Psychology Grad School without a Psychology BA (Advice)

[summerful1707]

Hi everyone! 

I am looking for grad programs in school psychology or child psychology that do not require a BA in psychology in either the US or Canada. I have done a lot of research into Canadian programs and it seems like all of them require a BA in psychology. Does anyone know of any US programs or schools that are more lenient or do not have this requirement? Or any advice on navigating this switch?

I did my BSc in Life Sciences. I have taken a lot of psychology courses throughout my undergrad, have research experience (though it is more medical), and I have a lot of experience working with kids with disabilities. I'm feeling a little discouraged that my major may prevent me from advancing into a masters or grad program in the field I'm interested in.

Also, I am a bit confused about the US grad school system. In Canada, most masters programs progress directly into a PhD, but it seems like in the US a masters isn't necessary? Any thoughts on if it would be beneficial to apply to US masters programs before PhD programs?

Would really appreciate any insight at all! 

[justacigar]

Hi there - if you don't have a bachelor's in psychology, what most folks do is take the psychology GRE to show mastery of the discipline. The degree might not be required, but certain psychology classes probably are. This requirement might vary from program to program, so you would want to check if the courses you've taken fulfill the requirements. 

In the US, you also typically earn a master's degree on your way to earning your PhD. But, you are accepted into the PhD program and just happen to earn a master's. The downside is that if you do choose to earn a terminal MS/MA degree before applying to PhD programs, it usually isn't counted toward a PhD. Most programs require that you complete the master's coursework even if you have an MA/MS. There are reasons folks might choose to do that - to gain additional research or clinical experience, for example. 

I definitely wouldn't feel discouraged about your undergrad degree - there was a woman in my MS cohort that had a science degree as well, took the required psychology courses, and was able to gain admittance to the MS program. 

[luna33]

I am in the US and I have a BBA (Bach in Business Admin). I am going back to school to get some psychology courses under my belt before I apply for Clinical Psych Ph.D. programs in the US. I met with a Ph.D. student and she mentioned that there were a few people in the Clinical Psych program who had degrees in other disciplines. I think she mentioned that one of her colleagues had a BA in English or something totally unrelated to Psych and still got in. So it's possible! I think the key is getting relevant research experience, being clear on what your research interests are, etc.. But that is all for a Ph.D. If you are looking to do a master's, it might be easier to get in given that you already have psychology courses and all that. 

Also, you do not need a master's to get into a Ph.D in the US. 

[LanternTrinity]

I don't think a bachelor's degree in Psychology is a prerequisite to get into a Psychology PhD program in the U.S. Especially since you have taken a lot of psychology courses, you will be fine. They will probably look at your grade in those (psych) classes.

My advice would be to search for your potential advisors, read their research and reach out to them asap. If you can demonstrate that you can have intelligent conversations about their research and even propose ideas for future research, you should be fine.

[bubble_psych]

Agreed with the above posters. When you are researching schools that you want to apply to, make sure to check if they have any prerequisite psych classes you need to take before applying to/entering the program. If this is not available on their website, you can reach out to an administrative assistant to the program/department and see if they know the prerequisites they require. Your degree shouldn't be an issue. As well, for school psychology you can practice with a master's degree+certification, so you may not need to apply for doctoral programs if you choose that path in the U.S.

[Dazen]

I would also recommend reaching out to professors you'd be interested in working with and including your CV/interests. They will often let you know whether you academic background is sufficient to apply if you ask directly.

[kdombrowski]

I would look in to the Post-Bacc program at University of California, Irvine. The two professors who run it, Dr. Zinger and Dr. Martin are amazing! 95% are people who didn't already have a psychology BA. 

Also try checking out scholarly journals that have what your interested in and check were the authors are from or citing from! 

[Suraj_S]

I have a friend, colleague, and old housemate who moved from Canada to the U.S. to study for his psychology M.A. His undergrad was only in philosophy, but our grad school (University of West Georgia) is known for offering a more philosophical and interdisciplinary curriculum. My friend did very well--he did a clinical internship (at a school, actually: under a psychiatrist IIRC) while here and went on to pursue his Ph.D. in clinical psych.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Suraj_S