Four SSU Degrees for Psychology and Counseling
At Meier Hall, the School of Arts & Sciences awards the Psychology BA/BS for Salem State University Vikings sailing into unchartered brain territories to better understand people’s thoughts and behaviors. Chaired by Dr. Sophia Evett, the 120-credit, four-year program encourages undergrads to seek internships like Edinburg Center, pledge Psi Chi, add the Poland Semester, and select the Behavior Analysis Concentration.
Partnered with the Bertolon School of Business, the Industrial-Organizational Psychology MS is Greater Boston’s only program aligned to SIOP standards to analyze workplace behaviors. The 42-credit, case-based online curriculum led by Dr. Teresa Lyons integrates 300 internship hours at Linkage, Randstad, Bridgewell, Beverly Hospital, Kapersky Lab, and others.
Since 2017, the School of Education at Salem State University has granted the School Adjustment Counseling MEd to train licensed Massachusetts PK-12 advocates who promote compassionate support in multicultural classrooms. Headed by Dr. Joseph Cambone, the 54-credit, CAEP-accredited option leads to a median $43,190 salary after 700 experience hours and flexible evening courses like Psychopharmacology. The Mental Health Counseling MS instead prepares Commonwealth post-grads for LMHC licensure to diagnose and treat the vast spectrum of psychological disorders. On Tuesdays and Thursdays after 4:30 PM, the 60-credit, two-year cohorts advised by Dr. Darlene Crone-Todd meet in Salem beyond the 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship placements like Fidelity House.
About Salem State University
Salem State University originated on September 14, 1854, when Whig politician and Antioch College president Horace Mann opened the Salem Normal School on Broad Street. In 1856, the women’s school graduated the first African American student named Charlotte Forten. Three decades later, Salem acquired its current 115-acre, coastal Essex County home near Pioneer Village. In Fall 1898, Salem ended gender bias to admit men and women. By 1932, it was called Salem Teachers College with four-year bachelor’s degrees in pedagogy and business. In 1957, the Commonwealth authorized Salem for its earliest Master of Education degree. On October 26, 2010, Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation renaming it Salem State University.
Endowed for $23.9 million, Salem State now employs 363 full-time faculty teaching 8,338 Vikings from 56 countries online and on the North Shore with 65+ clubs like Active Minds. In 2018, Governor Charlie Baker selected SSU for a $207,000 Leading by Example Solar Grant. Eight years prior, the Salem State PRSSA Chapter won the Community Affairs Bell Ringer Award from the Publicity Club of New England. The U.S. News & World Report ranked SSU among the North’s 187 best universities. On Niche, Salem has the 411th top location, 452nd most liberal academics, and 576th best diversity in America. College Factual placed the SSU Psychology Department 279th nationally for value. Washington Monthly also crowned Salem State University the 477th best master’s institution.
Salem State University Accreditation Details
On January 15, 2016, Salem State University submitted the Fifth-Year Interim Report to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) to extend Level III accreditation through 2021 under its 14th president, Dr. John Keenan, who earned the Salem Foundation for Human Rights & Social Justice Award. Located 20 miles west via Route 114 in Burlington, Massachusetts, this superb six-state Northeast Region accreditor is accepted by the U.S. Education Department to review Salem’s 43 baccalaureate, 33 master’s, and 24 certificate offerings. Particularly, the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) reaffirmed the MEd program in May 2014. Please note Salem State isn’t accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) though.
Salem State University Application Requirements
Starting at Salem State University is classified “minimally difficult” by Peterson’s though only 5,558 of the 6,562 Fall 2018 applicants were selected for 84.6 percent acceptance. First-year Vikings pillaging the Psychology BA/BS must satisfy 17 college-prep high school units, including four English and Math courses. GED students are considered with minimum 145 subject scores. Test-optional admission is reserved for freshmen with GPAs of 3.0 and higher. Otherwise, there’s a weighted scale for New SAT marks of 990 to 1180 and ACT marks of 19 to 24. Priority is given for 1030 SAT or 20 ACT scores and better. Transfers with 12-23 credits need 2.5 GPAs while those with 24+ credits need 2.0 GPAs. The School of Graduate Studies stipulates an accredited four-year bachelor’s at 3.0 GPAs. Industrial-Organizational Psychology MS cohorts need 18 prerequisite credits, including Research Methods. Two years of full-time business experience is strongly recommended. School Adjustment Counseling MEd candidates must pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure too.
Salem State University lists firm freshman deadlines of November 15th for Early Action and May 1st for Regular Decision. Psychology BA/BS transfers apply until August 1st for Fall, December 1st for Spring, and May 1st for Summer. Non-U.S. residents generally must apply by July 1st or November 1st only. The School of Graduate Studies conveniently has rolling admission. File the SSU Application online with a $50 non-refundable fee by credit/debit card. Send official transcripts via Naviance or to PO Box 315 in Randolph, MA 02368. Optional standardized test scores require school code 3522. Supplemental items include the course evaluation form, work history, three references, 500-word purpose statement, educator license, and MTEL results. Inquire further by contacting (978) 542-6200 or admissions@salemstate.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, Salem State University billed full-time Massachusetts undergrads $10,884 annually. Non-resident Psychology BA/BS majors paid $17,640 per year. The New England Regional price was $11,955 yearly. Students covered the $395 university fee, $185 capital improvement fee, and $50 SGA fee. Residing at the North Shore campus’ dorms like Atlantic Hall added $4,475 to $5,507 per semester. Standard 19-meal plans for Marsh Dining Hall were $1,973 extra. Annual bachelor’s attendance equaled $27,384 in-state and $33,824 out-of-state. The School of Graduate Studies charged Bay Staters $8,227 and non-residents $9,847 each year full-time. Taking under nine credits cost $498 to $767 apiece.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office on Bertolon Hall’s 2nd Floor disburses $22.89 million overall for 54 percent of SSU Vikings to conquer assistance packages averaging $5,781. Psychology funds include the Judith & Barry Josephs Scholarship, Frances Glovsky Emmerman Scholarship, Perry Yanow Memorial Scholarship, Mary Jane Gray Award, Dr. Leonard Zani Endowment Scholarship, Eleanor Blazer Powlesland Scholarship, Frederick Meier Scholarship, Mary Powlesland Commager Scholarship, and Michael Monteforte Jr. Scholarship. The $1,000 Arlene Greenstein & Donald Ross Scholarship has a February 15th deadline for Psychology BA/BS majors studying abroad. The Richard Webbe Graduate School Scholarship could help Mental Health Counseling MS students with minimum 3.85 GPAs. Filing FAFSA applications coded 002188 evaluates Federal Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Work-Study, and Direct Loan qualifications. Massachusetts programs like the Jack Welch Scholarship, Stanley Koplik Tuition Waiver, Public Service Scholarship, and Part-Time Grant can help.
Keep reading about Salem State University at the Psychology Department website.