To be eligible to matriculate into a postgraduate program in psychology, most students must have majored or minored in this subject. While exceptions are made, a solid background in psychology is key to pursuing postgraduate coursework. Since competition for admission into graduate programs is intense, students must have high marks, especially in psychology classes, and to remain competitive, they should have a solid background in the biological and social sciences and proof of quantitative competency, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Psychology postgraduate degree programs vary widely, depending on the program's focus. For instance, some programs target clinical psychology while others focus on forensic psychology. In general, postgraduate programs include courses in research design and analysis, experimental methodology and statistics. Doctorate programs, which give students the tools to prepare for clinical work, require working under supervision in a clinical environment with patients and may require internships, in which students work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.
In the United States more than 180 schools offer postgraduate programs in psychology. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to spot the programs that are highly respected in the field. The highest-ranked program is that of Stanford University, according to the Social Psychology Network and ranked by the National Research Council. The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Yale University; the University of California, Los Angeles; and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were also highly ranked as of January 2011.
A doctorate degree is usually required for individuals who wish to pursue a career as an independent psychologist, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most jobs require that the degree program culminate in a dissertation and/or supervised clinical experience. Some states require only a specialist degree or a master's degree in school psychology for school psychologists, including 60 hours of graduate course hours and a one-year, full-time internship. Other individuals with master's degrees might find work as a research assistant working under doctoral-level psychologists.