Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychology Graduates and Their Paths Forward
Follow the stories of recent graduates as they pursue master's and doctoral programs, launch new careers and make an impact through the science of human behavior.
We’ll continue to follow these stellar alumni—along with so many others—as they realize their academic and professional dreams.
Harper Kaufman, Accepted to M.S. Programs at Fordham University and University of Southern California
What is your background?
I earned a communications undergraduate degree from James Madison University in 2019 and then moved to New Zealand for a period of self-reflection. After moving back to the U.S., I worked as a nanny and knew that I wanted to move toward applying for an M.S. to become a child therapist.
Why did you choose our Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I really wanted to continue my academics in the time between my undergraduate degree and pursuing my master’s degree. I wanted to further my knowledge of psychology to better prepare for my graduate degree, and I definitely feel equipped to pursue those studies now.
I had a wonderful time going through the program. All of the students in my classes were so insightful and supportive, and I really enjoyed all the discussions. I also found all of my instructors to be insightful, attentive and wonderful teachers!
Where are you now after completing the Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I’m still deciding which M.S. program at Fordham University or University of Southern California will be the right fit for me and am eager to start completing my degree very soon.
The Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychology absolutely prepared me to be a competitive applicant. Not only has studying with UC Berkeley been an asset to my résumé, but the courses and assignments have prepared me for the classes ahead of me. I feel confident that I will be going into this master’s program with a plethora of background knowledge that I would not have had it not been for this program.
Read Harper's full story.
Alexis Gruszczyński, Doctoral of Psychology Student at National University
What is your background?
I have an undergraduate degree in English from UC Davis, followed by a dual graduate degree (M.A. in literature and an M.F.A. in creative writing) from Chapman University. I was really interested in object-oriented ontology: how human beings and our environment interact and shape each other. I was recruited into a specialized program at Oracle, where I joined a cross-functional team tasked with bringing fresh perspectives to the organization. The goal was for us to learn innovative marketing concepts and to help support all of the different orgs. I then moved into data visualization at TIBCO and leadership roles at Meta, building personalized learning systems for small businesses. It was really, really fun—until it wasn’t. I really wasn’t impacting people on a really important level like I wanted to.
Why did you choose our Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I saw the Live Online courses, credible instructions and options to get assistance with the application process. I was like, "Why didn’t I look into this program earlier!?’ I took the Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychopharmacology courses, and they were the most beautiful classes; I learned so much. The instructors imparted knowledge that went beyond the textbook. It really was the magic sauce of learning.
Equally impactful was the access to mentorship. The instructors met with me, we talked about my research interests and how to build on it.I t was just phenomenal. I became passionate again and curious. I actually can learn enough to be able to help people who aren’t getting the care that they need.
Where are you now after completing the Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I’ll be starting a doctoral program in clinical psychology in Fall 2026 at National University. I’m very passionate about older adult mental health, helping prevent cognitive decline and delirium.
Read Alexis' full story.
Maya Teich, Attending Master of Social Work Program at Smith College
What is your background?
I studied art history at Bard College and landed a three-year role at a nonprofit arts organization after graduation. I began to realize that I wanted to interact with the art world more for my own personal joy and expression and not necessarily as a career. I came to the decision that I wanted to work with individuals in a clinical way and eventually get licensed to be a therapist. I knew that I had a huge gap in my academic experience and my overall knowledge of psychology. If I was going to apply to graduate school, I knew I needed to learn more about the subject area.
Why did you choose our Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I ended up doing seven classes that fit what the different schools that I was considering applying to required. The curriculum perfectly aligned! Completing the courses provided me with the opportunity to gauge whether my suspected interest was true in practice. It made me feel like I was on the right path.
The case studies allowed us to utilize our knowledge rather than just memorize information That’s always really helpful to get the material into your mind. The instructors’ responses were very detailed. It was nice to get personalized feedback rather than just a grade. It was also really nice to read my fellow students’ responses and digest their perspectives; many times, after reading another student’s entry, I would think about the subject in a different way or consider factors I hadn’t thought of previously.
Where are you now after completing the Post-Baccalaureate in Psychology?
I’ve been accepted into the prestigious Master of Social Work program at Smith College. I think completing this post-bacc program made a really huge difference in my application. I didn’t graduate with a degree in psychology, so this was a great way to show my dedication to the field, as well as my ability to succeed in an intensive program. Doing the UC Berkeley Extension program was a really big accomplishment that helped me get into Smith. It’s so helpful to have this foundation going into an M.S.W. program. Getting into Smith—and just an overall feeling of being prepared—means a lot.
Read Maya's full story.
Stay tuned as we continue to add more about our fantastic graduates.
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