The Best Online Psychology Degree Programs for 2022 Given how popular the field of psychology is, there are now a tremendous number of choices for prospective online psychology degree-seeking students. To help make the school search process easier, we’ve compiled the following list of top online schools for psychology. We recognize that a top school for one student may not be ideal for another, so you can also choose the specific school characteristics that matter most to you and tailor your list accordingly.
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Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the University of Arizona is a public research institution founded in 1885. The school today boasts approximately 3,600 students and offers an online Bachelor of Arts in psychology for remote learners. This curriculum gives students a foundational understanding of the basic components of brain functions and the ways in which behaviors are shaped by environmental and societal influences. Required coursework covers the full human lifespan and common disorders such as Alzheimer’s and autism. AU prides itself on having a well-rounded program that helps students pursue careers both within and outside of the psychology field, including employment in areas such as medicine, business, education, and law. To graduate, remote students need 120 credits with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
CU Denver is a public institution with regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university offers a 120-credit online bachelor’s degree in psychology and a certificate in applied behavior analysis. Online bachelor’s students, in addition to general education classes, complete 37 asynchronous credit hours in psychology. Required courses include statistics and research methods, principles of learning and behavior, introduction to psychology, and more. In most cases, classes last 15 weeks and are offered three times per year in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The bachelor’s degree typically takes four years to complete. Students in the certificate program complete five three-credit classes, with each class lasting 10 to 12 weeks. Upon completion of the online certificate, graduates can sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam or the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) exam.
| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
Remote learners can take advantage of the University of Utah’s online four-year psychology degree. This Bachelor of Science in psychology includes core classes such as social cognition, development in infancy, psychology of abnormal behavior, and cognitive neuropsychology. The curriculum features interactive classes in which students actively connect with classmates and faculty using online chats and discussion boards. Remote students can also attend virtual office hours with professors to receive extra guidance with their assignments and perform to the best of their abilities. The university also offers a Bachelor of Arts in psychology for students who wish to complete an on-campus language course. Students must complete at least 30 credits on-campus to qualify for graduation. Completion time is typically three or four semesters assuming 12 to 15 credits per semester. The University of Utah holds regional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Fort Hays State University
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| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
FHSU offers online bachelor’s, master’s, and certificate programs in psychology for remote students. The master’s degree requires 30 credit hours and typically takes online learners two years to complete. Incoming master’s students should possess at least 12 hours of undergraduate coursework from a psychology department, one class in statistics or research methods, and a 3.0 or higher GPA. FHSU’s Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts require 42 credit hours for graduation. Popular undergraduate electives include psychology of aging, drugs and behavior, forensic psychology, and human sexuality. Unlike the Bachelor of Science program, the Bachelor of Arts degree requires 10 hours of foreign language studies. Most bachelor’s degree seekers need four years to complete this program. The psychology department also offers an 18-credit certificate in case management to prepare students for careers in mental health centers. Coursework includes abnormal psychology, elements of learning, child and development psychology, and general psychology. Certificate seekers also need to complete a three-credit in-person apprenticeship. FHSU holds accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
Capella’s online psychology offerings include programs at the certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Most classes for these programs follow a fully-online, asynchronous course schedule and allow learners to complete coursework at their own pace. Graduate students can pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology, Doctor of Psychology, or Doctor of Psychology in School Psychology. Available doctoral specializations include general psychology, behavior analysis, developmental psychology, educational psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology. The master’s in psychology and master’s in clinical psychology typically take students two years to complete and offer specializations in child and adolescent development, sport psychology, educational psychology, and applied behavior analysis. Capella’s four-year bachelor’s psychology degrees require 180 credits for graduation and typically take distance learners four years to finish. Capella’s certificate in applied behavior analysis prepares students to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam.
University of North Dakota
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| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
The University of North Dakota is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and offers multiple online psychology programs for remote students. Distance learners can pursue its online Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with no on-campus obligations. UND features both self-paced and semester-based course formats. Self-paced classes allow students to take three to nine months to complete a single course. Some online classes require students to participate in live web discussions at scheduled times with students and faculty. Bachelor’s degrees require 122-132 credit hours for graduation and usually take four years to complete. UND also offers an online Master of Arts and Master of Science in forensic psychology. Graduate students complete 30 credit hours in approximately two years for a master’s degree. Prospective bachelor’s students must submit their high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores for consideration. Transcripts should reflect a history of high school classes in English, math, science, social studies, and a foreign language. Competitive undergraduate applicants possess at least a 2.75 GPA. Interested graduate students do not need to submit their GRE scores for consideration.
Arizona State University-Skysong
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| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
ASU offers a variety of online psychology programs, including bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and graduate certificates, including several dedicated to forensic psychology. The four-year Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science cover essential areas of the field, including cognitive systems, behavioral neuroscience, developmental and cross-cultural psychology, and interdisciplinary topics such as health psychology and law psychology. Bachelor’s degree students need 120 total credits for graduation with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. At least 30 credits must come from courses completed at ASU. The online Master of Science in psychology requires 36 credit hours and can be completed in as few as 18 months of full-time study. Master’s students must complete a capstone course and project for graduation. Psychology-focused graduate certificates available at ASU include certificates in addiction and substance abuse-related disorders, applied behavior analysis, overview of spectrum disorders, and integrated behavioral health. Undergraduate students need to submit their ACT or SAT scores for consideration. Prospective graduate students should possess a 3.0 or higher GPA but do not need to submit their GRE scores.
| ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE INFORMATION |
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Park University features a Bachelor of Science and Associate of Science in social psychology, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. The B.A. in psychology requires 122 credits for graduation, 42 of which come from the psychology core curriculum. Required courses include research methods, statistics for social sciences, theories of personality, and experimental psychology. B.A. students also complete an in-person field placement and a capstone seminar. Park’s social psychology degree, which combines coursework in psychology and sociology, prepares students for work in business, government, public policy, and service professions. The 120-credit Bachelor of Science in social psychology requires 42 credit hours of major-specific classes, in addition to general education classes, and typically takes four years to complete. The 60-credit associate social psychology program takes approximately two years to finish.
