Unconventional routes to a Psy Ph.D.

Graduate School
1

My goal is to ultimately get into a clinical psychology Ph.D. program, but unfortunately, as I enter into my final semester of undergrad at UT Austin, I’m a philosophy major with hardly any psychology classes under my belt. It’s too late for me to even squeak out a minor in it. I understand that it’ll be an uphill battle considering my choices thus far and just how competitive the discipline is, but I’m looking for some creative solutions from anybody willing to help.

More info: I’ll be graduating with an est. 3.28 GPA, and I’ll likely be able to volunteer for some psych research this coming semester. Also, let’s assume I’ll secure some solid letters of recommendation.

Here were a couple options I was considering: Aim for a masters degree in Anthropology (perhaps psychological anthropology?) or even a religious studies masters program (would this help at all?) or any other masters degree that would facilitate the transition between philosophy and psychology as well as hopefully making me a more appealing candidate for the psych Ph.D. program.

Thanks for your time.

2

Why would you get an MA in anthropology or religious studies if you want a PhD in clinical psychology? The thing that would make the most sense is to aim for an MA in psychology to help you make the transition. An anthropology or religious studies master’s degree would not make you a more appealing candidate.

Here are the things you will need:

-Psychology coursework. There are basic courses you will need: introductory psychology, statistics, research methods, and at least 2 electives (I would recommend abnormal as one of them).

-A higher GPA to show that you can achieve on the graduate level.

-More psychology research. It’s very common now for successful clinical psych applicants to have not only ~2 years of research experience in college but also an additional 1-3 years of post-college research experience. If you are just starting this semester, you won’t be very competitive.

An MA program in psychology can help you achieve all three of those things.