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 If you're searching for the If you're searching for the top graduate schools in counseling psychology, developmental psychology, or other psychology specialty areas, the annual ranking list by US News & World Report is a good place to start. Every year the publication ranks the best psychology graduate schools in the country based on measurements that include faculty resources, student retention and graduation rate.  You'll want to keep a couple of things in mind as you research top graduate schools in counseling psychology: - You'll find that most graduate programs in psychology are intended for you to earn a doctoral degree. The availability of "terminating" master's degree—programs that can be completed without continuing work to obtain a PhD—is rare among these top-ranking schools.
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- If you're considering a career in counseling psychology, career in educational psychology or a school psychology program, you should know that often degrees in these areas are offered by a university's school of education rather than its psychology department.
Here are the 2009 ten top graduate schools in counseling and psychology according to US News & World Report. Stanford University About the program: You will be encouraged to work across different study areas in the graduate program at Stanford. The psychology department is currently conducting wide-ranging research from topics such as aggression and social behavior to learning and memory. The Smithsonian Institution recognized the Stanford psychology department in 2003 for ranking first in the nation for more than 50 years. University of California–Berkeley About the program: The graduate program in psychology at UC Berkeley emphasizes research and an interdisciplinary approach. The faculty focuses on eclectic topics, some of which include: language and social development in children; cultural influences on perception; finding causes and treatments for disorders such as ADHD, dementias and schizophrenia; and social behavior such as conformity, prejudice and dissent. Harvard University About the program: The field of psychology began at Harvard in the late 1800s, thanks to the patronage of the influential philosopher and psychologist, William James. Harvard's department of psychology is strictly research-oriented, and has long enjoyed its reputation as a prestigious and top-ranking program. As a graduate from this program, you will be well-prepared to find work as a research psychologist at a university. University of California–Los Angeles About the program: As a graduate student at the UCLA psychology program, you will be trained exclusively to earn a PhD—no independent master's program is available (you may also appreciate that the ocean is five miles from campus!). Rigorous scientific and interdisciplinary research is the program's emphasis. The goal is for you to become a highly effective psychologist working in psychological research or college and university instruction. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor About the program: Although one of the largest psychology departments in the nation, the program at University of Michigan Ann Arbor has developed procedures to ensure you have the freedom to create your own study program as well as collaborate with staff members. You can prepare for a range of careers in colleges and universities, schools and clinics, industrial plants, government agencies, and research institutions. Yale University About the program: If you're one of the lucky few to get into Yale's psychology graduate program—only about 15 new PhD students are admitted per year—you'll enjoy extensive attention from the department's large faculty as you pursue an individualized course of study. With a focus on providing you a solid background in research as well as teaching, Yale's graduate training can prepare you for a career in academic as well as applied settings. University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign About the program: The psychology department at UIUC—now over 100 years old—is a consistently top-ranked program. You have numerous study areas from which to choose your specialty, and students are encouraged to collaborate and interact across these divisions. Princeton University About the program: If you prevail amid the fierce competition to get accepted to Princeton's prestigious graduate program in psychology, your studies will take you approximately five years to earn a PhD. On average, only six doctorate degrees are awarded per year. After graduating you should be well-suited as a scholar for a career teaching or researching psychology. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities About the program: The graduate psychology department at the University of Minnesota has ranked in the top ten since the first survey in 1957 that compared quality among schools. Training you as a skilled teacher and researcher is the program's foremost priority. This is also the only program in the top ten on this list that offers a specific division devoted to counseling psychology. University of Wisconsin–Madison About the program: When joining the psychology department at UW-Madison, you'll be among faculty and students who produce a wide range of award-winning research. In spite of the department's smaller size compared to peer institutions, it receives twice the amount of federal research and development funding among US psychology departments. You may be one of the many students who complete a number of significant publications even before receiving a PhD.  Find a Psychology School Today—Getting Your Psychology Degree is One Step Away! |
