Experiences of Graduate Level Students of Color with Race in Psychology Diversity Courses

The ethnoracial makeup of individuals entering fields of study such as psychology continues to change but the experiences of graduate level students of color in these programs is a phenomenon that has received little attention. When attempting to understand these experiences specific to racial content, the literature is almost nonexistent. This qualitative inquiry was designed in an attempt to understand, assess, and depict the experiences of students of color related to experiences of racial content in their American Psychological Association (APA) accredited graduate level diversity/multicultural psychology courses. The focus was on their reactions (e.g., emotional, physical, somatic) to class discourse, lectures, readings, projects, experiential learning, peers, professors, and videos pertaining to race. The participants included 13 individuals: seven Black, four Asian/Pacific Islander, one Latinx, and one bi/multi-racial. All participants attended an APA-accredited institution and completed a graduate level psychology diversity course within the past 4 years or were enrolled in said course at the time of the study. The results of this study revealed these individuals’ experiences were influenced by factors such as the ethnoracial identities of the participants, peers, and professors; the supportiveness of professors and peers; and the level of engagement of peers. Participants also provided suggestions for what components of their graduate level psychology diversity courses need to change in order to provide an educational experience that would address their needs and racial content