The state of Maryland offers its residents a wide range of options for earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Whether you plan to pursue graduate training in the field of psychology or a related field or you plan to immediately enter the workforce, an undergraduate psychology degree offers the flexibility required for both options. There are general psychology degrees as well as degrees in specializations. There is also a variety of learning styles to choose from. Many of the colleges and universities throughout the state allow students the option of hybrid or online learning. With this excellent option, more and more people are able to earn their college degree in psychology.
Bowie State University
The College of Professional Studies
Bowie State University is a public university located in Prince George’s County. Bowie State is a member institution of the University System of Maryland. The university is Maryland’s oldest historically black university and one of the 10 oldest in the country. In 2015, US News and World Report ranked the university as the 25th best historically black university in the United States. Bowie State is also a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The University is comprised of five colleges:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Professional Studies
- The Graduate School
The colleges offer:
- 18 departments
- 23 undergraduate majors
- 19 master’s degree programs
- two doctoral programs
- several advanced certificate programs
The College of Professional Studies is comprised of four academic departments:
- Behavioral Sciences and Human Services
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Social Work
Each department is focused on “delivering instruction that prepares students to describe, analyze, and solve social, economic, psychological, and health-care problems that restrict our society’s ability to maximize positive human potential for all”.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program offers students a solid foundation in basic psychological theories such as human development, thought and behavior. Students in this program develop the ability to understand individual differences in a way that will help both their career as well as their social interactions. Psychology majors are an important part of the rich history of “scholarship, community service and caring for humanity that is fundamental to the discipline of psychology”.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The department also offers a BS in Psychology. Students are encouraged to:
- attend professional conferences
- present research
- assist professors
- volunteer for local social assistance programs
- promote good mental health across the campus
To create flexibility, the department offers courses during each academic session which include daytime, evening and online classes. Both the BS and BA degree programs train students so they may continue their education. Many graduates enroll in master’s and doctoral programs upon graduation. Coursework in this program emphasizes the development of skills and abilities such as research and data analysis. It offers a strong knowledge base for topics such as:
- human development
- social psychology
- psychopathology
- cognition
- personality
- group processes
Additional skills will be acquired outside of the classroom from experiential opportunities gained during internships, as a research assistant or as a teaching assistant.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Bowie State University
The College of Professional Studies
14000 Jericho Park Road
Bowie, MD 20715-9465
Dr. Cheryl Blackman – Chair
Room 370 Center for Learning and Technology Building
(301) 860-3257
E-Mail: cblackman@bowiestate.edu
Program Website
Coppin State University
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Coppin State University is a historically black college located in Baltimore. It is a member of the University System of Maryland and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is home to eight undergraduate programs and five graduate programs in five departments of study. The college provides students a hands-on, multidisciplinary education that “puts learning into action”.
Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology
The BS in Applied Psychology degree program offers students strong preparation for careers in:
- Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling
- Psychological Services
- Rehabilitation Services
- advanced training in psychology and related fields
Psychology majors at Coppin State can customize their major at the undergraduate level. By having the chance to choose from a generalist degree or a specialization, students can create a plan of study that closely matches their career aspirations. In addition to the curricular requirements, the department also contributes to the liberal arts education of all students. This means that students will learn with a diverse range of students, making the program even more multidisciplinary.
Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology: Option in Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling
Psychology students choosing the specialization in Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling are required to complete a total of 47 credit hours in the Department of Applied Psychology. The specific objectives for the program in Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counseling include:
- Prepare students for immediate employment upon graduation
- Deliver a service to the community to address a problem that involves national concern
- Familiarize students with community, state, and federal agencies that aid individuals disabled by or dependent on alcohol or other substances
Students in this program will gain the skills, knowledge, and training necessary to become a professional substance abuse counselor upon graduation from this program. Students are trained to become alcoholism and drug abuse counselors by:
- Encouraging their sensitivity to individuals disabled by or dependent on alcohol or other substances
- Providing an understanding of alcoholism and other addictions
- Providing an understanding of the effects of social factors such as socioeconomic status and urban setting on alcohol abuse and other addictions
- Encouraging the development of general skills in counseling as well as specific skills in counseling individuals disabled by or dependent on alcohol or other substances of abuse
- Providing the student with the appropriate background in:
- human psychological development
- interviewing
- learning
- assessment and evaluation
- behavior modification
- abnormal psychology
- clinical psychology
- Ensuring that the student can prepare psychological reports and analyze statistical data
Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology: Option in Psychological Services
This specialization also requires the completion of 47-credit hours in psychology. The specific learning objectives for the department of psychology for students in the Psychological Services major include:
- Present a career-oriented program to undergraduate students in psychology
- Encourage communication between the College and community agencies to facilitate adequate professional preparation of students
- Prepare the student for graduate training in psychology
- Train students to perform effectively as employees of various governmental and private agencies by offering to the student
- The appropriate training in:
- interviewing
- psychological assessment
- abnormal psychology
- research
- Information about human needs and problems
- Opportunities to develop the needed competencies for communicating or reporting psychological information and statistics
Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services
The BS in Rehabilitation Services degree program prepares psychology students to provide rehabilitation services to a wide range of individuals with various disabilities such as:
- deafness
- substance abuse or addiction
- medical and psychiatric illnesses
- blindness or visual impairments
- those with most severe disabilities
The program has been specifically developed to do the following:
- To meet the State of Maryland and the national need for entry-level personnel
- To enhance the application of the skills and competencies of underrepresented minorities in the field of rehabilitation
- To prepare students to work expertly and professionally in various rehabilitation settings such as independent living rehabilitation, non-profit and private sectors
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Coppin State University
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
2500 West North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21216-3698
(410) 951-2666
E-Mail: cbss@coppin.edu
Program Website
Frostburg State University
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Frostburg State University (FSU) is a four-year university located in Frostburg. The university is a member of the University System of Maryland and is made up of three colleges:
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
In 2015, US News and World Report ranked FSU as the 125th best academic institution in the northern region of the United States as well as the 41st Top Public School. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the largest academic unit in the university. It is comprised of 20 individual departments offering 38 undergraduate major programs in:
- natural sciences
- social sciences
- fine arts
- performing arts
- humanities
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Concentration in Addictions
The BA in Psychology with an optional Concentration in Addictions is a program with an addictions counselor emphasis that provides preparation for professional licensure and certification. This innovative program trains students interested in the addictions counseling field. Students pursuing this concentration have the option of completing additional courses in order to prepare for the Maryland state exam. The Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors for Maryland regulates state certifications. This program works to fulfill the academic obligation for this certification. There are two levels of Maryland state certification that can be sought by students with undergraduate degrees, including:
- Certified Supervised Counselor: Alcohol & Drug (CSC-AD) - for associate degree graduates
- Certified Associate Counselor: Alcohol & Drug (CAC-AD) – for baccalaureate degree graduates
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Concentration in Child and Family
The BA in Psychology with an optional concentration in Child and Family Psychology is a program for students who seek a comprehensive and detailed exposure to child/adolescent psychological development and disorders. There are several important requirements for Child and Family Psychology Emphasis, including:
- Complete Psychology major
- Required Coursework in Psychology
- Elective Hours in Department
- Attendance at a Child and Family Psychology Emphasis Orientation Meeting
- Recommended Course: Psychology of Couples
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Concentration in Leadership in Psychology
The BA in Psychology with Concentration in Leadership in Psychology is an invitation-only emphasis program for the most qualified students. The program provides students with experiential opportunities and rigorous courses to develop leadership and peer mentorship knowledge and skills. Students are chosen based on GPA and faculty recommendation. Students may inquire about eligibility beginning in second-semester sophomore year.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Internship Option
The final undergraduate offering in the Psychology Department is the BA in Psychology with the Internship option. This is a great choice for students who plan to pursue a career in professional psychology and intend on pursuing graduate training upon graduation. To be eligible for this option, students must:
- Complete the Psychology major – You must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average in the major; or if your psychology GPA is between 2.75 and 3.0, you must pass a comprehensive examination covering all areas of psychology.
- Required Background in Psychology: Pass a departmental ethics examination and complete specific courses required for different types of internships.
- Internship Orientation Meetings: Attend 2 internship orientation meetings
- Complete a resumé and an internship proposal.
- Complete the course Internship in Psychology with a grade of P and Internship Seminar with a C or better (Capstone Course).
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Frostburg State University
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of Psychology
Frostburg State University
101 Braddock Road
Frostburg, Maryland 21532-2303
(301) 687-4193
E-Mail: dkoon@frostburg.edu
Program Website
Goucher College
Name of College or school
Goucher College is a private, co-educational, liberal arts college located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson. Enrollment is made up of about 1,500 undergraduate students enrolled in 33 majors and six interdisciplinary programs and about 900 graduate students. Goucher College is one of only two colleges in the United States that requires all students to complete a study abroad experience. In 2015, US News and World Report ranked Goucher as the 105th best National Liberal Arts College. The Psychology Department at Goucher has worked to “create an open, supportive, challenging and vibrant learning culture”. Students are encouraged to complete experiential learning opportunities by way of:
- community engagement
- active involvement in research
- collaborative construction of knowledge
- self-directed exploration
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The Psychology Department has identified seven regulatory principles for the undergraduate curriculum. The program has been carefully designed to enhance students’ development of the following skills and knowledge:
- Demonstrate understanding and competence regarding the use of research methodology in psychology.
- Communicate effectively as it pertains to the study and practice of psychology.
- Engage the world outside the classroom to use and/or inform one’s knowledge of psychology.
- Demonstrate understanding of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology.
- Develop critical consciousness and an appreciation of a variety of ways of knowing.
- Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity as played out in psychology and related fields.
- Develop an ethical framework with regard to the study and practice of psychology.
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Goucher College
The Psychology Department
Dr. Jennifer McCabe – Department Chair
(410) 337-6558
E-Mail: jennifer.mccabe@goucher.edu
Program Website
Hood College
The Department of Psychology
Hood College is a co-educational liberal arts college with over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is located in Frederick, about 50 miles west of Baltimore and northwest of Washington, DC. The school was founded in 1893 by the Potomac Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States as the Woman’s College of Frederick. In 2015, US News and World Report ranked Hood as the 31st best college or university in the northern region of the United States as well as the 14th Best Value School. The Department of Psychology offers both a major and minor in psychology. Psychology majors can also study adult development and the aging process through a multidisciplinary minor in gerontology. The department also offers several graduate programs, including a master of arts in human sciences. Optional concentrations include:
- general/experimental psychology
- helping relationships
- gerontology.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The BA in Psychology degree program teaches students the various aspects of human and animal behavior beginning with the firing of a single neuron all the way through to the death and dying process. This program can train students for many different entry-level jobs in:
- social services
- mental health
- management
- other areas that require a broad liberal arts background
The psychology major can also be used to prepare for admission to graduate or professional training in:
- psychology
- medicine
- law
- other related areas
There are opportunities for internships. Students have worked with hospitalized children, adolescents and adults in outpatient treatment facilities. Other settings include:
- the National Institute of Mental Health
- The Johns Hopkins University Hospital
- Fort Detrick (NCI)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- the White House
- Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center
- the Maryland School for the Deaf
- the American Psychological Association
- the National Park Service.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Minor in Gerontology
Students who pursue training in gerontology have the unique opportunity to engage in an interdisciplinary study of the biological, psychological and social determinants that underlie the aging process. The undergraduate minor can be used to enhance a number of majors, including:
- biology
- business administration
- economics
- nursing
- political science
- psychology
- social work
- sociology
The minor provides students with:
- The knowledge regarding the special needs of this element of the population
- The skills required for effective work with older adults
- The discussion of the economic, political, clinical and social issues surrounding the increasingly larger proportion of aged individuals in the American society
Accreditations
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
Hood College
The Psychology Department
401 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 696-3762
EMAIL: farreras@hood.edu
Program Website
From large universities with enrollment in the tens of thousands to small intimate college campuses, Maryland has an academic offering in psychology for everyone. Each student is different, which means that every student has a particular learning style that works best for him or her. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of academic options including a choice of online learning versus a traditional on-campus experience or a large university setting versus a small college. Each student can customize their college education to suit the goals, aspirations, and needs that will be an ideal fit.
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