Postbaccalaureate Psychology Program

Become a more competitive applicant to graduate Psychology programs.

Program Features

• carefully structured support system to help students identify courses and career options

• close academic advising on course selection and course sequencing to identify distinct preparation needs for graduate school

• supervised research experience

• clinically relevant public service activities or internships (for students interested in careers in counseling/clinical psychology)

• advisement and guidance to students in selecting and applying to graduate programs

About the Program

The Columbia University Postbaccalaureate Psychology Program is designed for college graduates who did not major in psychology but who wish to pursue graduate training in the field.

Normally candidates for admission to graduate psychology programs must have taken:

• one course respectively in general psychology, research design, and statistics

• one course in each of three broad areas of psychology:
  social/personality/clinical
  cognition/perception
  psychobiology/neuroscience

• at least one advanced seminar in the proposed area of specialization

• training in research

Admission to graduate programs in psychology, especially clinical psychology programs, is highly competitive

About 10 percent of applicants are admitted nationally, and in some of the most selective programs the admission rate is as low as 2 percent. Admission to graduate school cannot therefore be guaranteed for any student, but the strength of the Department of Psychology’s curriculum provides hardworking and motivated students the opportunity to make their applications for admission most competitive.

Successful completion of the program requires completion of an approved program of no fewer than eight courses with grades of B or better.

Those who complete the program are awarded certificates of professional achievement attesting to their academic achievement. Those who do not maintain satisfactory progress (B or better in every course) will not normally be permitted to continue in the program.

Only students in the Postbaccalaureate Psychology Program have access to support services and are eligible for the award of the above-mentioned certificate.