MA in General or Counseling Psych.

[dakwegmo]

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As my prospects for getting in to Ph.D program at this point don't look too good, I am considering Master's programs. There are two pretty close to where I live now, one is in General Psychology, the other is in Counseling Psychology.

Ultimately, I plan on applying for a Ph.D program in Clinical Psych, to that end the General Psychology degree seems to be more research oriented, which is what I would rather be doing. The appeal of the Counseling Psych degree is that it is closer to home, and feeds in to a Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology. As I stated before I would rather be doing research, but it seems that this route my also leave me with more of a safety net in the event I am not accepted into a clinical program, even after the Master's.

Advice?

 

[Forensic M.S.]

ma in general psych seems pretty generic and unfocused.

i would say go for the ph.d in counseling eventually.

i applied to one counseling program as a substitute for clinical at one school.

 

[Jon4PsyD]

Go with the MA in General Psychology if these are your only two options. My Statistics/Research professor has served on admissions comittes and Clinical PhD programs (as they are about research) according to her look VERY negatively on people with Masters in Counseling, according to her they wouldnt even look at many peoples applications who had an MA in this.

Now if you want the PhD in Counseling Psychology...totally different story...

Jon

 

[JatPenn]

MA in General Psych will be viewed upon much more favorably than any other sort of Masters you enter with.

 

[Anon82]

If your ultimate goal is to apply to PhD programs in clinical psychology, it might make sense to work as a research assistant in a lab for a few years. That's a great way to get paid for getting research experience. It can be even more helpful than a masters if you are able to get publications/poster presentations while you are there, and if you get a letter of recommendation from a big name in the field. Just something to think about...

 

[JatPenn]

If your ultimate goal is to apply to PhD programs in clinical psychology, it might make sense to work as a research assistant in a lab for a few years. That's a great way to get paid for getting research experience. It can be even more helpful than a masters if you are able to get publications/poster presentations while you are there, and if you get a letter of recommendation from a big name in the field. Just something to think about...

Agree 100%.

 

[dakwegmo]

Thanks for the opinions. Please keep them coming.

As for the Research Assistant recommendation, this is something I have considered. I have been volunteering for the last year in a lab and will be presenting a poster for the SEPA conference in Atlanta in March based on some of the research we are doing. I have talked to a couple of professors regarding paid reseach positions, and neither of them knew of any. I have also checked other universities and hospitals for openings, but have yet to find anything that looked like it would provide me with appropriate research experience.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find research positions?

 

[JatPenn]

Where are you located? Scour university websites.

As for other options: here is the website for the New York State Psychiatric Institute (go to "jobs) and also the website for a clinical neuro-imaging research center at Hartford's Institute of Living (one of the oldest Psychiatruc institutes in the country). Either is a wonderful place to get fantastic research experience. Just to get you started...



www.nyspi.org

http://www.nrc-iol.org/info/opportunities.htm

 

[HonieButterfly]

Thanks for the opinions. Please keep them coming.

As for the Research Assistant recommendation, this is something I have considered. I have been volunteering for the last year in a lab and will be presenting a poster for the SEPA conference in Atlanta in March based on some of the research we are doing. I have talked to a couple of professors regarding paid reseach positions, and neither of them knew of any. I have also checked other universities and hospitals for openings, but have yet to find anything that looked like it would provide me with appropriate research experience.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find research positions?

I think you can find some research positions but it may require you to leave you state of residence. If your willing I am sure you can find something.

 

[mmcarson]

As my prospects for getting in to Ph.D program at this point don't look too good, I am considering Master's programs. There are two pretty close to where I live now, one is in General Psychology, the other is in Counseling Psychology.

Ultimately, I plan on applying for a Ph.D program in Clinical Psych, to that end the General Psychology degree seems to be more research oriented, which is what I would rather be doing. The appeal of the Counseling Psych degree is that it is closer to home, and feeds in to a Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology. As I stated before I would rather be doing research, but it seems that this route my also leave me with more of a safety net in the event I am not accepted into a clinical program, even after the Master's.

Advice?

I will be completing my MA in general psych in May. I did it for the same reasons you are. Here is my advice:

1) Take classes that match your interests as closely as possible, and take more basic and quantitative (e.g. stats, research methods) classes than electives (e.g. gender issues) this will show admissions committees that you will succeed in their program, and you will have more completed classes that may be transferrable.

2) Join a lab as soon as you enter the program, even if you have to volunteer. That way you can establish a relationship with a professor who will later be willing to sponsor your thesis. My master's program encouraged us to apply to PhD programs in our first year, but if you want to get a publishable thesis under your belt, and even a couple of presentations, I recommend waiting until your 2nd year.

I applied to 5 schools. I have received 4 interviews and 1 offer of admission so far. I attribute it to my research and my experiences in the master's program. If you decide to go this route, you just have to make sure you are tailoring your master's experience to fit flawlessly with the programs to which you will eventually apply.

 

[bspwong]

Do PhD programs consider MA/MS programs in psychology done by online or correspondence? Are they looked at unfavorably?

 

[Psyclops]

MA or even better MS in general psych is the way to go if you want to go into clinical. If you want to go to a counseling PhD then go for a counseling MA, many require it for admission. But I would imagine that the Counseling MA would be the kiss of death for clinical PhD programs.

 

[bspwong]

Meaning........clinical PhD programs reject applicants on the basis of their possession of MA in counseling? May you elaborate on the rationale behind this?

Thanks!

 

[Psyclops]

Of course I don't know for sure if they wouldn't admit you because you have an MA in counseling, but here is my thinking: PhD programs are highly competetive to get into, lots of people want to go, they require a large amount of time, and alot of that time is spent doing research, advisors want to admit students who are going to be helpful to them and be a good fit, doing research you are not interested in is like getting dental work done, the model that most phd programs follow, the boulder model, puts equal emphasis on research and practice in theory (not always true for programs even ones who say they follow it. So, if you have a MA in counseling (which generally have more lax admissions criteria and less rigrous traininig) and very little research experience, you will do a poor job of convinceing professors that you have an interest in both practice and research. For some reason many people are very intersted in being clinicians, more so than researchers, so they want to screen people out who are not going to be intersted in participating in a large part of what the clinical psychology profession is about. So the MA/MS in general psych shows that you are invested in the research, and can succede (sp?) in a graduate program. They'll just take your word that you are intersted in doing clinical work as well. That's common. The Counseling is less rigrous, easier to get in to, not much emphasis on research, etc. Also you want to go to a program that does a real thesis, based on an original research project. My thoughts.

 

[mftPsychSoc]

Go with the MA in General Psychology if these are your only two options. My Statistics/Research professor has served on admissions comittes and Clinical PhD programs (as they are about research) according to her look VERY negatively on people with Masters in Counseling, according to her they wouldnt even look at many peoples applications who had an MA in this.

Now if you want the PhD in Counseling Psychology...totally different story...

Jon

I can relate to the OP; I'm looking at a general MA in psych vs a masters in mental health counseling. However, I intend to apply to counseling psych programs (PhD & PsyD) after finishing my masters. As far as this goes, do PhD counseling psych programs have the same negative outlook on a masters in counseling? I have some good clinical experiences, but I don't have any research experience(I did take a research methods class though), which is why I'm considering a general MA. The doctoral counseling psych programs I'm looking at are clinically oriented to equal emphasis(about a 1-4) on the clinical-research spectrum....I think I should at least try to get some research experience, but I'm not sure if I have a knack for it...I got a D+ in that research methods class, but It was a well earned D+, if there is such a thing😳 (just missed the C-!).

 

[mftPsychSoc]

I'm not sure if I have a knack for it...I got a D+ in that research methods class, but It was a well earned D+, if there is such a thing😳 (just missed the C-!).

I don't want to make myself sound like a bum, lol! I have a 3.1 gpa, just had a hard time with my methods class.😛

 

[Ollie123]

But I would imagine that the Counseling MA would be the kiss of death for clinical PhD programs.

I disagree. I think spending 2 years just getting the Counseling MA will not do much to improve your app, but nor do I think it rules out the clinical PhD. If you have more and better research experience than your peers, the Counseling MA will probably work to your benefit. Its only if you do not that you will look like someone whose "faking" an interest in research to get into a program (it happens more often than you might think, though I never understand why), and then it will count against you. Of course that doesn't mean you should do it, since a research master's is definitely "better" for admission albeit a bigger risk.

Do PhD programs consider MA/MS programs in psychology done by online or correspondence? Are they looked at unfavorably?

I imagine this is either not considered at all, or will count against you. At least at traditional programs.

The major reason to DO a Master's is the opportunity to work in the lab with a professor and hopefully take your research experience to the next level. That's hard/impossible in an online program with no central location, and no resources available to you (lab space, equipment, etc.) Coursework is less relevant unless you have a low undergrad GPA and need to demonstrate you can handle graduate level coursework.

 

[deleted176373]

Do PhD programs consider MA/MS programs in psychology done by online or correspondence? Are they looked at unfavorably?

I would try to avoid that situation. It's not gonna play particularly well in applying to clinical Ph.D. programs where you are supposed to work closely with others. Now if you are applying to a distance based clinical Ph.D. program it might be a different story. This is not to say that good distance based programs don't exist, but I think it would be more difficult to get the kind of research experience needed to be competitive in applying to traditional Ph.D. programs from a distance based program.

Personally, I feel that you are better off setting up to go from B.A. to Ph.D. than you are going B.A. -> M.A. -> Ph.D. However, if you have a weak undergraduate record though, a masters may be the best choice.


Mark

 

[BorntoRun]

For the OP, I think a lot depends on what your undergrad GPA looks like. If you have a solid GPA, I would say don't bother with the master's at all - if you're going for a Ph.D., spend your time getting research experience. That said, if your undergrad GPA is lacking (as in the case of the 3.1 mentioned by the other poster - that would get you ruled out in the first cut for most programs), a master's is a good plan, and I would agree with the other posters - the one that gives you more research experience and more face-time with professors is the way to go.

 

[myelin]

having a weak BA/BS GPA can be made up in a MA program. the MA program will give you 2 years to prove that 1. you're motivated, and 2. that you are capable of graduate level work. with that being said, if you decide to go the MA to PhD route, don't screw up your GPA in the MA program. the MA program will also give you time to refine your research interests and crank out a thesis that is representative of those interests. that also makes you (IMO) more marketable than an undergraduate trying to convince a PhD program admissions committee of their research interests without a thesis or research expereince to back it up.

i've known MANY people that have made up for a weak BA/BS gpa in MA programs and have gone on to be wonderful psychologists and academicians/researchers.

 

[Jon4PsyD]

Myelin, thank you for the positive words. I had a poor undergraduate GPA (2.7, 3.2 Psychology) and am doing extremely well in my M.A. Counseling program, so I hope what you're saying has happened will be in my future as well.

As for MFT: If you want the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology go for the M.A. in Psychology. If you want a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology, I think your M.A. in Mental Health Counseling (Which I believe you stated you already have...?) will be enough to make your application look strong. It will NOT be looked negatively upon, since most Doctoral programs in Counseling Psychology REQUIRE a Master's degree.

Best of Luck to you,
Jon