Hi everyone,
Sorry in advance for the long intro, and thanks in advance for your insights!
I'm currently researching terminal masters programs in psychology, with a target entry date of Fall 2019. My undergraduate background is in international relations, and I have six years of work experience, including two in a DC-based thinktank and four working for an international conflict resolution NGO (where I spent two years based in Tunisia and two years based in Morocco).
Through my experience working in conflict, I've become interested in the link between conflict/violence and psychology, including trauma, resilience, and radicalization to violence. It's because of this interest that I'd like to shift to focus on psychology for my masters' program. Given my lack of academic background in psych and my lack of competitiveness for a PhD (I'd also prefer to gain exposure to the subject through a masters' program before committing to a PhD program, as I've never studied it before), I have been focusing my search on terminal masters programs geared toward non-psych majors (conversion programs in the UK). I am also looking for departments that have researchers or research departments focused specifically on conflict psychology, trauma, or international psychology. Two top contenders meeting this criteria are Kings College, which has an MScs in War and Psychiatry as well as in Psychology of Neurscience and Mental Health as well as a major research department in Trauma Studies; and the MS in Clinical Psyhcology at Columbia Teacher's College, where there is also Global Mental Health Lab and an option to have a concentration on Global Mental Health and Trauma.
While I'm finding some really interesting options within the realm of traditional psych degrees, I also continue to stumble across Global Mental Health programs, many of which are more concretely connected to this link between conflict and psychology. The GMH programs of course take more of a macro focus (population health, policymaking, program design, etc), but many of the "career prospects" for these programs are the same or similar to those for the conversion psych programs--working as clinical support or psych assistant in a lab, designing psych/mental health interventions, doing mental health advocacy, doing psych/mental health research, going onto PhD programs...
What I would love insight on is what is the value add of a masters degree in psych vs. global mental health (given my interests), and considering that both are one year programs that seem to offer the same or similar job prospects afterward (including the option to go onto a PhD)? I know the field of global mental health is comparatively new, so I'm not sure how some of the GMH programs stack up...
Thank you so much for your thoughts!
Warmly,
Megan
I second that and also https://sites.google.com/site/gradappadvice/. Though as for the Asher book, I found that I liked everything about it except the essay samples, because I felt that most of them did not apply to how my field is structured and it pushed too hard to have a "hook" and personal story. It took me quite a while to realize it was ok to move away from that format and have the personal touches be in my research interests and the way I presented my scholarly work.
I also think this article, though geared specifically towards psychology applicants, is very helpful and many of the points it raises are relevant for everyone.
