Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree Programs in Kansas – B

Across the state of Kansas, many colleges and universities are offering undergraduate training in the field of psychology.  Most people lead incredibly busy lives. With responsibilities to family, friends, work, and so many other important things, fitting in a college education can be overwhelming. With the rise in online learning, more people are having the opportunity to advance their career with a college degree. Online learning can usually be completed where you want, when you can fit it in on your schedule. Most programs require minimal, if any, on-campus visits. So, now busy professionals and parents can pursue the degree they have always wanted.

Baker University

The Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences

Baker University is a private, residential, university located in Baldwin City. The university was founded in 1858, making it is the oldest university in Kansas. The school remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker is made up of four schools:

  • Both the College of Arts and Sciences and the undergraduate courses in the School of Education (SOE) are located at the campus in Baldwin City, Kansas.
  • The School of Professional and Graduate Studies  and the graduate branch of the SOE serve working adults at campuses in:
  • Lee’s Summit, Missouri
  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Overland Park, Kansas
  • Topeka, Kansas
  • Lawrence, Kansas
  • Wichita, Kansas.

The School of Nursing, which is operated in partnership with Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree.

Enrollment throughout these four schools has grown to a total student population of over 3,000 students, with more than 900 students on the Baldwin City campus. In 2015, US News and World Report ranked Baker as the 44th best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States and the 161st Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. The Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences offers undergraduate training in Exercise Science, Health & Physical Education Teacher Certification and Psychology.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Degree Program with five potential focus areas including:

  • Biology
  • Business
  • Special education
  • Cultural diversity
  • Science, research and communication

Students also have the option of completing courses from the research and application concentration groups and complete at least one research or internship experience. Students enrolling in the BA program must complete a foreign language requirement.

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology Degree Program also offered through the Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences, prepares students for graduate studies in psychology as well as a variety of other potential careers. Students work alongside their professors in small classes. They form strong bonds with classmates through:

  • projects
  • academic travel
  • departmental activities

Throughout their academic careers, Psychology majors have the opportunity to conduct independent and guided research in the various subfields of psychology. Using the empirical research methodology, students become successful at applying theoretical principles by conducting research in classes, independently and sometimes alongside a member of the faculty. Students can also attend and present work at area and national conferences.

The Psychology Department also encourages students to engage in as many real-world experiences as possible. This helps them to gain practical experience while developing the skills and knowledge needed in the many fields they may wish to pursue. Students in the BS program must complete additional laboratory sciences courses but are not required to fulfill the foreign language requirements from the BA program.

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Baker University
The Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences
P.O. Box 65, Baldwin City, KS 66006
(785) 594-8325
E-Mail: admission@bakerU.edu
Program Website

Benedictine College

The Psychology Department

Benedictine College is a private, co-educational university in Atchison. The school was established in 1971 with the merger of St. Benedict’s College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. The college is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, Liberal Arts, residential college. It’s situated on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, northwest of Kansas City, Missouri.

Benedictine is among just a handful of American Benedictine colleges and is sponsored by St. Benedict’s Abbey and Mount St. Scholastica Monastery. The college has built its fundamental core values around four “Pillars”—Catholic, Benedictine, Liberal Arts, Residential—which outline the Benedictine experience. Benedictine is endorsed by The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College.  In 2015, US News & World Report ranked Benedictine as the 20th best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The staff, faculty, and students at Benedictine are called to the goal of “wisdom lived out in responsible awareness of oneself, God and nature, family and society”.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The BA in Psychology Degree Program maintains the teachings and heritage of the 1500 year Benedictine tradition. The Department of Psychological Sciences receives the values of peace, community, and the balance of work with contemplation. The  Psychology Faculty cultivate the development of learning communities by treating students as equal partners in collaborative learning projects. The program takes an experiential approach to learning aims at developing students as lifelong learners. This goal is achieved in two ways:

  1. A broad liberal arts education
  2. A preparation for post-graduate education

While the psychology major is the ideal preparation for careers in human-related fields, in most cases a graduate degree is necessary for most mental health professional careers. The curriculum in the BA program in Psychology provides students with:

  • a strong liberal arts background
  • service experiences in health-related fields
  • as opportunities to collaborate with faculty in research activities

These experiential learning projects are generally not available to undergraduates at larger universities. This means that students who participate in these projects are generally better prepared to meet the challenges of modern global society.

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Benedictine College
The Psychology Department
Cray Seaberg Hall
1020 North 2nd Street
Atchison, KS 66002
(800) 467-5340
Program Website

Bethany College

The Department of Psychology

Bethany College is a small Liberal Arts College located in Lindsborg, with an affiliation to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The College offers all students a variety of ways to learn. All students are exposed to a combination of:

  • seminars
  • lectures
  • laboratory and independent research projects
  • high technology through the use of state-of-the-art computer, television, and graphics equipment

Learning at Bethany often occurs outside of the traditional classroom setting, through independent study, informal interaction with:

  • faculty
  • off-campus internships
  • study abroad

In 2015, US News & World Report ranked Bethany as the 68th best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The Psychology Department objectives are to assist students in the development of the following skills and abilities:

  • Familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
  • Understanding and application of basic research methods in psychology, including:
    • research design
    • data analysis
    • interpretation
  • Respect for and use of critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
  • Understanding and application of psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.
  • Ability to weigh evidence, act ethically, and conduct oneself in a manner reflective of the professionalism of psychology.
  • Recognition, understanding, and respect for the complexity of socio-cultural and international diversity.
  • Insight into one’s own and others’ behavior and mental processes and application of effective strategies for self-management and self-improvement.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The BA in Psychology Degree Program must be completed with the Human Services Emphasis Track. There are a number of specific requirements expected of students in this concentration area including:

  • A minimum of two additional credits in Psychology above the general requirements
  • Additional courses in psychology
  • Courses in biology, history of scientific thought, human development, philosophy, sociology, and social work relevant to the student’s particular interests

This track is designed to meet the needs of students who plan to pursue Master’s Level training in a variety of fields, such as:

  • counseling
  • organizational psychology
  • guidance

It’s also a good fit for students who seek a broad undergraduate education and graduate education in areas outside psychology, such as:

  • business
  • law
  • education 

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology must be completed with a Scientific Emphasis Track. There are a number of  requirements for students enrolled in this concentration area, including:

  • Selection of one course from a specified list of Psychology Courses
  • Six credits in courses in natural science, including at least 2 credits in biology courses emphasizing animal physiology, genetics, or natural selection
  • Four credits in similar biology courses, physics (except Astronomy), or chemistry
  • Those students enrolled in the BS program and plan to attend graduate school in psychology are advised to take at least one course in calculus

Many graduate schools require completion of a reading knowledge of a world language, usually French, German, or Spanish. Students may want to include this in their course selection. This track is designed for students with an interest in the empirical scientific aspects of Psychology, especially students who are considering graduate work in experimental or clinical psychology. Most Ph.D. programs in experimental or clinical psychology require the types of undergraduate courses included in this track.

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Bethany College
The Department of Psychology
31 E Campus Drive
Bethany, WV 26032-3002
(304) 829-7000
E-Mail: enrollment@bethanywv.edu
Program Website

Bethel College

The Division of Science and Mathematics

Bethel College is a four-year, private, Christian Liberal Arts College in North Newton. The College is affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA. Founded in 1887, Bethel is the oldest Mennonite College in the country. Bethel is primarily a residential college and students have the opportunity to participate in:

  • campus spiritual life
  • fine arts activities
  • sports
  • more than 50 clubs and organizations

The collegiate year is made up of fall and spring semesters, a January interterm and a summer term. The mission statement of the school is to be an “independent institution of higher education. The mission of the college is to prepare students, through active learning and rigorous instruction imbued with the spirit of liberal arts, to become critical thinkers and engaged global citizens”. In 2105, US News & World Report ranked Bethel as the 25th best college or university in the Midwestern Region of the United States. The Division of Science and Mathematics offers undergraduate training in:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Mathematical Science
  • Nursing
  • Physics
  • Psychology

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

The Psychology major at Bethel allows students to develop the skills needed to understand and help people. This makes the practice of psychology an ideal field of study regardless of the career path chosen. Students have a vast array of opportunities to apply their learning, including:

  • laboratory research
  • assistantships
  • research projects
  • internships

All of these are geared to helping students further explore their interests and applications. The curriculum has a Liberal Arts emphasis. This ensures that students develop:

  • a sense of independence
  • critical and analytical thinking skills
  • the ability to write clearly and persuasively
  • speak with clarity
  • a strong understanding of the professions in a broad ethical and moral framework

Students benefit from research, analytical, computing, social and statistical skills useful in jobs and graduate training programs. Through lab assignments and further research, students have the opportunity to work with student colleagues as well as with various participant populations:

  •  psychiatric patients
  • preschool children
  • elders, and more

Some of the major factors that set this Psychology Department apart from those of other schools of similar size include:

  • Ongoing research projects involving both lower- and upper-level students, including areas such as:
    • development of theory of mind in children
    • emotional responses to music
    • schizophrenia 

Also offered are:

  • Laboratory components for all upper-level courses
  • National Science Foundation grant support almost continuously since 1990
  • A Clinical and Counseling Certificate that can be added to the major
  • A Neuroscience Certificate that can be added to the major

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Certificate in Neuroscience

While many colleges opt to offer a separate neuroscience major, Bethel offers a Neuroscience Certificate based in its psychology and biology departments and majors. It outlines the central role of these disciplines within the field of neuroscience. The Psychology and Biology Departments collectively provide a variety of research opportunities for students in both cognitive neuroscience and neurobiology. This is considerably more than are available at many other institutions. Studying neuroscience requires skills in:

  • writing
  • reading
  • searching the scholarly literature
  • data analysis
  • computing
  • conducting independent empirical research

Students must also have a broad knowledge base of philosophical and scientific issues involved in the study of mind and brain. A strong Liberal Arts Education is well suited for gaining these skills and forms of knowledge. Students learn to comprehend neuroscience within a broad framework rather than as a narrow specialty.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Certificate in Clinical and Counseling Studies

Students interested in a career in clinical and counseling psychology, community psychology, school psychology or pastoral counseling, will find that the Clinical and Counseling Studies Certificate is a great degree program. This program provides a thorough and more multidisciplinary undergraduate framework for future clinical and counseling work than most programs available. Students may add this certificate to an existing and relevant major such as:

  • psychology
  • social work
  • education
  • Bible
  • religion 
  • business

The certificate program also helps prepare students for entry into the master’s and Ph.D. programs in counseling and psychology. This program is highly focused, with just five required courses. It is a purposeful balance of theory and practice with both being present in almost all courses.

Accreditations
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS)

Contact
Bethel College
The Division of Science and Mathematics
300 East 27th Street
North Newton, KS 67117
316-284-5230
E-Mail: admissions@bethelks.edu
Program Website

A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology can be a perfect way to begin a career in Psychology or many other fields. Whether you pursue your degree online or in the classroom you can find a degree program that fits your unique needs. For  people who cannot make a traditional degree program work in their schedule, an online degree might be the answer. These programs allow you to complete coursework on a more flexible schedule but also offer the same leading education that you would receive in the classroom.

In many cases, the same instructors teach the online and on-campus versions of psychology courses. So students pursuing an undergraduate psychology degree –whether online or on-campus–  can find a perfect school at one of the many programs offered throughout Kansas.

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