Overview of Psychometrics Graduate Program

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The Design of Testing

Have you ever wondered who on earth created that nerve wracking yet fascinating aptitude test or the famous IQ test? These tests are created by a group of scientists who studied the field of Psychometrics.

The origin of psychometrics can be traced back to Charles Darwin’s book “The Origin of Species,” which pertains to how the individuals in a species differ and possess characteristics that are more adaptive and successful or less adaptive and less successful than their fellow members. This study piqued the interest of Sir Francis Galton, who took the studies a step further and applied it to how humans differ in characteristics. He then formulated a way to study these differences.

Preparatory Classes

The Psychometrics graduate program is actually quite extensive. To have the qualifications to create these tests, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology, mathematics, and statistics or a similar field.

The bachelor’s degree program in psychology along with a Bachelor of Science can be used as pre-requisite or a Bachelor of Arts program with the Bachelor of Science degree. Your disciplines may require the completion of classes in statistics, computational statistics, methods and mathematics.

Participants in the psychometric graduate program are encouraged to participate in a cooperative research experience as well as complete an internship. This will allow you the opportunity to gain hands on experience working in the field, and the chance to network with other professionals.

The bachelor’s degree program in most cases is a four-years study. Once you have completed your bachelor’s degree, you will then need to acquire a master’s degree. Most employers require you to have a Master of Arts in Psychometrics and a Master of Science in Psychology.

Continuing Studies

A master’s degree in the psychometrics graduate program requires no less then eighty credit hours, which provides you with a foundation of advanced knowledge about psychology and psychometrics. The classes include psychometric theory, analysis of variance, factor analysis, and regression analysis. Some of the course work within the program may require working in a lab.

The master’s in psychometrics will also include classes containing topics such as measurement and research, applied statistics and psychological foundations. These particular courses may also allow students to complete an internship or require them to write a thesis to graduate. A master’s degree in psychometrics is an additional two years of study.

Once you have obtained your masters degree there are many job opportunities, but many employers prefer you to have your doctoral degree, so you may want to continue your studies. The doctoral degree includes psychological and educational studies, with a specialization in qualitative, quantitative and psychometric method, as well as a Doctor of Education degree program in psychometric methods, research methods and educational statistics. The disciplines will require completion of all course work and writing a dissertation.

Once you have graduated, you will most likely be eligible to participate in fellowship opportunities, which prospective employers find extremely impressive. Last, but not least, take advantage of the opportunity to join the Psychometric Society. This allows you discounted rates for attending annual conferences, access to published articles related to the field, as well as allowing fellow psycho-metricians to interact with other professionals and remain aware of changes or developments in the field.