graduation. One important
issue to be aware of is whether various degrees will allow you to bill for
third party (insurance) reimbursement. If you will not be recognized by insurance companies or Medical
Assistance (state issued insurance), you will be limited to seeing clients who
can pay out of pocket. Go to the
Minnesota Board of Social Work for more information:
http://www.socialwork.state.mn.us/
Regarding masters degree in clinical psychology, currently
the state of Minnesota’s Board of Psychology only provides licensure as a
Licensed Psychologist for those with a Ph.D. or Psy.D. There is an alternative
Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy that currently provides
licensing for those with masters degree in counseling related fields as a
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Professional Clinical
Counselor (LPCC). However,
currently these professional titles are not consistently allowed to bill for
third party reimbursement with insurance companies and cannot bill for Medical
Assistance reimbursement. They are
lobbying to change this, with no success yet. The ability for a person to practice independently with a
masters degree in clinical psychology is determined on a state to state basis.
How can I get a human
resources position with a psychology degree?
After searching for human resources job on LandIt!, it looks like most jobs
required a bachelor’s degree and related experience. You can get this experience through an internship, or a job
in a related field.
With a developmental
psychology degree, can you still work in a clinical setting?
A developmental psychology degree is generally research
oriented. You will need a clinical
degree to work in a clinical setting.
What’s the difference
between clinical and counseling psychologists?
The major difference is the population they work with. Clinical psychologists are more likely
to work with severely mentally ill individuals, and counseling psychologists
will work with populations that are having trouble adjusting to some aspect of
their lives. This, however, isn’t
set in stone and can overlap. Also, counseling psychology programs are often housed in educational
departments, and clinical psychology programs are housed in psychology
departments.
What is the highest
paying psychology career?
Usually, I/O psychologists make the most money.
What degree do you
need to be a high school counselor?
Generally, you need a masters degree. This web site was helpful:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos067.htm
