GradPSYCH - January 2012 - (Page 6)

T H E l aT E S T Psychology grad school enrollment drops, despite record numbers of applicants Social and behavioral science (SBS) doctoral programs enrolled 1.1 percent more graduate students in 2010 than in 2009, while SBS master’s program enrollment declined 0.9 percent, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools. The overall decline of SBS students, 0.4 percent, is modest compared with the decrease found in many other fields (see graph below), but it’s significant given SBS’s 4 percent average growth rate over the past decade and the 8.4 percent increase in grad school applications in 2010, says Nathan Bell, PhD, CGS’s director of research and policy analysis. If more students are applying, why are fewer students enrolling in psychology graduate school? The economy may be causing graduate programs to shrink their incoming classes, plus some successful applicants may be turning down their spots and getting jobs instead, says Bell. The fields that suffered the steepest declines in enrollment included education and business — areas in which students usually pay their own way or take out loans. “It is possible that this is also affecting psychology since many students in psychology graduate programs are also primarily self-supported and loansupported,” Bell says. The study also found that, across all fields, women’s enrollment suffered slightly more than men’s, but women continued to make up 58 percent of firsttime graduate students. The overall drop in grad school enrollments could be worrisome if the trend continues, says Bell, since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that in the future more jobs will require a master’s degree or a doctorate. —M.L. PhiLLiPs Percent change in first-time graduate enrollment, 2009 to 2010 Social and behavioral sciences Physical and earth sciences math and computer science Education arts and humanities -8.1% -10.1% 1.1% -1.1% -.9% 1.1% 3.2% 6.0% 16.2% 1.9% master’s Doctoral Join the APAGS Committee Develop leadership skills, represent student concerns and advocate nationally for psychology by running for an elected position on the aPagS Committee. aPagS members may run for the following positions, which begin in august 2012: chair-elect; member-at-large, practice; member-at-large, research/academic; member-at-large, diversity; and member-at-large, membership recruitment and retention. The deadline for applications is Jan. 23. For more information, visit www.apa.org/apags/ governance/join/run/descriptions.aspx. 6 • gradPSYCH • January 2012  http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/join/run/descriptions.aspx http://www.apa.org/apags/governance/join/run/descriptions.aspx

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GradPSYCH - January 2012

GradPSYCH - January 2012
Contents
Psychology grad school enrollment drops, despite record numbers of applicants
Students leave their iPods at home during ‘crunch time’
Media Picks
Chair’s Corner
Odd Jobs
Research Roundup
Hot careers: Video game design and development
Friends and co-workers
Time to bail?
Scaling Mount Publication
Need to heal thyself?
Staying connected
Matters to a Degree
Power up your PowerPoint
Dissertations vs. diapers
Searching for answers
Bulletin Board
Jobs, internships, postdocs and other opportunities
The Back Page

GradPSYCH - January 2012

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