Master's school selection for a prospective PhD/PsyD

[Marshal7]

Hello, I am attempting to get into a reputable PsyD/PhD program and am planning to pursue a master's program beforehand, as I would like to gain research experience, letters of rec, and more exposure to psychology(I am a non-traditional applicant with a bachelor's in biology and a handful of psych courses taken).

A couple of questions I have, are:

1. How much consideration do top PhD/PsyD programs give to the school quality for a Master's graduate?
2. If I complete an LPCC licensed program (counseling psychology) would I be an attractive applicant?

I have an interest in both research and patient care, but would tend towards patient care. As such, a balanced program is my ultimate goal. I am unsure whether I should do a master's program that is cheap, less-competitive, and closer in proximity to where I live, or tend towards a quality state institution.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[psych.meout]

If your goal is a doctoral program, especially any funded program, you should probably go for a research-based master's program. It will help you significantly more than a practice-oriented terminal program designed for licensure.

 

[Temperance]

What are your research interests?

Given the choice, attend a program where you can complete a master's thesis and where you can join a lab or somehow conduct research in your areas of interest. Cost can potentially be mitigated with assistantships, depending on the program. You can also ask prospective programs where their graduates have gone; they may have this on their website.

 

[Marshal7]

What are your research interests?

Given the choice, attend a program where you can complete a master's thesis and where you can join a lab or somehow conduct research in your areas of interest. Cost can potentially be mitigated with assistantships, depending on the program. You can also ask prospective programs where their graduates have gone; they may have this on their website.

My research interests include broadly: depression, anxiety, PTSD, and novel approaches to pharmaceutical treatments.

I have found a program in clinical mental health counseling that offers the option to conduct a 6-9 credit research thesis as a graduation requirement that I am interested in.

 

[psych.meout]

My research interests include broadly: depression, anxiety, PTSD, and novel approaches to pharmaceutical treatments.

I have found a program in clinical mental health counseling that offers the option to conduct a 6-9 credit research thesis as a graduation requirement that I am interested in.

Those interests are very broad, so much so that they will make it difficult to have good fit with individual mentors. Getting research experience will help you narrow them.

 

[chicandtoughness]

1. How much consideration do top PhD/PsyD programs give to the school quality for a Master's graduate?
2. If I complete an LPCC licensed program (counseling psychology) would I be an attractive applicant?

1. None, unless you are focused on a very specific area of research and your masters degree institution allows you the opportunity to work in a lab in that area (e.g. if you're interested in working exclusively with eating disorders, go to Drexel and UNC and MSU and Temple because that will offer you access to some of the best researchers).
2. I've found in my interview circuit that the practice-heavy PsyD programs found me attractive because of my counseling masters, and explicitly voiced this (especially the ones that offer accelerated schedules!) The PhD programs either didn't care or viewed it as a detriment.

 

[Justanothergrad]

I have very positive views of certain research based MA programs because they are designed go prepare students explicitly for doctoral training. Ideally I look for students with matching graduate research, but recognize the skills of research are transferable and that quality of that training is more important than anything else.

it's not just 'research' in the masters, it's their ability to prepare students for doctoral programs. there are many that do this very well and make that their focus. many of the ones I like a lot have stipends and support students in ways similar to funded reputable doctoral programs. I dont consider a thesis as sufficient evidence of research training. Programs I favor have explicit reaearch coursework where you are conducting studies and writing papers; graduates frequently have 1-2 pubs or papers in review

 

[Marshal7]

1. None, unless you are focused on a very specific area of research and your masters degree institution allows you the opportunity to work in a lab in that area (e.g. if you're interested in working exclusively with eating disorders, go to Drexel and UNC and MSU and Temple because that will offer you access to some of the best researchers).
2. I've found in my interview circuit that the practice-heavy PsyD programs found me attractive because of my counseling masters, and explicitly voiced this (especially the ones that offer accelerated schedules!) The PhD programs either didn't care or viewed it as a detriment.

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[Marshal7]

I have very positive views of certain research based MA programs because they are designed go prepare students explicitly for doctoral training. Ideally I look for students with matching graduate research, but recognize the skills of research are transferable and that quality of that training is more important than anything else.

it's not just 'research' in the masters, it's their ability to prepare students for doctoral programs. there are many that do this very well and make that their focus. many of the ones I like a lot have stipends and support students in ways similar to funded reputable doctoral programs. I dont consider a thesis as sufficient evidence of research training. Programs I favor have explicit reaearch coursework where you are conducting studies and writing papers; graduates frequently have 1-2 pubs or papers in review

Thanks for your helpful reply. To clarify, are you commenting from the prospective of a balanced (research/practice) program faculty member?

 

[Justanothergrad]

Thanks for your helpful reply. To clarify, are you commenting from the prospective of a balanced (research/practice) program faculty member?

Yes. I take students who have pure research goals and pure practice goals. Regardless of student career goals, applicants which are best positioned to support faculty members in their careers (e.g., publication/research endeavors) are going to be particularly competitive and attractive. Given that R1 (and R2 to a lesser degree) institutions require research productivity for faculty careers, this is why posters, lab involvement, GRE quant, papers, etc. are heavily weighed in applications.

 

[WisNeuro]

Yes. I take students who have pure research goals and pure practice goals.

How do you know if they are pure or not? DO they have to pull a sword out of a stone or something?

 

[Justanothergrad]

How do you know if they are pure or not? DO they have to pull a sword out of a stone or something?

**Adds to interview day agenda**