As current PhD students, we created this podcast because we know that applying to graduate programs in psychology can be bewildering. We remember asking ourselves questions like: Is a graduate degree in psychology right for me? If so, what kind of program should I choose? How do I develop competitive application materials? And is there anyone else like me in these programs? If you‘re wondering about the same things, you‘ve landed in the right place! We‘re glad you‘re here. As you explore the podcast, please keep in mind that all content applies to U.S.-based programs in particular. Please also note that unfortunately we are not able to provide individualized guidance or feedback. Special thanks to the Columbia Psychology DEI Working Group for their valuable input on this series.
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
In this season of The Psychology PhD, we are chatting with students in our program to provide a glimpse into their unique backgrounds and experiences prior to pursuing a PhD. For this episode, we meet Margaux Wienk, a fourth-year PhD student advised by Dr. Valerie Purdie Greenaway.
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Interview with Anna Vannucci):
Episode 2 (Interview with Manasi Jayakumar):
Episode 3 (Interview with Emily Nakkawita):
Episode 4 (Interview with Hannah Tarder-Stoll):
Episodes from Season 1 (Grad Program Applications):
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Emily Nakkawita
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Transcribed by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited by John Thorp
Produced by Emily Nakkawita and John Thorp
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
In this season of The Psychology PhD, we are chatting with students in our program to provide a glimpse into their unique backgrounds and experiences prior to pursuing a PhD. For this episode, we meet Hannah Tarder-Stoll, a fifth-year PhD student advised by Drs. Mariam Aly and Chris Baldassano.
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Interview with Anna Vannucci):
Episode 2 (Interview with Manasi Jayakumar):
Episode 3 (Interview with Emily Nakkawita):
Episodes from Season 1 (Grad Program Applications):
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Emily Nakkawita
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Transcribed by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited by John Thorp
Produced by Emily Nakkawita and John Thorp
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
In this season of The Psychology PhD, we are chatting with students in our program to provide a glimpse into their unique backgrounds and experiences prior to pursuing a PhD. For this episode, we meet Emily Nakkawita, a fourth-year PhD student advised by Dr. Tory Higgins.
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Interview with Anna Vannucci):
Episode 2 (Interview with Manasi Jayakumar):
Episode 4 (Interview with Hannah Tarder-Stoll):
Episodes from Season 1 (Grad Program Applications):
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Transcribed by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited by John Thorp
Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
In this season of The Psychology PhD, we are chatting with students in our program to provide a glimpse into their unique backgrounds and experiences prior to pursuing a PhD. For this particular episode, we meet Manasi Jayakumar, a fourth-year PhD student advised by Dr. Mariam Aly.
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Interview with Anna Vannucci):
Episode 3 (Interview with Emily Nakkawita):
Episode 4 (Interview with Hannah Tarder-Stoll):
Episodes from Season 1 (Grad Program Applications):
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Transcribed by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited by John Thorp
Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022
Welcome to Season 2 of The Psychology PhD! As grad students in the Columbia University psychology department, we hope to provide you with some insight into graduate studies in psychology, from applying to programs to learning about day-to-day life as a PhD student. Season 2 features conversations with students in our program that provide a glimpse into their unique backgrounds and experiences prior to pursuing a PhD. In this episode, we meet Anna Vannucci, a third-year PhD student advised by Dr. Nim Tottenham.
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 2 (Interview with Manasi Jayakumar):
Episode 3 (Interview with Emily Nakkawita):
Episode 4 (Interview with Hannah Tarder-Stoll):
Episodes from Season 1 (Grad Program Applications):
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Transcribed by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited by John Thorp
Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
This is the final episode of Season 1, which covers the process of applying to PhD programs in experimental psychology. In this particular episode, we discuss what you can expect from PhD program interviews and how you can prepare for them. We cover six main topics. First, what is the purpose of program interviews? Second, what are some general tips for interviews? Third, how can you most effectively prepare for meetings with specific faculty interviewers? Fourth, how can you be ready for impromptu conversations with faculty and other department members at recruitment events? Fifth, how can you engage most effectively in other interview day activities? And sixth, how should you handle “pre-interviews” if your program of interest has them?
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
As Mentioned in the Episode:
Sample questions for impromptu conversations on interview day
Resource on how to ask questions during a research presentation
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Written by Arlene Lormestoire and Emily Nakkawita
Edited and Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
In this episode, we discuss what exactly a statement of purpose is and how you should develop yours for PhD program applications. We cover four main topics. First, what is the purpose of a statement of purpose (no pun intended)? Second, what is the typical structure of such a statement? Third, how can you develop a cohesive narrative that ties together all of the content in your statement? And fourth, what are some important notes and common misconceptions you should keep in mind?
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
As Mentioned in the Episode:
Gershman Lab slides on academic puzzles (what we call “enigmas”)
“Mastering Your Statement of Purpose” resource
“Kisses of Death” article (Appleby & Appleby, 2006)
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters)
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Written by Arlene Lormestoire and Emily Nakkawita
Edited and Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Friday Oct 15, 2021
In this episode, we discuss research experience in experimental psychology and how to request letters of recommendation for PhD program applications from your research supervisors (or other potential letter writers). We cover four main topics. First, what does research experience look like in this field? Second, what are the similarities and differences between undergraduate, postbac, and master’s research? Third, how does one go about obtaining a research position? And fourth, how might you request letters of recommendation when applying to grad school?
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
As Mentioned in the Episode:
Learning to code in R (introductory tutorials)
Basic programming resources for novice coders
A brief list of some research funding opportunities
Sample inquiry emails for RA positions
Duke University psychology job list
Miami University psychology job list
Georgetown University psychology job list
Sample recommendation request emails
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Written by Arlene Lormestoire
Edited and Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
Wednesday Sep 15, 2021
In this episode, we discuss how to develop CVs and resumes for PhD programs in experimental psychology (or anything else you’re interested in applying to). We cover three main topics. First, what exactly is a CV? Second, how is a CV different from a resume? And third, how should you design and structure yours?
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
As Mentioned in the Episode:
APA reference formatting guidelines
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 2 (Getting Organized for PhD Program Applications):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters):
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Written, Edited, and Produced by Emily Nakkawita
Sunday Aug 15, 2021
Sunday Aug 15, 2021
In this episode, we discuss the process of getting organized to apply to PhD programs in experimental psychology. We cover four main topics. First, how do you know when you’re ready to apply? Second, what factors might you take into consideration when choosing programs to apply to? Third, what does the timing of the application process look like at a high level? And fourth, how should you reach out to potential advisors to communicate your interest and confirm if they are accepting students in the coming application cycle?
General Links:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Visit our homepage for show information and transcripts
As Mentioned in the Episode:
Sample letters to potential advisors
Additional Episodes from This Season:
Episode 1 (Introduction to the Psychology PhD):
Episode 3 (CVs and Resumes):
Episode 4 (Research Experience and Recommendation Letters):
Episode 5 (Writing Your Statement of Purpose):
Episode 6 (Preparing for Interviews)
Credits:
Hosted by Monica Thieu
Music by Paul A. Bloom
Written by Ana DiGiovanni
Edited and Produced by Emily Nakkawita