Azusa Pacific University Psychology and Counseling Degrees
Azusa Pacific University provides students with a strong slate of degree and certificate programs in counseling and psychology. One of these is available online, and that is a completion of a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. It is designed only for transfer students who have at least 15 units prior to transfer and who plan on switching their major to psychology.
Undergraduate students can major or minor in Psychology. The major encompasses 120 credit hours of work, and students can choose the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science track. The Arts track prepares students for the “hands-on” aspects of the study of psychology, such as human behavior, problem-solving, and cognition. The Science track is research-based and grounded in neuropsychological function.
At the graduate level, students can pursue one or more certificates. Some of them include Clinical Counseling, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, and the School Counseling Credential. The degrees include the Master of Social Work, the combined Master of Education in Educational and Clinical Counseling that includes the embedded School Counseling Credential, and the Master of Arts in Family and Marriage Therapy.
The degrees all comprise between 35 and 70 credits, depending on the degree and the clinical practica that are required, and the certificates cover between 12 and 25 units. Many students combine their graduate study with one or more certificates so that they are unusually qualified for a variety of jobs in the field of psychology.
About Azusa Pacific University
The school has focused on faith-based education since its founding in 1899. At that time, it was called the Training School for Christian Workers. In its first semester, only 12 students enrolled, and classes were given at the home of one of the teachers.
Over the next few years, it merged with other existing, smaller schools and went through quite a few incarnations before relocating to Azusa in 1946. The school has suffered hardships throughout its existence, such as one year when the total fundraising only amounted to $27. Still, it has persevered to become the No. 206 school on U.S. News and World Report‘s list of National Universities. The school’s online graduate programs rank No. 228.
Azusa Pacific University has about 10,000 students in total, and the campus spreads over 103 acres. The school is more selective than others of its type and chooses just six in 10 students for admission. Because of the coziness of the campus, the student-to-faculty ratio is just 10-to-1.
Azusa Pacific University Accreditation Details
In keeping with its high national ranking, Azusa Pacific University has met the demanding criteria of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges for regional accreditation. In addition, various departments of the school have received academic accreditation from organizations around the country. These include the:
- American Physical Therapy Association
- American Psychological Association
- Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- National Association of Schools of Music
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social work Accreditation
Azusa Pacific University Application Requirements
Azusa Pacific University has concrete admission requirements for its students. Incoming freshmen must have a high-school GPA of at least 3.0. If they take the SAT, they must score at least 990. If they take the ACT, they must score at least 19. Of course, scoring higher on either test or maintaining a higher GPA in high school is preferable. The average high-school GPA of applicants is 3.7. The average of SAT scores is 1051, and the average of ACT scores is 25.
Students should also have completed the standard slate of 17 high-school credits that include four years of English, three years each of science, social studies, and math, two years of the same foreign language, and two arts credits.
Graduate students must meet the requirements of their specific program. Some requirements are fairly standard, such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, and bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university. Students are encouraged to check the website for the specific requirements for their program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Not counting travel costs, the total cost for a year of undergraduate study at Azusa Pacific University is $49,522. That breaks down to $39,640 for tuition, $580 for the university service fee, $5,162 for housing, and $4,140 for the meal plan. If a student takes more than 18 credits, each credit beyond 18 costs an additional $1,652. If a student chooses to live in a campus apartment instead of a regular dorm, then that student must pay utilities as well. This comes to roughly $400 per year. If a student does not have health insurance, that person will automatically be enrolled in the university’s plan, which costs $650 per semester.
Students who want to apply for financial aid fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which the government and university will use to determine the amount of need-based aid to which the student is entitled. This aid will take the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Work-study programs are considered grants, and students will be allowed to apply for those positions on a case-by-case basis.
Students who wish to do so may also apply for private financial aid, such as loans from a local credit union, scholarships from private foundations, and the like. Students should keep in mind, however, that not only will these awards affect the amount of need-based aid the student receives but also that many private awards have stringent requirements that, if not fulfilled, cause the cancellation of the award. In rare cases, the student may be asked to pay back money already received as an unsubsidized student loan, including all interest. Students should check with the Office of Financial Aid for further information.
Azusa Pacific University has delivered top-flight, faith-based education for more than 100 years, and all indications are that that will continue far into the future.