Mental Health Professions (Also see Education and Counseling)
Read our Mental Health
guide and visit ExploreHealthCareers.org for an overview of the mental health professions. Click on the program types below to learn how to explore and find schools in these specific fields.
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Get Experience & Prepare
Confirm your interest in mental health care fields, prepare academically and develop the necessary skills and experience:
- Explore your field of interest through relevant classes at UCSD, including Health Care-Social Issues
, Public Service, Human Development and Psychology - Talk To, shadow or volunteer with health care professionals. Find people through your network of family and friends, Professional Associations, or the HMP3 Mentor Program
- Join a mental health-related Student Organization
- Find opportunities to gain Clinical & Hospital Experience
- Consider becoming a Peer Educator at UCSD’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Discover Research Opportunities on and off campus
- Take classes within the Global Health or Health Care-Social Issues minors
- Develop communication and leadership skills through Express to Success
- Consider Internships, Jobs, or other Experiential Learning opportunities
- Explore San Diego Health & Service Agencies
- Learn how to Maximize Your Experience
Apply to Schools
Most graduate school application processes occur in the late fall or early winter of the academic year before you want to start the program. Identify programs that match your interests and complete an application. Some steps take more time to complete than others, so plan ahead!
- Schools & Programs – Use the links below to identify programs with a curriculum, faculty, facilities and services that match your needs. Consider your likelihood of admission and cost.
- Use GradSchools.com and Petersons.com to search by degree level, field and location (US or Int’l)
- Search by specialty - Professional Psychology, Therapy & Counseling, or Social Work
- Attend our Graduate School Fair to learn about programs from school representatives
- Check our Rankings page for general or field-specific rankings of program
- Use GradSchools.com
- Workshops – Watch our Calendar for application how-to sessions
- Admission Test – Prepare, Study, and take the Graduate Record Exam or other test
- Applications – Carefully prepare and submit online applications to individual schools before the deadlines.
- Letters of Recommendation – Get to Know Writers and Collect Letters
- Application Essay – Write your Personal Statement and get a Critique
- Interviews – Get prepared for Interviews if required
- Financial Aid & Fellowships – Learn how to Pay For School
For additional help with your professional & graduate school preparation and application come into the Career Services Center or contact your Professional & Graduate School Advisors.