What happens to PhD program applicants who have master's degrees?

Assessed whether a master's degree in psychology from an institution that granted no higher degree would help or hinder applicants to doctoral programs in psychology. Admissions directors and chairpersons of doctorate-granting programs in clinical and counseling psychology were surveyed. Earning a master's degree before applying to PhD programs had little utility, except for students whose goal was a counseling doctorate that was not approved by the American Psychological Association. Master's degree holders were more likely to complete a doctorate but were less likely to be accepted by clinical programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selecting a doctoral program in professional psychology: Some comparisons among PhD counseling, PhD clinical, and PsyD clinical psychology programs.

Directors of American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs in counseling psychology (95% response) and clinical psychology (99% response) provided data regarding number of applications, credentials of incoming students, rates of acceptance, and the theoretical orientations and research areas of the faculty. The acceptance rates of PhD clinical and PhD counseling psychology programs were comparable (6% vs. 8%), despite the higher number of applications (270 vs. 130) to clinical programs. Compared with clinical students, counseling students were more likely to represent ethnic minorities and have master's degrees, but were otherwise similar in academic credentials. Clinical faculty were more likely to be involved in research with pathological populations and associated with medical settings, whereas counseling faculty were more involved in research concerning career processes, human diversity, and professional issues. These results should alert applicants and their advisors to robust differences across these specializations and should enhance matching between programs and students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in budgetary and personnel support levels of psychology departments, l970–1980.

A survey of US psychology departments that offer graduate programs was conducted during the 1969–1970 academic year and repeated in 1979–1980. Statistics on such topics as the number of undergraduate majors, graduate students, faculty, and secretaries revealed little change over the 10-yr period. However, the number of faculty classroom contact hours increased. While there were increases in many of the budgetary categories, such increases did not keep pace with inflation. Breakdowns of the data by region of the country, public vs private institution, size of university, and type of graduate program (master's degrees only or doctoral degrees) revealed several developments. The most notable include a greater decline in support levels in the western region of the country than in other regions, large gains in the number of graduate students in private institutions, a loss of undergraduates in private institutions, losses in number of faculty in institutions offering only the master's degree, and slight gains in number of faculty in institutions offering doctoral programs. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accredited doctoral programs in professional psychology: 2005.

This document provides the official listing of accredited doctoral programs in professional psychology. It reflects all committee decisions through July 17, 2005. The Committee on Accreditation has accredited the doctoral training programs in the traditional substantive areas of clinical, counseling, school, or combined professional-scientific psychology representing two or more of those areas listed alphabetically by their host institutions. All of the programs offer the PhD degree, except when otherwise noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MA and/or nothing?

Presents evidence contradicting R. J. Howel and M. L. Murdock's conclusion (see record 1973-05428-001) that the master's degree has questionable value for a PhD-pursuing student. 10 of 15 students in a terminal master's program in psychology during 1971–1972 were interested in obtaining a PhD, and 8 were accepted into PhD programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The questionable value of a master's degree for a PhD-pursuing student": Comment.

Responds to R. J. Howell and M. L. Murdock's (see record 1973-05428-001) negative evaluation of the master's degree from non-PhD-granting institutions. The success is described of a master's program designed to prepare students for doctoral work elsewhere. Data from one year show that all of the master's program graduates who applied for further study were accepted and that 80% were accepted into schools classified in the top-rated category used by Howell and Murdock. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selected outcomes of accredited programs.

For a representative sample of 149 accredited doctoral programs, 3 types of outcomes are reported: activities of students, time to degree, and employment settings of graduates. Comparisons of activities on the basis of program specialty area yielded a difference only for the activity of providing professional services (with clinical?>?counseling?>?school). Comparisons on the basis of degree type (PhD, PsyD) yielded differences for all activities except providing professional services, with PhD students and faculty reporting higher median levels of involvement. Students in PhD programs require significantly longer (approximately 1.5 years) to complete their degrees than do PsyD program students. Graduates' employment settings tend to be consistent with the specialty area of their doctoral programs with interesting shifts from initial to subsequent employment. Recommendations are made for expanding outcome assessment of graduate education and training in professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new look at British graduate students.

Discusses findings of a survey of British graduate students in psychology conducted in late 1972 and 1973. Responses were obtained from 34 of the 89 British departments offering advanced courses or supervision for research leading to the PhD in psychology or one of its subspecialties. The total enrollment of all postbaccalaureate students in psychology was 1,112, but only 277 of these were in PhD programs; the number is almost 8 times higher in the US. UK postgraduate training in psychology seems to be conducted on a much smaller scale than in the US, the students enter doctoral training at an earlier age than American students, and females and non-White minority students are well represented in UK doctoral training programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA certification of terminal master's degree programs.

Contends that certification by the American Psychological Association of terminal master's degree programs would enhance the quality of those chosen for employment or further graduate education. Data from a questionnaire returned by 53 master's programs, 35 direct-service agencies, and 27 doctoral programs endorsed this view. It is suggested that unless terminal master's-level applicants can obtain a certified program in psychology, their training may be taken over by other disciplines. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The value of a terminal master's degree for PhD-pursuing students in psychology.

Presents results of a survey of graduate programs in psychology that support the conclusions of R. J. Howell and M. L. Murdock (see record 1973-05428-001), who found that, on average, BA/BS students appear to have more to lose than to gain by obtaining a master's degree in psychology as a primary strategy in seeking the ultimate goal of a doctoral degree. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Getting in and getting money: A comparative analysis of admission standards, acceptance rates, and financial assistance across the research–practice continuum in clinical psychology programs.

The diversification and proliferation of doctoral programs in clinical psychology call for their periodic comparative analysis to inform prospective applicants, their advisors, and the entire field. The authors surveyed directors of the 232 American Psychological Association (APA)–accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology (98% response) regarding application numbers, acceptance rates, financial assistance, and credentials of incoming students. Results are summarized for all clinical programs and then separately for 6 types of programs along the practice–research continuum: freestanding PsyD, university professional school PsyD, university department PsyD, practice-oriented PhD, equal-emphasis PhD, and research-oriented PhD. Lower acceptance rates and higher Graduate Record Examination scores were strongly associated with programs oriented toward more research training; for example, research-oriented PhD programs admitted far fewer applicants (7% vs. 50%) than did freestanding PsyD programs. Freestanding PsyD programs awarded significantly less full financial assistance to incoming students (1% vs. 89%) and required 1 less year to complete than did PhD programs. Overall, PhD-level students were more likely to secure an APA or Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers internship than were PsyD students. The authors conclude with observations about the historical changes and heightened differentiation of doctoral training in clinical psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School psychology graduate training: A comprehensive analysis.

Describes a comprehensive study of the nature of graduate training in school psychology. A historical perspective is presented. Demographic information on current trends in school psychology training at the master's, specialist, and doctoral levels is provided. A discriminant analysis of the curriculum for doctoral, master's, and specialist programs at 211 institutions is examined, and conclusions are drawn with regard to the relation between the content at these 2 levels of training. It is concluded that school psychology training has advanced significantly in the past 10 yrs and is moving gradually to the doctoral level. A discussion of the implications of these data for professional psychology is provided. Suggestions are made for organizational changes that will facilitate the accreditation of school psychology programs and ameliorate the historical concern regarding the appropriate entry level for practice. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Current status of graduate education in psychology.

Surveyed chairmen of psychology departments in 32 state universities and 9 private universities offering doctoral-level programs in basic and applied psychology, to determine the extent to which education and training is available for graduate students in the applied areas of psychology, specifically clinical psychology. Results indicate the following: (a) For all practical purposes, the PhD degree is the only doctoral degree being awarded in both basic and applied psychology. (b) The majority of the departments offering advanced graduate work in psychology insist on a variable core of required courses. (c) The comprehensive examinations taken by students in these programs are largely broad and integrative and are more likely to be administered by either a departmental examining committee or the student's own program committee. (d) For those departments in which a core of courses is not required of all doctoral students, there are substitute requirements, including demonstration of competencies and knowledge in content areas through examinations, or in the successful completion of a minor academic area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The master’s degree in clinical psychology: Longitudinal program evaluation.

The usefulness of a master's degree in psychology as a facilitator of admission to doctoral programs or as a means of securing full-time, psychology-related employment still remains a debatable issue. All persons who received degrees over a 28-year period (1958-1986) from a terminal master's program in psychology were surveyed on two occasions: in 1973 and in 1986. The data presented focus on the responses of the 105 persons who received clinical MS degrees. Over the 28-year period, 61% of the MS clinical graduates entered doctoral programs in psychology or related areas. Also, except for those who chose to become full-time homemakers or those who were still working toward doctoral degrees, all respondents were employed full time in psychology-related settings. A review of the empirically based reports on master's-level training in psychology between 1971 and 1987 is also presented, so as to provide a continuing historical overview of the master's-level issue in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The unquestionable value of a master's degree for a PhD-pursuing student.

Examined the validity of R. J. Howell and M. L. Murdock's (see record 1973-05428-001) conclusion about the questionable worth of the master's degree. Contrary to Howell and Murdock's findings, results from a survey of 44 institutions indicate that a master's degree in psychology did not hinder admission to a PhD program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The ideal function of the terminal master's degree program for a PhD-pursuing student.

Recent evidence suggests that PhD programs are reluctant to accept applicants who hold terminal master's degrees in psychology. The negative implications of such admissions policies are discussed, and solutions are offered to the problems—often cited by PhD programs—of enrolling such applicants. It is concluded that the terminal master's program should function as a proving ground for qualified applicants who are not accepted directly into PhD programs after completing their undergraduate work. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Charles W. Bray II (1904–1982).

Presents an obituary for Charles William Bray, II. Bray received the master's degree in psychology in 1926, and the PhD in 1928; his doctoral thesis on "Vitamin A Deficiency and Its Relation to Hearing" was published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in 1941. He was appointed instructor in psychology in the Princeton department in 1928, and then continued to rise through the academic ranks, becoming assistant professor in 1931, associate professor in 1941, and full professor in 1945. In his academic teaching, Bray was mainly concerned with experimental methodology, working with other members of the departmental staff in laboratory training courses for undergraduate students and was also deeply involved in the training of graduate students and especially their guidance in connection with their doctoral theses. He taught courses in differential psychology and educational psychology, as well as the laboratory training course in experimental psychology. Personally, Chuck was a man of warmth, grace, forthrightness, and sound judgment; he was the perfect friend to all who knew him well. As a scientist he was perceptive, painstaking, and thoroughgoing, with an unhurried objectivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Admission requirements, acceptance rates, and financial assistance in clinical psychology programs: Diversity across the practice-research continuum.

129 directors (80% response) of APA-accredited clinical psychology programs provided information pertaining to admission requirements, acceptance rates, financial assistance, and theoretical orientations. Summary data are presented and comparisons are made among 4 types of clinical programs: PsyD programs, practice-oriented PhD programs, equal-emphasis PhD programs, and research-oriented PhD programs. Clinical doctoral programs held similar expectations for undergraduate preparation in psychology, but robust differences emerged on preferred Graduate Record Examination scores, acceptance rates, and financial assistance. In the most extreme comparison (PsyD vs research-oriented PhD programs), students were 4 times more likely to gain acceptance but 6 times less likely to receive full financial assistance in PsyD programs. Implications of these results for potential graduate students and for the future of applied psychology programs are briefly discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

GRE predictive validity in a Master's program in clinical psychology.

Presents predictive validity data for GRE scores collected in the Master's program in clinical psychology at Acadia University. The program typically admits 4 or 5 students per year, and the current sample consists of 37 students (29 females, 8 males) who have completed their 2-yr residency requirement in the program over the past 10 years. Upon application, 12 of the admitted students did not provided GRE scores, and of the other 25, 4 did not write the Advanced test in psychology. Cumulative undergraduate 4-point GPAs and 4 GRE scores were used as predictors, and these means are lower than would be found in PhD graduate programs in larger schools or PhD-level programs. Outcome variables were whether students were accepted into a PhD program; external awards; graduating on time; and thesis publication. A series of t-tests were conducted to examine which predictors discriminated between outcome variables. Results show that GRE scores were highly predictive of a range of outcome variables in the Acadia Master's program where there is a higher degree of variability in predictors. The importance of how GRE scores are used in combination with other predictors is noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supply, demand, and salary profiles as seen by a graduate department head.

Discusses the shift of values, interests, and needs toward psychology of social change, the high proportion of students enrolled in psychology, and the lack of tools required to meet their demands or plan for them. Problems relating to program funding and predictions on the future of doctoral and master's level programs are considered. It is concluded that those persons now involved in university psychology departments must develop a variety of strategies which will enable them to meet future problems produced by decisions over which, as a group, they will have little control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)