A Beginner's Guide to Graduate School: What to Consider, How to Prepare, and Steps to Apply

When I first started university, graduate school felt so far away that I did not give it much thought until my third year. Now in my fourth year, I can tell you that time went by very fast, and I wish I had thought more about grad school than I had during my first two years, as it would have made for a clearer path working towards my career goal. In hopes that whoever is reading this can gain some perspective on graduate school, this guide will provide information about psychology graduate programs in Canada, advice to make the most of your undergraduate experience, and the graduate school application process. Whether you just entered your first year or are approaching your last, it is never too early or too late to consider attending graduate school for Psychology!

WHAT IS GRADUATE SCHOOL?

Depending on your career goals, your next steps after undergrad might be completing a master's degree in psychology. When considering your goals and whether you should even complete a master’s degree in psychology, you should do some reflecting. Why do you want to continue studying psychology? What about graduate school are you drawn to? There are many reasons you may want to pursue a post-grad degree, like wanting to help people, feeling like it’s the next step that makes the most sense, or you might think a master’s in psychology will lead to better job opportunities. While such reasons are valid, they may not be enough to support your interests and motivation throughout graduate school. Do you have a career goal that can only be addressed by having a doctorate in psychology, or is there a research question/topic you are very interested in learning more about? If so, those could be some great reasons to apply to grad school. With some reflection, you might realize that a master's in psychology is not for you, or it might not be the best next step for what you envision in your career. After all, you do need to stay motivated for the ~2 years it takes to complete a master's – potentially longer if completing a PhD.

Next steps are to consider the discipline of psychology you may want to pursue your degree in. Universities across Canada offer a number of master's programs for the various interests in psychology. The major psychology programs offered at most Canadian universities include Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, and Experimental Psychology, with the Experimental stream typically broken down into sub-disciplines like Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. However, there are other areas, including Health Psychology and Industrial-Organizational Psychology (offered at Western), available to take as well, along with many other niche disciplines. Depending on what it is you’re interested in, researching the various disciplines can be helpful in finding out whether it aligns with your career goals. If you find something that sounds interesting but are unsure of whether it is something you would want to pursue as a masters, my piece of advice would be to enroll in psych courses from several disciplines that sound interesting in your second and third year. They can help you get a glimpse into the topics and practices central to each discipline!

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR UNDERGRAD

While research and reflection can help in deciding if graduate school is the best option for you, there are many opportunities during your undergrad that can help you make that decision. Your professors and TAs are a great resource to help answer any questions you might have about grad school, as they have gone through the experience themselves! Going to office hours or setting up a meeting to get advice and learn more about a graduate school or a professor's research out of interest is beneficial. Speaking from experience, they are always happy to answer any questions students might have.

Now, you will regularly hear from students that gaining research experience is important during your undergrad, and I am here to confirm that it is. Having the opportunity to volunteer or work in a lab, either at school or elsewhere, is an amazing opportunity to get exposed to the research processes and responsibilities that you will be exposed to during your post-grad and possibly even in your career. When it comes to finding lab experience, some will recommend cold emailing professors, and while that can work, you have to be ready to send a lot of emails with potentially no replies. I recommend sending an email or speaking to professors or TAs you have gotten to get to know through courses, as having that prior connection gives them information about your interests and work ethic that is needed for working in a lab.

With all that said, do keep in mind that research and working in a lab might not be for everyone! If you try it out and find that research is not for you, it can help you gain a better perspective on what it is you are looking for in your career. There are many psychology-adjacent masters programs that do not revolve around research that might be a better fit!

Lastly, taking on extra-curriculars is another great way to not only get involved in university, which will help with applications and experience down the road, but it will also help you get exposed to the various areas and opportunities for a career in psychology( e.g., volunteering at a mental health association, psychology-adjacent non-profits). You should even consider joining a club, like the WPA, where we host many events that connect you with professionals from the field of psychology, provide information about graduate school and application advice, and more!

As previously mentioned, gaining experience during your undergrad can help with deciding whether a masters is the right choice for you. If you have come to the conclusion that it is something you would still like to pursue post-grad, these experiences are great to highlight in your applications and help you stand out from the crowd! This next section is going to look at common parts of a graduate school application and what you can do to improve your application!

APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL

Your Degree

The first part to consider when applying to graduate school is your degree. Psychology master's programs require honours degrees in psychology (or psych-adjacent). These requirements are there to ensure students have taken courses in statistics, research methods and have gained research experience through their thesis that will provide them with the skills needed for their grad program. Take this into consideration as you plan out your degree. If you are still in your first year, you can apply for admission to the honours program during the intent to register period in the spring. Not to fret if you are in your second or third year, as you still have an opportunity to be admitted into honours if you decide it is the right choice later on in your program. For both, do ensure you look at the entry requirements, as admission has been competitive in recent years. If the honours program is not an option, some master's programs accept independent studies in lieu of a thesis, but not all do. Additional research to check out the different requirements for each school is essential!

Statement of Interest

Next, your statement of interest is a key part of your application. It lets the admission committee see your interests and passion for the field of psychology. You may want to talk about your career goals, your educational background, and what you have to bring to your department at grad school. Admissions committees ultimately want to understand what makes you a good fit, so make sure to give insight into your unique interests in psychology, and don’t just say what you think they want to hear. Do be specific and look for things that set you apart from others. Don’t rely on common statements or cliches. Finally, don’t submit the same statement to each school – adjust it to each one.

Grades

Your transcript makes up another part of your application. Grade cut-offs will vary at each school, but do be advised that meeting the cut-off does not always guarantee admission. Many psychology master’s programs are very competitive, with a large number of applications exceeding the cutoff. Work hard during your undergrad to achieve grades that will make you competitive. That being said, don’t fret if you receive a low grade during your first year of undergrad, as you still have a long way to improve your grades. Moreover, remember that while they are important, grades are just one part of your application and do not speak to your experience the way your statement of interest and references will.

References

When it comes to references, universities will ask for at least one academic reference, if not two. They should come from someone who knows you well and can speak to your work ethic, academic ability, enthusiasm for psychology, and potential as a graduate student. Ideal choices can be professors, internship mentors, or research supervisors. Making connections with professors or mentors during your undergrad is critical if you plan on asking them to write a letter of recommendation. When asking someone to write you a reference letter, do ask them in advance and with clear instructions. Set up a meeting to discuss your goals, as it can lead to more personalized letters. And, provide them with a bullet point summary of some of your accomplishments to give them an idea of what to include, making their job easier! Lastly, have a backup. Some people may not be willing to write a strong reference letter, and if they can’t do that, then you need to be prepared to ask someone else.

Finding a Supervisor

As I said previously, many masters programs involve research, and if the ones you’re applying to do, then finding a supervisor is likely going to be part of your application. Some programs do not require you to find a supervisor prior to submitting your application, as that will be done once you are admitted. However, a majority of universities (Western included) require that you find a supervisor who agrees to take you on as their graduate student prior to submitting your application, as admission is dependent on whether you have found said supervisor. It’s important to research supervisors ahead of time and understand what you are looking for to find someone who aligns with your interests. Reading their work, checking out their CV, and asking their students to see how you might work out together can be helpful. Contact each potential supervisor with a personalized email to see if they are available and interested to meet to discuss your research interests. Try to speak with several professors before choosing one to become your supervisor. Lastly, understand what is expected of you from your supervisor as a graduate student.

Funding

Finally, while graduate school can be very expensive, don't let finances deter you from taking on an experience that can help you accomplish your career goals. Graduate school can totally be feasible with scholarships and funding opportunities! Graduate schools will typically provide information about how much you should expect to pay in tuition, along with additional fees. Many will provide information on internal scholarships, as well as opportunities for teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and external scholarships to help fund your graduate studies. The amount of funding and opportunities available differ between each school, so ensure you assess what is available to aid in your consideration of where to study.

In addition to your application, do keep in mind there are additional components you may need to consider that are unique to some schools, such as a GRE entry test (unique to some schools), or the option of supplementing your application with published works.

We have reached the end! I hope the above information was helpful in understanding graduate schools, how to prepare during your undergrad, and some guidance on the application process. If you have a deep interest in psychology and are committed to completing a graduate degree, do not let any doubts or people get in the way of your success! A masters in Psychology can open the door to a number of amazing careers, and thinking about it early on in your undergrad can help you build a path tailored to reaching that goal!

Below, I have provided some links for more information on the programs offered by Canadian universities, as well as the page for information on Western’s psychology masters application requirements. Keep in mind that you should individually research each school and assess what they are asking for in your application, as the information provided is just a general guideline.

If you still have some unanswered questions, feel free to ask away in the comments or send us a message over on the WPA instagram account!

Until next time,

Layal

Western University graduate application requirements: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/graduate/future_students/application_process.html

Canadian Universities offering graduate programs in psychology:

https://cpa.ca/students/resources/canadianuniversities/

Canadian Universities offering graduate programs in experimental psychology: https://cpa.ca/students/resources/Experimental/