Psychology is an extremely popular field in culture and the media, but not everyone has what it takes to complete the rigorous educational demands to become a practicing Psychologist. This field is quite competitive, and getting into an excellent graduate program in Psychology is a necessary step to achieve success in this rewarding field. If you are currently working on an undergraduate program with the intent to pursue graduate studies in the future, there are some prerequisites for graduate school in Psychology that you should keep in mind.

For most Psychology careers, a doctorate degree is necessary. Doctorate programs in Psychology are extremely competitive, with only the best candidates selected to complete the course of study. It will help you to get into an outstanding doctorate program if you have proven yourself to be an exemplary undergraduate student. A high GPA, honors or advanced classes, and involvement in your department and school are just a few of the things a graduate program in Psychology will expect of candidates.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree in a field other than Psychology, you should at least have an academic background in Psychology. This means having taken Psychology courses in your undergraduate program, as well as other classes in the social sciences. These classes serve as a base of knowledge on which to build from in your graduate studies, so you may want to consider switching your major to Psychology if you are currently working on an undergraduate degree in a different area of study.

In addition to Psychology courses, there are some other undergraduate courses that graduate programs will look for on your transcripts. Math courses, particularly statistics, are a good idea. If you have not taken undergraduate statistics courses, and there is time left in your undergraduate degree program, consider taking these courses before applying to a graduate program in Psychology.

Not surprisingly, public speaking courses are high on the list of prerequisites for a graduate Psychology program. While it is likely not a deal-breaker if you do not have public speaking experience, it always looks good when you have taken at least one course to build your public speaking and communication skills. Why? Because being able to address others confidently and articulately will be a big part of your graduate program in Psychology as well as your career.

Showing that you are a caring, compassionate person is a good move no matter what graduate studies program you are pursuing. For an advanced degree in Psychology, it is especially important to show that you care about making a difference in the lives of others. After all, that is what your career will be all about. Participating in volunteer work is a step that will both enrich your life and make you better qualified for graduate school.

I can think of no better way to keep your brain active that to commit to lifelong learning. So many of us finish school, college or university and don’t give further learning another thought. It’s unfortunate that we forget all about the joy of learning.

It’s also true that many of us never saw learning as a joy in the first place and this can color our memories of our early educational experience. However there is a vast difference between learning as an adult and learning when you are younger. To start with you are not being forced to learn. This gives you so much more freedom than you would have felt when you were younger.

When you embark on a path of lifelong learning as an adult you have much more choice in what you learn. This gives you the freedom to choose exactly what subjects or skills you want to develop and at what level you are prepared to learn. You may choose to take on the seemingly daunting task of studying at university level or you may prefer to enroll in a community class so that you can learn about something enjoyable in an environment where you have the support of other learners.

You’ll probably find that once you start more formal learning it can be hard to stop and you’ll want to learn more and more. Learning makes life so much more interesting. It can expand your interest in a whole lot of other things that are going on around you. They don’t even need to be related to what you are learning. This probably occurs because you’ve started to develop a thirst for knowledge and suddenly you can’t get enough. You’ll come across a random topic and find that you are searching for more information on it simply because it interests you, whereas previously you may have just let it pass.

Another great side effect of lifelong learning is that it often promotes tolerance of others. If someone puts forth an idea you’ll be more likely to weigh up the pros and cons of the idea to decide how you feel about it rather than jumping to an automatic conclusion. You may still reject the idea but this type of analysis brings respect for the person putting it forward regardless of your opinion of the topic.

I hold great belief in distance or online education because it enables you to learn even if you don’t live close to the learning institution and it means you can often learn at a time that suits you. Distance education spreads learning opportunities far and wide. It opens a new world to those who may not have had access previously. Through it I hope that many others will see the benefit of lifelong learning.