Graduate Education in Psychology

for International Students

Psychology is the study of human behavior and thought, and it offers one of the most diverse programs of study at any university. As such, it provides students with a wide spectrum of opportunities, both while studying in an academic setting and while applying their knowledge outside the walls of the academy.

You can pursue masters and Ph.D. degrees in experimental (including cognitive, social, developmental, cross-cultural, and neuroscience), industrial/organizational psychology, clinical psychology, and school psychology. International students like you are almost always welcomed into programs because you add to the broadening of the educational experiences of other students, faculty, and the local community. 

Many international students gain helpful insights into the American culture, in addition to receiving excellent training in psychology. Many are highly successful and use their training to obtain good jobs when they return to their home countries. Some international students are recruited by employers in the U.S. and decide to extend their stay, or take up permanent residency. 

Most international students obtain employment as therapists in clinics, as consultants in business or industry, or as researchers in biotechnology firms or pharmaceutical companies. Some of our international students have taken academic positions, and some have obtained additional professional training to become specialists in other areas, such as medicine. Graduate training in psychology provides international students with a vast array of marketable skills that readily translate into excellent professional opportunities.  

Article submitted by Gary L. Dunbar, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson, Department of Psychology, Central Michigan University