APA Resources for Students

The major organization of psychologists around the world, the American Psychological Association, has worked for more than 100 years to advance psychology as a science, a profession, and a way to promote health and human welfare. It has more than 148,000 members and affiliates.

Student affiliates

Undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in psychology are eligible for membership in APA as student affiliates. Student affiliates receive free subscriptions to the American Psychologist journal The APA Monitor on Psychology and gradPSYCH, the quarterly magazine written especially for psychology students. Both the Monitor and gradPSYCH cover information psychologists need to succeed in their careers well as extensive job listings. Student affiliates may purchase APA publications at special rates and attend the APA annual convention at a reduced registration fee.

Graduate student association

All graduate student affiliates of APA are automatically members of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), created in 1988 as a voice for psychology students within the larger association. (Undergraduates can join APAGS by paying a small additional fee.) APAGS was formed by graduate students as a means of establishing communication between students and other members of the psychological community, including universities, training centers, and other members of the APA governance structure. APAGS represents all graduate study specialties of the discipline and is run by student leaders elected by the APAGS membership. In addition to a variety of other initiatives, the group sponsors programming at the APA annual convention each year and distributes a quarterly newsletter to its members. Please visit www.apa.org/apags/ for more information.

Student membership in APA divisions

APA student affiliates are encouraged to apply for affiliation in one or more APA divisions. The divisions bring together psychologists of similar or specialized professional interests. You can obtain more information about APA divisions at www.apa.org/about/division.html.

Minority Undergraduate Students of Excellence (MUSE)

The MUSE program is administered by the APA Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs. The program provides information on application and financial aid procedures to outstanding minority undergraduate students interested in graduate psychology studies who are selected through a nomination process. For more information, contact the APA Office of Minority Affairs: www.apa.org/pi/oema/.

The APA Diversity Program in Neuroscience

This program provides fellowship support to students who are interested in research related to the mental health and psychological well-being of ethnic minorities. For more information visit the Diversity Program in Neuroscience Web page at www.apa.org.

Publications

APA publishes about 3 dozen peer-reviewed journals and more than 500 books in the major interest areas in psychology. APA also produces several electronic databases, two of which contain abstracts of the psychological literature. PsycINFO contains abstracts from 1887 to present, and PsycARTICLES contains the full text of 50 journals published by APA and allied organizations from 1988 to the present.

To help individuals negotiate the sequence of activities involved in becoming a psychology student and a psychologist, APA has developed a line of books for undergraduate and graduate students as well as those who are just now planning to go to college. Is Psychology the Major for You? helps individuals decide on and prepare for an undergraduate major in psychology. Students interested in graduate school find that Getting In: A Step-by-Step Guide to Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology helps to guide their decision making, structure the application process, and maximize their chances of being accepted and getting financial aid. Graduate Study in Psychology and Associated Fields complements Getting In by summarizing more than 600 programs of study in psychology, requirements for admission for each program, deadlines for applications, and other details potential applicants need to know about specific schools.

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and Mastering APA Style: Student’s Workbook and Training Guide help both undergraduate and graduate students with their class papers and, for those who go on to graduate school, prepare them to submit articles to psychology journals. The Publication Manual is often required reading for students in psychology and many of the other social sciences. A Spanish-language version is now available, titled Manual de estilo de publicaciones de la American Psychological Association. Additional resources to help both undergraduate and graduate students include Presenting Your Findings: A Practical Guide for Creating Tables; Displaying Your Findings: A Practical Guide for Creating Figures, Posters, and Presentations; Library Use: A Handbook for Psychology (3rd Edition); and Journals in Psychology: A Resource Listing for Authors.

Understanding Multivariate Statistics helps graduate students understand the scientific articles they will be required to read as a major part of their training. Because the book clearly explains which multivariate statistics are most appropriate for which kinds of research questions, it also helps prepare students for graduate statistics courses and for eventually conducting their own research.

Dissertations and Theses From Start to Finish: Psychology and Related Fields gives students essential guidance on what is perhaps the most challenging task of their graduate career. This easy-to-follow book covers such areas as choosing a topic, finding a chairperson for a dissertation or thesis committee, preparing a proposal, designing and conducting the research, writing the dissertation or thesis, and defending it.

Research has shown that students who are mentored enjoy many benefits, including better training, greater career success, and a stronger professional identity. Getting Mentored in Graduate School advises students on how to find a mentor and get the most out of that relationship.

Doctoral-level students will find Internships in Psychology: The APAGS Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Match an invaluable guide to successfully navigating the internship application process. Helpful checklists, sample real-life application materials, and realistic advice for writing cover letters are included.

GradPSYCH is the graduate student magazine of the American Psychological Association and is published 4 times per year. GradPSYCH is a membership benefit of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), the student organization within APA. GradPSYCH provides timely articles about emerging trends in psychology practice, research, education, and the nation’s marketplace and infrastructure as they affect students and their future careers; employment and salary data profiles of innovative psychology careers; cutting-edge information on graduate training and supervision, including internships, postdocs, and dissertations; and classified advertising to help students find internships, fellowships, postdocs, and other career opportunities.

Finally, Psychology 101 1/2: The Unspoken Rules for Success in Academia and The Compleat Academic: A Career Guide both provide sage advice to future psychologists and young psychologists in academia by passing along some of the “tacit knowledge” that can make the difference between success and failure in a new career.

Many public and university libraries carry these books. You can also order them or other books from APA’s extensive catalog by calling 1-800-374-2721. (In Washington, DC, call 336-5510.) Books may also be ordered by e-mail via order@apa.org.

APA on Internet

PsychNet is APA’s home page on the Worldwide Web. It contains information for psychologists, psychology students, media, and the general public. The Internet address is http://www.apa.org.