Counseling and Psychology Degrees at Oregon Institute of Technology
The average salary for a psychologist or counselor is $79,010 per year with many positions requiring just a bachelor’s degree in order to qualify. However, there are positions that require a master’s or doctorate degree and those earn higher salaries. The Oregon Institute of Technology offers two degree programs designed to prepare individuals for careers in psychology or counseling.
Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology
The Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology at the Oregon Institute of Technology is designed for students who wish to pursue counseling, teaching, research, applied behavior analysis or other positions in the psychology industry. Students gain an understanding of how humans develop over time as well as how the brain functions and how they act in social situations. They learn what affects our physical and mental health, how to assess and identify psychological disorders along with how to provide a variety of evidence-based interventions to those who need such assistance. Courses required for the program may include:
- Abnormal Psychology I & II
- Applied Statistics for Social Sciences
- Basic Counseling Techniques
- Behavior Modification I & II
- Biopsychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Growth and Development I & II
- Introductory Statistics
- Psychological Research Methods I
- Psychology I, II & III
- Social Psychology I & II
- Statistical Methods I
A capstone course is also required. The program is offered on both the Klamath Falls and Portland-Metro campus as well as online.
Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
The Master of Marriage and Family Therapy provides students with practice-based learning for excellence-based practice in the fields of marriage and family therapy. Students may concentrate their studies in:
- Medical Family Therapy
- Rural Mental Healthcare
- Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment
The Medical Family Therapy concentration provides instruction in therapies offered in a medical setting. This is a rapidly growing field developed to promote collaboration between healthcare systems staff. The program integrates a patient and family medical, psychological, social and spiritual worlds using medical science and family systems training. Students are able to integrate and implement systems while recognizing that health is comprised of four areas of influence, including biological, social, psychological and spiritual. They develop collaboration skills to maximize benefits to their clients while guiding systems toward a more integrative approach to healthcare. Although information related to Medical Family Therapy is integrated throughout the courses required, it is a particular focus in the following courses:
- Advanced Medical Family Therapy
- Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy
- Introduction to Medical Family Therapy in Rural Areas
- Rural Mental Health Care and Medical Family Therapy
Students in the Rural Mental Healthcare concentration learn methods used to address concerns unique to people living in rural areas. Many areas of the country have been identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. This indicates that those areas do not have enough mental healthcare professionals to meet the needs of the community. The program provides an understanding of the differences in mental health needs between rural and urban areas. Students learn that rural communities have higher rates of mental illness, substance abuse disorders and suicide rates. They also learn to combat the stigma of seeking mental health services that is much more prevalent in rural areas. Courses specific to the concentration include:
- Medical Family Therapy in Rural Areas I & II
- Rural Considerations in Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention
- Rural Mental Healthcare
A clinical practicum is also required.
The Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment concentration prepares students to meet the diverse needs of clients through the study of trauma-informed care, co-occurring disorders in mental health and substance abuse as well as the impact on these factors on family systems. Students gain an understanding of recovery as an ongoing process. The program provides the necessary hours for Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor III credentialing in Oregon. Courses specific to the concentration include:
- Contemporary Issues in MFT and Addiction
- Families, Substance Abuse and Addiction
- Group Therapy
- Introduction to Substance Use Disorders and Addiction
- Introduction to Therapy Theory and Skills
- Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorders
- Professional Studies: Developing Cultural Competencies
- Professional Studies: Ethics
- Rural Considerations in Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention
- Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Disorders: Systemic Assessment and Diagnosis
About the Oregon Institute of Technology
The Oregon Institute of Technology is the only public institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. The first classes at what was then known as the Oregon Vocational School were held in a deactivated World War II Marine Corps hospital near Klamath Falls in 1947. The name was changed to the Oregon Technical Institute in 1948.
Initially, the school’s mission was to educate and rehabilitate World War II veterans before expanding into a degree-issuing institute of higher learning. More than 97 percent of the students who attend the school are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation with an average starting salary of $60,000 per year. All programs are underscored by a strong general-education core that helps students develop communication, problem-solving and free-thinking skills.
Oregon Institute of Technology Accreditation Details
The Oregon Institute of Technology is accredited by the Northeast Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education and the Secretary of the US Department of Education. This means that students enrolled at the Oregon Institute of Technology may apply for and receive federal student aid. The school also undergoes periodic evaluation to confirm they continue to meet or exceed criteria developed by the Commission and they agree to address any areas identified as needing improvement as soon as possible.
Business programs at the Oregon Institute of Technology are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education and the Polysomnographic Technology certificate is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program.
Oregon Institute of Technology Application Requirements
In order to apply for the Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology, applicants with fewer than 36 college credits must provide official high school transcripts as well as official ACT or SAT scores unless they graduated from high school more than three years before applying. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be provided as well.
Applicants to the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. They must also provide official GRE or GMAT scores. A personal essay, current resume and three letters of recommendation are required as well as a criminal background check.
Oregon Institute of Technology Tuition & Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition at Oregon Institute of Technology is $194.97 per credit hour for residents and $620.58 for non-residents. Tuition for residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington Wyoming as well as territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands who may be eligible for Western Undergraduate Exchange tuition is $292.45 per credit hour. Graduate tuition is $448.43 per credit hour for residents and $752.78 per credit hour for non-residents.
Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships and loans. Students attending on campus may also be offered work-study, fellowships or assistantships. All students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) regardless of income as some assistance may be merit-based.
Oregon Institute of Technology takes pride in its mission to deliver technology education and its partnership with industry leaders to ensure students are receiving the highest quality education.