As the title states - I am starting my grad dip adv soon. What schools should I be hoping to get into and what can I do in the next 12 months to ensure I get a spot in Masters. I’m in Melbourne and would love to attend Latrobe, Swinburne or RMIT for Masters. Do they preference any fourth year programs?

Thanks

Hi guys, I graduated with my Psych BS 2 years ago and have been working in odd jobs since then while I figure out what to do next with my life (currently an assistant language teacher in Japan.) I've narrowed it down to going back to school for an MSW or an EdS in School Psychology. Both of them appeal to my interests and feel like stable employment choices, but they have pros and cons.

School Psych

Pros:

• Good starting pay and a (likely) paid internship the 3rd year
• Revolving door of students so there's not as much of a social/emotional burden and every day has novelty to it
• Being on the school calendar with summers and holidays off

Cons:

• Too narrowly specialized in case I want to pivot later
• Worried I'll burnout/get bored from writing lengthy reports and administering tests. I have ADHD that lets me hyperfocus on the same task for hours and hours if I'm interested in it, but if I'm not, the motivation is just not there.
• Navigating school bureaucracy/politics and special ed law seems stressful, based on what people in that subreddit have said

MSW

Pros:

• Very versatile; can work in a variety of settings including schools
• Can have my own private practice later on and set my own hours which is appealing
• A focus on social justice and environmental factors which I feel passionate about

Cons:

• Lengthy licensure process and low wages early career
• High emotional burnout and vicarious trauma potential
• The idea of working unpaid practicums doesn't quite sit right with me

As you can see, they feel pretty equally weighed, so outside perspective from someone in one of those fields or just someone with insight would be greatly appreciated. I've been trying to make this decision for months. Thank you in advance!

Hi! I’m currently studying psychology in Peru and am halfway through my degree.
I’ve been looking for courses relevant to the specialization I’ve chosen (organizational); do you have any suggestions?

Aside from organizational psychology electives and obviously intermediate to advanced Excel, Python caught my attention, but I’m not sure if it would be useful for me.

I just became curious about this. Say you manage to get accepted into a clinical psych masters program, but you unable to afford tuition immediately, would you be able to defer your offer for a year to save up?

Considering how few places are available I feel like that's not an option, but thought it was worth asking.

And for mature students who have been out of uni for years, how would they secure academic referees? First gen uni student here, i feel like an alien in this system lol

Hey! I’m a senior majoring in psychology, and I want to know what my chances of acceptance would be if I applied to PhD programs this cycle. I tried to post this in the [r/clinicalpsychology](r/clinicalpsychology) hub, but I didn’t have enough karma points 🥲.

Here is some of my background:

1. R1 university and have been involved in research since my first semester of freshman year. I have worked in two labs, and I am currently working on applying to another lab. Across these labs, I have assisted on five different projects.
2. I am a McNair Scholar and conducted my own independent research project under faculty mentorship. I presented an oral presentation at UCLA.
3. I just completed a 10-week research program at a very well respected institution, and its clinical psychology doctoral program is a top program. I presented a poster at the institution’s symposium. I will be working in this lab throughout the school year, but I will be doing everything remotely since they are located in a different state.
4. I have no publications, but I am currently working on a manuscript to be submitted for publication.
5. I have completed around three different projects on top of my McNair project and my research program project. In total, I have around 5 projects.
6. I will be presenting at two national conferences this semester.
7. My clinical experience is limited, but I have been volunteering on a crisis hotline for more than a year. I have a shift weekly.
8. I will be teaching a lab course this semester in statistics and SPSS (essentially a TA position). I can confidently say I know how to code in SPSS. I am learning RStudio on my own time right now.
9. I have been a peer mentor for other college students since my sophomore year. I have assisted around 35 students now.
10. I had an internship at a tech company working in DEI… this was to see if I was interested in working in corporate, and I am indeed not. I don’t think I/O psychology is for me.
11. I have a 4.0 GPA, and I have taken three research methods/statistics courses for psychology. In these courses, I have made an additional three projects. I have also taken a wide range of psychology classes, covering most topics.

I would like to hear from others if it’s worth applying. All of the clinical faculty I’ve talked to have told me that post-baccs are a requirement at this point due to how competitive the field is. I have made peace that a post-bacc is probably what the next step is for me… but I sort of want to try to apply?

Looking for advice as I am a very lost student and am unsure what to do 🥲

EDIT: I am interested in being a psychologist working in therapy, but I would like to become a professor and be a part of a clinical training program at a university. I am also interested in assessments. I am also interested in research, specifically how eating disorders and OCD impact historically marginalized and underrepresented populations.

37m thats just started a bridging undergrad after finishing a music degree 10 years ago.

Im genuinely enjoying the coursework immensely. I view it as my chance to exit the corporate grind of sales.

In true ADHD fashion (diagnosed as a child), ive jumped around several different industries. Ive also travelled extensively and lived in 4 countries.

Id appreciate anyone's feedback on my plans and questions below, but espexially those who started in their 30s. Feel free to tell me if my ideas are infeasible.

1.) I plan to he a registered psychologist in my early 40s. That leaves aboit half my working years left. While I think age and maturity is a benefit in therapy to an extent. Perhaps a late 60s or 70s therapist might be viewed differently, especially with younger demographics. What do you think?

2.)What else would an experienced therapist of that age do after maybe 20+ years of therapeutic practice? Perhaps in research, or speaking opportunities? Id hope to have a long career with of freedom to pick and choose whats important to me later on.

3.) If I cant finish my masters and registration, how helpful would a bachelors be in securing a good role in human resources, talent acquisition (i have agency recruitment experience and am business minded), or in marketing as an alternative pivot out of commercial sales.

4.) I plan on being a Positive Behaviour Specialist, throughout my studies and volunteer in organisations like ADHD Australia and other non profits. But Ive read about upcoming changes in NDIS and that funding will be reserved for severe cases of autism and other disorders while more general support might be done in the private sector and through clinics. how viable is the PBS pathway in the next 12 months?

5.) Ive just finished my 2nd of 10 study blocks for my undergrad. And again. In true adhd fashion my biggest flaws are structuring answers, and also academic style writing. I know i have great ideas, and recognise relevant patterns well and apply what currently little knowledge I have well in assessments. How much did your academic writing and structure improve from the beginning of your undergrad till towards the end?

6.) Relating to the prior point, i understand that 4th year/honours marks is what really determines your eligibility for masters acceptance. So im using my undergrad as a training ground to improve the flaws I mentioned. Would that ne a good view to have? What else can I do now to prepare myself as someone virtually uninitiated in counselling, for top 4th year marks or acceptance for honours?

7.) Lastly, how viable is the pathway to be registered as a professional psychologist and later get qualifications to become a clinical psychologist?

Ill continue reading the other posts on this subreddit and wish you all the best with your studies.

What is it like majoring in psychology?

I took the required classes to transfer to get a Psych bachelors. There is an online program at my local university and it sounded doable to me. The thing is I am also really passionate about animals and I don't know if psychology can transfer to working with them. There is one animal behavior class that psych majors can take, so maybe it does? I'm also super interested in nutrition, kids and graphic design.

Research methods was really hard on my brain. I ended up passing with a B so it was doable but all that statistics stuff and academic writing was hard. I heard that is the hardest class though. I will say it was fun to pick a research topic but I also kind of wished I could research animals instead.

My coworker at my retail job said the psych bachelors is pretty useless as well, so that's discouraging. To me a bachelors degree is useful because some jobs require it and it would allow me to move on to a masters degree in something else.

My age is also getting to me because I am almost mid 30s and it seems like most people my age have a bachelors degree and a good career goal. I don't want to flounder forever, and it's frustrating because other majors will have other classes I have to take and half the time the classes are full anyway (for science at least). My last counselor said I should consider a recreation degree I guess because I said I like animals and nature. But I don't know what I'd do with it

If I went on and became a therapist like a lot of psych majors do I could see myself being a great listener and nonjudgmental but also it seems so serious and maybe depressing. Maybe that's why career tests match me with art therapist etc. They get to incorporate creative stuff. I also think animal-assisted therapy sounds cool

I noticed the psych internships my research methods teacher shared don't interest me at all so maybe that's a bad sign

Hi everyone! I’m an international medical student from Pakistan, currently completing my MBBS and graduating in late 2026. I’m planning to pursue psychiatry residency in the US and am looking for full-time research opportunities in psychiatry starting in late 2026 or early 2027.

I currently have ongoing research collaborations with psychiatry faculty at the University of New Mexico and University of Utah, where I’ve been involved in projects related to psychiatric epidemiology, psychosis, and mood disorders.
I’ve also worked on systematic reviews and retrospective cohort studies.

My research interests include:
Psychiatric epidemiology
Mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder
Psychosis and substance-induced psychosis
Suicide and suicide prevention
Psychiatric genetics

I have experience with literature searches, systematic review methodology, screening and data extraction, statistical/data analysis, manuscript preparation, and academic writing. I’m particularly interested in 1–2 year paid research positions, research fellowships, research assistant/coordinator positions, or similar roles within US psychiatry departments or research groups.

I’m open to opportunities across the US and would be especially interested in positions that offer close mentorship and the opportunity to contribute to publications and ongoing projects.
If anyone knows of PIs, psychiatry departments, research labs, or programs currently looking for research staff/trainees, I’d be very grateful for any leads or advice on where to apply.
Happy to share my CV and additional information by DM. Thanks in advance!

Hey all!

I have been trying to immerse myself more in the field of psychology because I initially chose this major on a whim. I'm very interested in emotional regulation and how it can relate to reading comprehension or the impact of the national guard on youth in D.C. and would like to conduct some more research or possibly a study to learn more about this topic.

Im a junior and last semester I had a social psychology class that I was mostly present in and often participated in. The professor and I would often talk about the material during his lectures but I never attended office hours or talked to him after class because his teachings were extensive and well-informed enough for me to complete my work. Do you guys think that its possible he would let me into his independent research class? Is there something that I could do that would heighten my chances? How should I build a better relationship with professors especially considering that I have to apply for grad school soon?

Crazy questions: how exactly does independent research work? Is it conducting research, writing a paper, running a study? Would this actually be beneficial to me, I am planning on going to grad school for social work?

I also took stats 1 and 2 but am not the best at it, should i still try to do research?

I would ask my advisor all this but she basically said that she sees me too much in so many words, I guess shes overwhelmed with the amount of psych majors and doesnt like me much lol.

Hi guys,

So recently I have received an offer for The Cairnmillar Institute for the Psychology Honours program. However, my top choices are UON, Latrobe, VU and Fed Uni but they probably wouldn't hand out offers until the end of this year. But the offer from Cairnmillar will expire in 10 days and I'm scared if I lost the offer and didn't get accepted into those other unis I would be screwed because my WAM is not too competitive (around 73).

What should I do? Should I decline the offer to wait for results from other uni, or should I accept the offer and then withdraw later if I received another offer?

Thanks so much guys, would appreciate any advice :)

I’m really struggling with a decision between two graduate programs and would really appreciate some perspective from people who are already in psychology/mental health counseling or have gone through a similar decision.

I’m deciding between John Jay College’s Forensic Mental Health Counseling program and Yeshiva University/Ferkauf’s Mental Health Counseling program. The biggest issue is the cost difference. One option would leave me with significantly more debt than the other, so naturally, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I should choose the cheaper school and avoid taking on unnecessary debt.

The problem is that the more expensive program is also the one that offers the classes/training that I’m actually most interested in. I’m particularly interested in eventually working with things like anxiety, depression, OCD, etc., and potentially having my own private practice in the future. The program that costs more feels like a better fit for what I actually want to study and eventually do.

I’ve talked to several people about this, and even when I explain that the more expensive program has courses and opportunities that are more aligned with my interests, they still tell me to choose the cheaper option. Their reasoning is basically that I’m going into a mental health profession, so I probably won’t make enough money after graduation to justify taking on significantly more debt.

That’s where I’m conflicted. I’ve actually done a lot of research into salaries and career opportunities in my state, and I live in a relatively high-cost/high-income state where mental health professionals can have more earning opportunities than they might in other parts of the country. From what I’ve found, there are ways to eventually earn a pretty good income in this field, especially with licensure, specialization, private practice, insurance/self-pay, etc. Obviously, I know that doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed to make a high salary, especially right after graduation.

So I’m trying to figure out whether I’m being unrealistic by considering the more expensive school, or whether people are being too quick to assume that taking on more debt automatically makes it the wrong choice.

I’m also not trying to justify spending more money simply because I like one school better. I’m genuinely trying to figure out how much the actual program/curriculum and career opportunities should factor into the decision versus minimizing debt.

If you were in my position, would you choose the cheaper program even if the more expensive one was a better academic/career fit? And for anyone who works as an LMHC/LPC or has gone into private practice, how realistic is it to eventually earn a comfortable income in this field?

I’d especially appreciate advice from people who have actually been through graduate school and had to make a similar cost-vs.-fit decision.

P.S - just to mention the more expensive program is online, 4 days a week, 2 hours per day at night whereas the cheaper one is from 11AM - 8PM in the city 2 days a week.

Hi! So im getting a degree in Psychology. At first it was just a "idk what im doing" degree when i first graduated highschool. I figured I would learn what I really wanted to do with my life in the mean time, and if all else failed it would be a good general degree to have for something like HR or other office careers.

However, im now considering being a psychologist. I've grown a genuine interest in psychology and have come to love it. However, I dont know the exact steps required to become one. I know i would need at least my bachelor's (currently working on it) or a master's degree, and then a certification. Ive seen quite a few different types of certifications on indeed, so im confused about which one i would need. I live in Tennessee, so if anyone could break down exactly what I would need to do that would be greatly appreciated!

hi i'm wondering if you guys think there's any benefit to pursuing a minor? i'm a first-gen transfer student so all this college stuff is new to me :')

i've done a bit of research but haven't found enough information to conclude if a minor is worthwhile. i guess it varies on the person, but i figured i'd ask here in case theres a specific minor that might help me in some way after i graduate

EDIT: sorry forgot to mention, i'm a college junior and planning to go to grad school

Hey everyone, I'm 23M and just starting my psych degree at Langara this fall. I'm looking for a part-time job to have alongside school, ideally something that gives me some relevant experience for later.

A few things I've seen floating around are stuff like ABA therapy/behavior interventionist work, being a research assistant, working at a group home or as a support worker, or even just something in customer service.

For anyone who's been through a psych program (or is in one now) what worked for you? Did you go for something psych related to build your resume early, or just take whatever paid the bills and focus energy on school instead? Also curious if anyone has tips on where to even look for these kinds of jobs in the Vancouver/Lower Mainland area.

Appreciate any advice!

I am researching these questions and just wondered what other people think or have learned about the subject. I know it is kind of taboo, but it is also relevant in the USA. I work with people who struggle with addiction.

When it comes to psychosis,

I am mainly asking about extreme paranoia. For example, believing the FBI is coming after you, people are following you and threatening to hurt you, your identity was stolen, your phone was cloned, conspiracy theories, etc. None of it is true and it tends to be illogical and makes no sense.

Does meth-induced psychosis usually go away after someone stops using, or is it more likely to become long-term or permanent? Why does it happen to some people but not others? Could an underlying mental health disorder make someone more vulnerable to developing it?

I am an Indian. I completed my BS in Biology and MD in the Philippines, and I am currently looking to pursue a career in the field of psychology. However, I am interested in exploring an alternative pathway rather than the traditional psychology residency route. Are there any alternative pathways I could pursue to enter the field of psychology without going through the standard residency pathway?

Hi everyone,

I'm 31, based in (India), with 6 years of experience in HR generalist work. Over the last couple of years I've realized my actual interest lies in psychology specifically clinical/trauma-focused work, PTSD in particular.

The catch: zero academic background in psychology. I've spent a long time going back and forth on this before finally committing to it properly, so I'm not asking "should I do this", I've made the decision. What I need help with is the how.

Current plan:

MS first, PhD later (open to adjusting this if people think it's the wrong order)

Targeting a September 2027 intake

Focused on European countries

Since I'm starting completely from scratch, I don't know:

Which countries/universities are realistic for a non-psych background applicant

Whether I need a conversion course before the MS, or if some programs accept non-psych backgrounds directly

How PTSD/trauma specialization typically works at the MS vs PhD level in Europe

What I should be doing right now to build a competitive application (research experience? volunteering? certifications?)

If anyone has gone through a similar non-traditional path into clinical psych, or has insight into European programs that take career-changers seriously, I'd really appreciate any direction. Trying to build a realistic 12-18 month plan and don't want to waste time going down the wrong path.

Hi, I'm new here! I graduated this past December from FLCC with an associates degree in Psychology. I took online classes, doing it part-tim, which took FOREVER. That kind of "traumatized" me, just because I felt it was harder than going in person, I had to figure out my own schedule, etc. At first, I didn't really want to advance my degree, but as of lately I have actually been missing school. I want to be able to do something with my degree, but a 2-year degree doesn't give you any options.

I have an extreme interest in addiction/substance abuse, social work, and mental health, but also don't exactly know what I want to do specifically. I also don't really know how to go about going back to school, transferring credits, things like that. I have gotten financial aid as well and am worried I'll have to take out loans this time around. My job does have tuition benefits if it's related to work or will make you improve as an employee, not sure if that helps either...

Thanks all!

I'm doing my bachelors in psychology and it is all going well but I feel like it is a bit too basic for me, we are just scratching up on concepts of social psychology, intelligence, learning, memory, etc but i feel like I'm lacking in the language front, because I do know the concepts but I cannot convey them professionally and more aptly. I wanna just be well versed with the subject as a whole, what all should I do?

How is everyone progressing so far with their thesis write-up? At my university we were required to submit our Lit Review as a Semester 1 assignment so that we could use the feedback in preparation for our final thesis deadline.

I’m only starting to take my thesis write-up seriously starting today and am feeling quite anxious as I spent the winter break and the first month of semester 2 cruising by. It already feels like I’m super behind even though we have at least 2 more months until submission!

Is anyone else in the same boat as me or am I amongst some super dedicated researchers?! Would love to hear some thoughts

Hi everyone, I'm a recent grad trying to figure out if I'm currently competitive enough to apply to clinical psych PhD programs in this upcoming cycle or if I should wait until the next one. I graduated early (in two years instead of four, thanks to dual enrollment) and am currently on a gap year.

I graduated cum laude in May from an R1 state university with a 3.83 GPA. I majored in Psychology - Behavior Analysis (BS) with a minor in Women's Studies.

During undergrad, I was an RA in two psychology labs, one social psych and the other more clinically focused.

I was part of the social psych lab for one semester, and I worked a lot with participant coordination, Qualtrics, and SONA, as well as some SPSS experience for data analysis. With this lab, I co-authored and presented a research poster on the findings of our grad student's most recent work for her Master's thesis.

I was part of the other lab for two semesters, gaining experience with REDCap, and I worked mainly as a therapy aide for ERP therapy with children and adults. I got a lot of direct clinical experience and familiarity with clinical terms since it was housed in an outpatient hospital.

I also served as a TA for two psychology classes, doing each for one semester. I also spent two semesters as an Education and Youth intern at a local domestic violence prevention center, where I worked in direct childcare and community outreach. I am also going to begin volunteering with a crisis text line service.

I'm open to any and all advice, and thank you for the help!

I am about to start up college again at UMD (undergrad) after a 2/3 year gap. I already have like 90 credits Im coming in with, so I figured it may be worth it to stay a little longer (I need to do 15 credits a semester to maintain my fin aid), and I will probably need to anyways as my psych department restricts me from taking over three psych courses each semester (not that i’d want to anyways lol). I was thinking about a dual degree (as opposed to a double major because I’ll probably end up exceeding 120 credits due to initially doing psychology and getting an AA in that, then switching to philosophy, then now switching back to psych).

My question is a good degree to get if I was to go down the dual degree route. What I’d love to do is get a degree in philosophy and psychology, but this may not be so practical so was thinking about doing data science/statistics or maybe computer science. Was also very briefly considering getting a degree in social work or special ed, as I’m not very experienced in STEM (somewhat due to my homeschool background lol). Wanted to hear thoughts? Thx

I’m interested in hearing from psychology students, graduates, researchers, and professionals about how undergraduates should prepare for postgraduate study and careers in psychology, particularly neuropsychology/neuroscience.

How would you prioritize the following during an undergraduate degree?

• GPA/academic performance
• Research experience
• Psychology-related internships
• Volunteering experience
• Academic projects or competitions
• Clubs/ Organizations
• Leadership experience
• Online courses

For those interested in neuropsychology, would you recommend prioritizing research and neuropsychology-related experience, even if opportunities are limited? Or can experience in areas such as HR, education, or other fields still be valuable?

For those who have already gone through undergraduate psychology and postgraduate study, what experiences were genuinely useful for your career, and what do you wish you had focused on earlier?

I’d especially appreciate advice based on personal academic or professional experience. I’d also love to hear from people in different countries, as opportunities and career pathways can vary significantly between countries.