Switching to Psychology for Graduate School

Switching to Psychology for Graduate School Student Resources Print Switching to Psychology for Graduate School By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on February 07, 2020 PeopleImages.com / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers Many students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a non-psychology field might find that they would like to switch to psychology for graduate school. Is this even possible? Not everyone figures out where their passions and interests lie during the busy undergraduate years, but its really never too late to start. It really just depends on how much time, effort, and commitment you are willing to put into making the change. Lets take a look at things you might want to consider before switching to pursue psychology in grad school. Can You Switch to Psychology? So can you switch to a graduate degree in psychology if your undergraduate degree is in a completely different field? Yes, but there are a few important things you need to consider. First, you might need to take some additional courses in order to meet the prerequisites before applying to a graduate program.Next, you need to be sure that you have completed any tests that are required for admissions to the program, which may include the GRE and the psychology subject test. Before you fully commit to a graduate program, you might want to consider starting with a few prerequisite psychology courses. This can not only get you up-to-speed on the subject-matter, but it will also help give you a better idea of whether you really want to continue your studies in psychology.   Where to Begin Start by looking at a few graduate programs that interest you. Contact each program to learn more about their admissions procedures and requirements. Some of the most common prerequisites needed for admission to psychology graduate programs include:Statistics  Experimental methods  Abnormal psychologyChild developmentPersonality psychology. In addition to taking prerequisite classes, you will most likely need to then take the GRE and psychology subject test before submitting your application for admission. Finally, you should remember that getting a Ph.D. in psychology is only one available option. You might also opt for a PsyD program, which typically focuses on professional practice while Ph.D. programs center more on a combination of research and practice. While clinical psychology is definitely the single largest employment area within psychology, there are a number of alternatives that will also allow you to work in the field. Health psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, forensic psychology.  Next, learn more about some of your career options with a graduate degree in psychology. If youre still not sure what specific focus youd like your psychology career to take, this quiz was made just for you. The key thing to note here is that it is definitely possible, but its going to take some real effort on your part. If psychology is your passion, then you should definitely spend some time looking at your options at figuring out how you can get started on the path toward your dream career.