How Do I Become a Quantitative Psychologist?

A person can become a quantitative psychologist — one who uses mathematical methods to apply, interpret, or create new testing measurements — by earning a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in psychology. Individuals can do quantitative or psychometrics work with a master’s degree, but the title of psychologist is usually protected and implies doctoral studies have been completed. Generally, this is a competitive field and there are few universities that offer specialization in this area. Graduate students may still study and gain mastery in quantitative psychology if they select a non-specialized program carefully.

The first step to become a quantitative psychologist is to earn a bachelor’s degree. Some people come to this field with an undergraduate major in mathematics, which leans heavily on statistics, calculus, and linear algebra. Psychology, social work, anthropology, or sociology majors might also meet the requirements for a doctoral program.

Studies should be balanced so students are ready for the doctoral work necessary to become a quantitative psychologist. Math majors should have taken some electives in psychology, and behavioral science majors need to study advanced math. Students also may have to take specialized tests in late junior or early senior year.

In the US, most students take the Graduate Record Examination® (GRE®). They may need to take the general test and subject tests in math and psychology. Strong scores on the GRE®, good grades, and glowing faculty recommendations all make it easier to get accepted to a graduate program.

When possible, students are usually advised to apply to schools with special studies in quantitative psychology. Since there are not that many specialized programs available, individuals should also research programs without this focus. Applicants can judge the benefits of a school by determining if it has strong quantitative psychology teachers who are supportive to students. Meeting with faculty is a good way to determine the school’s commitment to this area of psychology.

To a certain extent, most students get to design part of their curriculum. With supportive and expert faculty, it’s possible to create a program that focuses most on quantitative analysis. Students may also want to look for universities that have a master’s option in psychometrics or quantitative psychology, as these will have more instructors with expertise in this field.

A school that can’t support this kind of learning is probably not a good choice. Additionally, there are two doctorates that can be earned in psychology, the Psy.D and the Ph.D. Psy.D programs are more focused on therapy and clinical practice, and they are less likely to be suitable if a student wishes to become a quantitative psychologist.

In any doctoral program, the individual who would like to become a quantitative psychologist will complete three to four years of classes, prior to beginning work on a dissertation. Clearly, the dissertation should significantly involve quantitative studies. Most students take two to three years to complete this project, which is the final step in earning the degree. With adequate focus in this area of psychology, graduates will hopefully find interesting job possibilities that will use their expertise.