Master's in Psychology Prerequisites

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Many students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a non-psychology field might want to switch to psychology for graduate school. Can you get a master’s in psychology with a different bachelor’s in another subject?

It is possible, but you’ll need to determine what prerequisites you’ll need to get a master’s or doctorate in psychology. You may need to complete these prerequisite courses before gaining full admission to a graduate program.

At a GlanceNot everyone figures out where their passions and interests lie during the busy undergraduate years, but it’s really never too late to start! It just depends on how much time, effort, and commitment you are willing to put into making the switch to psychology for graduate school.Let’s take a look at things you might want to consider before switching to pursue psychology in grad school, including the prerequisites you’ll need before you enroll in a master’s or doctorate program.

At a Glance

Not everyone figures out where their passions and interests lie during the busy undergraduate years, but it’s really never too late to start! It just depends on how much time, effort, and commitment you are willing to put into making the switch to psychology for graduate school.Let’s take a look at things you might want to consider before switching to pursue psychology in grad school, including the prerequisites you’ll need before you enroll in a master’s or doctorate program.

Not everyone figures out where their passions and interests lie during the busy undergraduate years, but it’s really never too late to start! It just depends on how much time, effort, and commitment you are willing to put into making the switch to psychology for graduate school.

Let’s take a look at things you might want to consider before switching to pursue psychology in grad school, including the prerequisites you’ll need before you enroll in a master’s or doctorate program.

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.

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.

Common Master’s in Psychology Prerequisites

Some of the mostcommon prerequisitesneeded for admission to psychology graduate programs include:StatisticsExperimental methodsIntroductory psychologyAbnormal psychologyChild developmentPersonality psychologyPsychopathology

Some of the mostcommon prerequisitesneeded for admission to psychology graduate programs include:

Some programs have specific credit requirements before enrolling in a master’s or doctorate psychology program. For example, you may be required to have a minimum number of credit hours of undergraduate psychology coursework before you enroll in a graduate program.

It’s always a good idea to check with the specific program where you plan to apply. They can offer guidance and suggestions to improve your chances of being admitted to the program.

Program requirements vary. Some schools may require you to complete these prerequisites before applying to the program. Others may admit you to the program and require you to complete the prerequisite courses before you begin taking courses in the program.

Other Prerequisites for Graduate Study in Psychology

Other prerequisites you may need to fulfill before being admitted to a master’s or doctorate psychology program include:

Tests You’ll Need to Take

In addition to taking prerequisite classes, you will most likely need to take the GRE and psychology subject tests before submitting your application for admission.

Some graduate-level psychology programs no longer require the GRE for admission. However, some may accept test results to help supplement your application. A good score on the GRE may help demonstrate your ability to succeed in a psychology program even though your bachelor’s is in a different subject.

Psychology Graduate Degree Options

Finally, you should remember that there aredifferent psychology degree optionsto choose from.

Master’s in Psychology

You might opt to get a master’s in psychology. Such programs may focus on a specific area of psychology, such as clinical or forensic psychology.You might earn a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MS).

Such programs may be offered as a terminal degree, meaning you can enter professional practice in your specialty area once you graduate. In other cases, a master’s degree may be offered as a transitional step toward a doctorate degree in psychology.

A master’s degree in psychology typically takes between two to three years of graduate study to complete. If you are switching to psychology after earning a bachelor’s in a different subject, you’ll need to also factor in the time it takes you to complete the necessary prerequisite courses.

Depending on the type of degree you earn and your specialty, you might work in therapy, research, teaching, or an applied field such as forensic or industrial-organizational psychology.

What to Know About a Master’s in Psychology

Doctorate in Psychology

If you plan on getting a doctorate degree in psychology, you also have a couple of options. A PhD in psychology is one available possibility, but you might also opt for a PsyD program. PsyD programs typically focuses on professional practice while PhD programs center more on a combination of research and practice.

Doctorate programs typically take six to seven years to complete.

Career Options With a Master’s or Doctorate in Psychology

Whileclinical psychologyis definitely one of the largest employment areas within psychology,there are many alternatives that will also allow you to work in the field, such as health psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and forensic psychology.

Next, learn more about some of your career options with agraduate degree in psychology. If you’re still unsure what specific focus you’d like your psychology career to take,this quiz was made just for you.

The key thing to note here is that switching to psychology for graduate school is definitely possible, but it will take some effort on your part. Making sure you have the required prerequisites is an essential step.

If psychology is your passion, then you should definitely spend some time looking at your options and figuring out how you can get started on the path toward your dream career.

What Classes Do I Need to Become a Psychologist?

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Master’s careers in psychology.Gee DG, DeYoung KA, McLaughlin KA, et al.Training the next generation of clinical psychological scientists: A data-driven call to action.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2022;18:43-70. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-092500Vollmer S, Spada H, Caspar F, Burri S.Expertise in clinical psychology. The effects of university training and practical experience on expertise in clinical psychology.Front Psychol. 2013;4:141. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00141Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychological Association.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?Kuther TL.The Psychology Major’s Handbook.Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2016.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Master’s careers in psychology.Gee DG, DeYoung KA, McLaughlin KA, et al.Training the next generation of clinical psychological scientists: A data-driven call to action.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2022;18:43-70. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-092500Vollmer S, Spada H, Caspar F, Burri S.Expertise in clinical psychology. The effects of university training and practical experience on expertise in clinical psychology.Front Psychol. 2013;4:141. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00141Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.Additional ReadingAmerican Psychological Association.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?Kuther TL.The Psychology Major’s Handbook.Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2016.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychological Association.Master’s careers in psychology.Gee DG, DeYoung KA, McLaughlin KA, et al.Training the next generation of clinical psychological scientists: A data-driven call to action.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2022;18:43-70. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-092500Vollmer S, Spada H, Caspar F, Burri S.Expertise in clinical psychology. The effects of university training and practical experience on expertise in clinical psychology.Front Psychol. 2013;4:141. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00141Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.

American Psychological Association.Master’s careers in psychology.

Gee DG, DeYoung KA, McLaughlin KA, et al.Training the next generation of clinical psychological scientists: A data-driven call to action.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2022;18:43-70. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-092500

Vollmer S, Spada H, Caspar F, Burri S.Expertise in clinical psychology. The effects of university training and practical experience on expertise in clinical psychology.Front Psychol. 2013;4:141. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00141

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists.Occupational Outlook Handbook.

American Psychological Association.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?Kuther TL.The Psychology Major’s Handbook.Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2016.

American Psychological Association.Doctoral degrees in psychology: How are they different, or not so different?

Kuther TL.The Psychology Major’s Handbook.Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2016.

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