Students who obtain their bachelor’s of psychology degree online from an accredited college or university are as likely as a traditional student to be accepted into a traditional graduate program. In a 2010 study conducted by the United States Department of Education, it was found that undergraduate students who took all or some of their courses online had a slight edge over students taking the same class in a face-to-face format. They had slightly higher test scores and higher overall Grade Point Averages than traditional classroom students. It is because of this trend that most graduate programs welcome candidates who earned their bachelor’s degree online.
Are These Degrees Accepted by Graduate Programs?
In years past, graduate psychology programs had some hesitation in accepting bachelor’s degrees that were earned online. This is largely because no standards had been applied to online educational programs. Over the past ten to fifteen years online programs have become more standardized, more organized and therefore much more widely accepted by graduate programs. With almost all top universities offering online studies, the opinion and reputation of online education has gained a vast amount of ground.
Course Work
Before a student begins an online psychology program it is important that they carefully evaluate which online undergraduate program a graduate program will accept. If their goal is to eventually attend a graduate program, students will want to pay specific attention to whether or not the school has received accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA). If a program has been given accreditation then it fulfills the basic needs laid out by the APA and is a degree that will be accepted by a graduate psychology program.
Students will also want to look into the curriculum and course offerings. Most graduate programs have a set of basic prerequisite courses before a candidate is eligible to begin the program. Typically, online psychology programs are happy to share information about their course work and curriculum so the student can make sure it is a good fit before they begin. The classes that are typically expected are basic statistics, abnormal psychology, experimental psychology, developmental or child psychology and personality psychology. Programs with reputable online reputations will offer at least one class in each of these areas of study.
Will An Online Degree Prepare Me For Graduate School?
As long as the program chosen fulfills the above criteria a student will be well prepared for graduate studies. The misconception that online education is easier or less rigorous is nothing but a misconception. Online psychology programs are equally challenging, offer an equal amount of attention and resources and match any face-to-face program. This high level education will be a wonderful preparation for any graduate program in psychology.
Students attending an online psychology program need not worry about whether or not their bachelor’s degree will be accepted by graduate programs. With most universities gladly accepting online bachelor’s of psychology degrees, an online psychology degree is as valuable and respected as a traditionally earned degree.