How to Get Into Psychology (Part 2)
How to get into a Psychology master’s degree
More and more people are pursuing postgraduate education, with millions holding master’s degrees in the US and the European Union.
In addition to Psychology graduates, people from different academic backgrounds may be interested in applying for a master’s degree in Psychology. Indeed, many Psychology graduate programmes welcome students from various disciplines, including (but not limited to) sociology, biology, and neuroscience.
A master’s degree in Psychology can open many doors. According to the American Psychological Association, around half of master’s degree holders in Psychology work in professional services — such as healthcare, counselling, and consulting — with a smaller proportion working in teaching and research.
In fact, thinking about where your master’s might ideally lead you will be important throughout the application process — more on that later.
This is the second of three articles on how to get into Psychology.
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 1): Getting into a Psychology undergraduate degree
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 2): Getting into a Psychology master’s degree
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 3): Getting into a Psychology PhD
So keep your eyes out for Part 3, and feel free to go back to Part 1 for general tips around writing personal statements and obtaining references.
As outlined in Part 1, it is important to note that you do not have to study Psychology at university level to get involved in psychological research. If you would like to find out how to contribute to the field without obtaining a degree, please check out my article on the topic.
Getting into a Psychology master’s degree
I will soon be graduating from University College Dublin with a MSc in Behavioural Neuroscience. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I became increasingly interested in the intersection of psychology and neuroscience, so Behavioural Neuroscience was a perfect fit for me.
I opted for a 1-year taught master’s with a relatively extensive research component in preparation for a PhD. This allowed me to complete taught modules on advanced cognitive psychology, clinical cases in neuropsychology and principles of neuroscience, whilst developing research skills in statistics, eye-tracking, virtual reality, and electroencephalography labs. My master’s research focussed on cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis — more on that here.
My application process
During the final year of my undergraduate degree (2020/2021), I applied for various master’s degrees across Denmark, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Some of these applications were successful, and some were not.
2020/2021 was a particularly challenging time to apply as many programmes were receiving up to twice the number of applications they usually would due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But even in “regular” times, applications to master’s programmes in Psychology, Cognitive or Behavioural Neuroscience can be very competitive, as many programmes only accept around 25–30 students each year.
This can make the application process feel daunting. To make it more transparent and to support you in your application, I will list and elaborate on the elements that were required for most of my applications:
- Academic CV
- Personal statement, statement of intent, or letter of motivation
- Research and teaching experience
- References
I mostly applied for taught master’s — slightly different components may be needed for research master’s applications.
Academic CV
Most master’s applications will require an academic CV.
This is a great opportunity for you to showcase your research interests, experience, and skills. In contrast to regular CVs, academic CVs can be longer than two pages, as more senior researchers will often list various publications and conference papers. However, at this stage, you might not have been involved in many research projects, and that’s okay.
The University of Toronto provides a fantastic resource on topics and sections you should consider including in your academic CV. Going through this resource might be particularly useful in thinking about how other not directly research-related activities, such as work or volunteering experience, may be reframed to highlight relevant research skills.
Be sure to highlight experiences that required you to work both independently and in teams, to communicate clearly, to think critically, and to reflect on your progress. All of these abilities will be crucial in your master’s, whether you developed them through research projects or not.
In addition to these transferrable skills, think about specific methods or research skills that you acquired throughout your undergraduate degree (or through relevant work experience, such as working as a research assistant). These might include the use of programming languages, study design and execution, participant recruitment, ethics applications, academic writing or conference presentations.
When listing an experience on your CV, aim to be as specific as you can be. Instead of just mentioning the project you’ve been involved in, let the admissions officer know exactly how you contributed to the project and what your responsibilities were. Sometimes we tend to assume that other people know what was involved in a certain project, although they don’t. And even if they do, the ability to reflect on your contributions and to succinctly summarise your responsibilities demonstrates an important skill in itself.
If you are choosing to include a research interests section at the beginning of your CV, be sure to adapt this to each application.
Personal statement, statement of intent, or letter of motivation
Your personal statement should make it clear why you are seeking to continue your studies. After reading your statement, it should be really obvious to the admissions officer why you are choosing to do a master’s, how the master’s builds on your previous experience (e.g., undergraduate degree, work experience) and how you intend to build on the master’s after graduating. Are you pursuing a career in research, teaching, or industry?
When thinking about these questions, be sure to study the programme’s syllabus and modules carefully. This will not only help in identifying whether a particular master’s degree is worth applying for. It will also allow you to show that you and your goals are an ideal fit for the institution you are applying to. I would even recommend referencing specific aspects of the syllabus, such as specific courses or lab rotations, that you are looking forward to. Elaborate on your thoughts by demonstrating how these would aid in reaching your research and professional goals.
It is important to adapt personal statements to each university and programme you are applying for. Admissions officers want to know why you applied for this specific programme, at this university, and why you are a good fit for them. What will you contribute to the programme?
This seems like a lot to cover — and it is. In my experience, personal statements can range from around 300–500 words to two pages. To cut down on words, try not to repeat yourself too much within your application. Instead, clearly signpost to other relevant parts of the application portfolio where possible.
For example, if you are asked to write separately on your research and teaching experience (see below), do not repeat details of this experience in your personal statement. Instead, you can ask the reader to find further information in the section titled “Research and Teaching Experience”.
Some universities do not ask for a personal statement, but for a statement of intent or a letter of motivation. In my experience, universities clearly state what they expect these to contain. If you are unsure what to include and focus on, reach out to the appropriate admissions officers. It’s okay to ask — and certainly better to be sure than to miss the target.
In all cases, aim to be as specific as possible (as previously discussed in How to Get Into Psychology (Part 1): Getting into a Psychology undergraduate degree). Let them know clearly — why this programme at this university, and why you.
Research and teaching experience
For a minority of my applications I was asked to submit a separate statement on previous research and teaching experience. But even if you are not asked for this in an application, research and teaching experience is always relevant when applying for a master’s.
Teaching experience does not need to be formal experience within a school or university setting, it could also include tutoring students part-time. It demonstrates that you are able to communicate your own knowledge to others. This is particularly crucial if you are aiming for a career in academia, which involves teaching roles. But it will also be important in disseminating your research to general audiences. Science communication is being increasingly recognised as an integral part of conducting science itself.
Thus, even if not asked for a separate statement on research and teaching experience, be sure to include any relevant experience you may have in these areas in your personal statement and academic CV.
Getting a reference (or two)
For each master’s application, I had to submit names and contact details for around two references. If you had a good relationship with your undergraduate thesis supervisor(s) or personal tutor(s), I would recommend asking them for a reference.
If your programme or university did not assign personal tutors or you did not complete an undergraduate thesis, think about any other professor or lecturer who could comment on your academic ability. You may also have established relationships with doctoral students who worked as teaching assistants.
Regardless of who you ask, be sure to ask them as early as possible and to inform them clearly of what they would be required to do. Some application portals have very clear deadlines by which references have to be submitted, some ask referees to fill out a form, others want the referee to write a statement. Providing your potential referees with this information will ensure that they only commit if they are able to meet the requirements. Once they agreed to provide you with a reference, let your referees know exactly what programmes you are applying for, so they can tailor their references accordingly.
I would also recommend sending a gentle reminder to referees when you have submitted your application materials. Some professors, especially the ones who are keen to support their students, will be asked to write hundreds of references and letters of recommendation. Communicating expectations clearly and sending reminders for deadlines will help to achieve a smooth application process.
Summary
Applying for a master’s is a lot of work and can seem overwhelming at first — but you can do it. Don’t panic, don’t give up, and don’t be disheartened by rejections. The first applications I heard back from rejected me, but I couldn’t be happier with where I ended up.
My main advice is to start early and to have a clear plan of where and when you will apply. Make a checklist of all items required by each application and see where you can save time by simply adapting previous statements and academic CVs.
Check that:
- Your academic CV is specific
- Your personal statement is concise and clearly demonstrates why this programme and why you
- Relevant research and teaching experience is included
- You have asked (and informed) your potential referees for references as early as possible
