I am currently looking at two schools in order to obtain a bachelors degree in Psychology. Liberty University or Nova Southeastern University. Anyone have any thoughts on the two?
It is helpful to know how you got to this place. Did you search and research and consider any of the dozens and dozens of other possibilities that are out there -- using the database here at DegreeInfo, for instance -- and come up with these two as the best options? Or are these two ones you just happened to learn about? If you know about and didn't list 'the big three' -- Excelsior, Edison, and Charter Oak -- is there a reason? If the evangelical stance of Liberty is important, then why Nova? And so on.
online psychology schools Thank you for your reply John. Actually, I found these two schools using search engines on the internet. One link was allpsychologyschools.com and also I used the link for degreeinfo.com. I will look into the other ones you mentioned also. Thank you.
Hello Mom (that feels kind of strange to say that here), The latest issue of Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning lists over 40 universities that offer the bachelor's in psychology. If you click on the "Bookstore" link at the top of this page, you can obtain it. Degreeinfo also maintains a very nice search engine for programs. Just click the "Home" link at the top of this page and scroll down below where it says "Find the Perfect Degree Program". Choose "Bachelor" and "Psych/Counseling" and click the "Search!" button. You can also select some option parameters, such as residency options and location. Start with the Degreeinfo search engine, but do yourself a favor and get Dr. Bear's book as well. It is a very informative and very fun-to-read guide. Tony Pina Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino P.S. Yes, the author is the same Dr. John Bear that responded to you above.
Are you sure you want to major in Psychology? Be warned that this has lower earning prospects than any other major: http://money.cnn.com/2003/05/07/pf/saving/q_jobless_grads/index.htm Do you want to take coursework in Psychology, or do you want to get the degree as fast as possible by "testing out"? If the latter, look at colleges that offer credit for the GRE Subject exam in Psychology: up to 36 credits at Empire State College (depending on your score), up to 30 credits at Excelsior College (depending on your score; you have to score at the 80th percentile for all 30), or exactly 18 credits at Charter Oak State College (for scoring at the 40th percentile).
Mom of 5 -- Mark makes excellent points on the earning potential of the degree. That means that you will probably want to eventually go to grad school in order to increase your earnings. Go for the cheapest accredited option you can find to get your Psych degree and use this as your stepping stone to opportunities in graduate school. The Big 3 make for excellent starting points. John
Thanks for the information Mark. Salary is not such a big issue for me. I currently have only 9 years before I can retire from my current job at 90% of my salary. I enjoy helping people and I think that a degree in Psychology would give me an opportunity to go into the school system after I retire to become a counselor and help children. Thank you for the information on the colleges you mentioned. I will check into them.
If you're looking to work in the schools, check with your state board of education for the requirements for certification - a degree in Psychology usually won't be anywhere near enough. Of course, some states now have alternative certification programs, but many still require you to gat a teaching degree, plus specialization in whatever you are teaching or doing.
In my state, KS, a school counselor must have a graduate degree in school counseling. While I applaud your decision to seek further education and help kids, I must tell you that in my experiences school counselors work with testing and change schedules most of the day. They meet with kids....probably only a total of 2 out of 5 days and that may be kind. Not trying to rain on your parade though . I tend to take this board very serious and want people to make informed career choices. For example, I wish I had known about distance learning 3 years ago and I would already be well on my way to a doctorate instead of just starting. Brian
Thanks for the advise. I know that it will take more than a Bachelor's degree to get a decent job as a psychologist. My plans are to begin with getting my bachelor's then move on from there. Because I want to work with children, I plan on exploring other avenues besides school psychology. Thanks again
