Throughout the state of Nebraska, students are exploring the many colleges and universities offering bachelor’s degree programs in psychology. These various programs come in many different shapes and sizes to fit each individual’s needs. There are programs ranging from completely on-campus formats to hybrid formats of both online and classroom learning, all the way to fully online formats. Students can pursue either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science, depending upon their career aspirations. Students can also choose whether an undergraduate degree in general psychology is the best fit, or if a more specific degree option, such as developmental or forensic psychology, is a better fit. With so many unique options, students can find the program that is ideal for both their academic and career goals.
Union College
The School of Human Development
Union College is a private Seventh-day Adventist four-year coed college located in Lincoln. It was founded in 1795 and is the second largest Christian school system in the country. Union has an undergraduate enrollment of about 2,200 students on the 100-acre campus. The college has eight divisions including:
- Business and Computer
- Emergency Management and Exercise Science
- Fine Arts
- Human Development
- Humanities
- Nursing Religion
- Science and Math
In 2016, US News & World Report ranked Union College as the 38th best National Liberal Arts College. The School of Human Development is comprised of three departments:
- Education
- Psychology
- Social Work
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The BS in Psychology provides students with a core understanding of the principles of psychology, the scientific study of human behavior, emotion and how the mind works. The program helps students understand how and why human thoughts, emotion, and attitudes develop. These are keys to helping others understand themselves. Students will better understand how to combine knowledge and compassion in caring for others with the skills needed to be effective in the workplace. The BS in Psychology program requires 128 credits for completion and includes mathematics and science requirements.
Graduates of the program can apply learning in a variety of career settings in:
- solving problems
- treating mental illness
- guiding clients through life changes
- conducting psychological research
Psychologists work in a variety of settings including:
- academia
- aging
- business
- corrections
- education
- forensics
- research
- sports
- substance abuse
- youth counseling
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCACS)
Contact
Union College
The School of Human Development
The Psychology Department
3800 South 48th Street
Lincoln, Nebraska 68506 USA
(402) 486-2600
E-Mail: ucinfo@ucollege.edu
Program Website
University of Nebraska at Kearney
The Department of Psychology
Founded in 1903, The University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK) is a public coed residential university. It’s part of the University of Nebraska system. The university is located in Kearney. Undergraduate enrollment is over 5,300 students. The mission of the university is to be” one of the nation’s premier undergraduate institutions with excellent graduate education, scholarship, and public service.”
In 2016, US News & World Report ranked the University of Nebraska-Kearney as the 46th best Midwestern Regional University. The UNK Department of Psychology provides students with a core understanding of the psychology field to prepare them for graduate work or employment.
Bachelor of Arts/Science in Psychology
The psychology major provides students with a strong framework in the field of psychology. Students get a better understanding of:
- social influence
- learning
- human intelligence
- the roots of personality
- the effects of stress on health
The coursework includes a study of experimental, social, developmental, and clinical psychology. It allows students to pursue specific areas of specialization including:
- environmental psychology
- psychology of gender
- drugs and human behavior
- the psychology of criminal behavior
Learning Goals for Psychology major includes the following abilities:
- Develop basic knowledge of psychology
- Use research methodology to further ideas, theory, and knowledge within the discipline of psychology
- Communicate knowledge clearly through oral and written media
- Apply knowledge with tolerance of:
- conflicting viewpoints
- critical thinking approaches
- appropriate professional and scientific ethics and values
- Be prepared for future academic and professional endeavors
Programs of Study include the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science as well as specialized bachelor’s degree programs including:
- The Teaching Endorsement program prepares students for careers in secondary education
- The Psychobiology program prepares students who have an interest in the neurosciences. The program is an excellent pre-health science degree
- The Gerontology program is an interdisciplinary minor providing coursework in a core understanding of aging processes. It’s recommended for those interested in working with programs for the elderly.
Students have the opportunity for hands-on laboratory and field experiences by participating in a variety of fieldwork activities, assisting faculty in research, apprenticeship programs, or practicums working in mental health centers, homes for the elderly, or local businesses.
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCACS)
Contact
University of Nebraska at Kearney
The Department of Psychology
2510 11th Avenue
Memorial Student Affairs Building
Kearney, Nebraska 68849
(308) 865-8526
E-Mail: wadkinst@unk.edu
Program Website
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Department of Psychology
Founded in 1908 by the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) is a public coed university in Omaha. The university offers more than 200 programs in 6 colleges including:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Business Administration
- Communication
- Fine Arts and Media
- Education
- Information Science and Technology
- Public Affairs and Community Service
Enrollment is more than 15,000 students. In 2016, US News & World Report ranked the University of Nebraska-Omaha as Tier 2 for Best National Universities. The Department of Psychology offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in diverse areas of psychology. The department is one of the largest departments at UNO with:
- over 74 master’s level students
- 30 doctoral students
- 25 full-time faculty members.
Bachelor of Arts/Sciences in Psychology
The psychology major studies various areas in the field to better understand the inner-workings of the brain and its role in everyday life. The coursework includes a study of:
- Abnormal Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Limits of Consciousness
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Organizational Psychology
Students learn to deal with diagnosing and treating mental health issues. Psychology Majors can choose a specific area of concentration from the following:
- The Cognitive Psychology concentration provides a study of human perception, thinking, and memory. Cognitive psychologists deal with the way that the mind represents reality and how people learn, understand and use language. Cognitive psychologists deal with reasoning, judgment and decision making. They collaborate with behavioral neuroscientists to better understand biological bases of perception or cognition.
- The Developmental Psychology curriculum studies the psychological development of human beings throughout life.
- The Forensic Psychology concentration shows students how to apply psychological principles to legal issues. Examples:
- helping a judge decide which parent should have custody of a child
- evaluating a defendant’s mental competency to stand trial
- The Industrial/Organizational Psychology concentration provides students with the skills and knowledge to apply psychological principles and research methods to the workplace. This helps improve:
- productivity
- health
- the quality of work life
- The Mental Health concentration prepares students to assess and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. These range from short-term crisis such as adolescent conflicts to severe chronic conditions like schizophrenia.
- The Neuroscience & Behavior concentration studies the relationship between brain systems and behavior.
- The School Psychology concentration studies the delivery of comprehensive psychological services to:
- children
- adolescents
- families in schools and other applied settings.
The BA program requires completion of a foreign language. The BS program requires additional mathematics and science courses.
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCACS)
Contact
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The Department of Psychology
Arts & Sciences Hall 347
6001 Dodge Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68182-0274
(402) 554-2592
E-Mail: unopsychology@unomaha.edu
Program Website
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The College of Arts and Sciences
Founded in 1869, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL) is a public coed research university located in Lincoln. It is the state’s oldest university and the largest in the University of Nebraska system. It has an undergraduate enrollment of almost 20,000 students.
UNL has nine faculties offering:
- over 150 undergraduate majors
- 20 pre-professional programs
- 100 graduate programs and 275 programs
UNL offers programs at additional University of Nebraska institutions, including:
- the University of Nebraska at Omaha
- the College of Public Affairs and Community Service
- the University of Nebraska Medical Center Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing
- the Peter Kiewit Institute which partners with the University of Nebraska at Omaha
In 2016, US News & World Report ranked the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s as the 103rd best National University. The College of Arts and Sciences provides students with liberal arts education allowing them the skills needed to become:
- communicators
- critical thinkers
- problem solvers
- lifelong learners
Bachelor of Arts/Sciences in Psychology
The BA and BS program requires completion of a language and the following areas of study:
- 3 credits of Written Communication
- 4 credits of Natural, Physical and Mathematical Sciences:
- 3 credits of coursework from the Humanities
- 3 credits of Social Sciences
- 6 credits Languages
The psychology major provides students with educational and research experiences to prepare them to enter graduate or professional school in:
- academic psychology
- medicine
- dentistry
- nursing
- public health
- law
Students are also prepared to enter diverse careers in psychology-related fields such as:
- counseling
- business
- health and human services
Competencies for majors in psychology include the following abilities:
- Obtain information from various sources using modern technology and search methods
- Understand quantitative and qualitative data to effectively communicate it orally and in written form
- Comprehend scientific processes for psychological and behavioral research. Understand how research applies to current issues facing today’s society
- Work effectively in teams and groups of other people
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCACS)
Contact
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The College of Arts and Sciences
Undergraduate Advising
107 Oldfather Hall
Lincoln Nebraska 68588-0312
(402) 472-2891
E-Mail: undergrad.ed@unl.edu
Program Website
Wayne State College
The School of Natural & Social Sciences
Founded in 1910 as the Normal School, Wayne State College is a four-year public coed college. It’s part of the Nebraska State College System. Wayne State is located in Wayne and offers 90 programs of study in four schools including:
- the School of Arts and Humanities
- the School of Business and Technology
- the School of Education and Counseling
- the School of Natural and Social Sciences
Undergraduate enrollment is over 3,000 students. In 2016, US News & World Report ranked Wayne State College as the 75th best Midwestern Regional University. The School of Natural and Social Sciences prepares students to enter careers in a variety of areas, from allied health fields to engineering to law.
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The curriculum for the BA and BS in Psychology studies behavior and mental processes. It provides students with a broad foundation of knowledge to enter careers in helping professions, graduate schools, or related areas. To complete the major in psychology (BA or BS) students are required to complete at least 36 credits. Future careers for graduates of the Psychology Major include the following:
- Mental Health Security Specialist
- Registered Nurse
- Residential Counselor
- Habilitation Specialist
- Behavioral Health Technician
- Case Advisor
- Benefits Provider Specialist
Accreditations
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCACS)
Contact
Wayne State College
The School of Natural and Social Sciences
1111 Main Street
Wayne, Nebraska 68787
(866) WSC-CATS
E-Mail: admissions@wsc.edu
Program Website
York College
The Behavioral Science Department
Founded in 1890, York College is a private coed liberal arts college affiliated with the Church of Christ. The college is in York. It has an undergraduate enrollment of over 400 students. York provides both residential, traditional undergraduate education and online. Undergraduate fields include:
- behavioral science
- bible
- biology
- business
- chemistry
- communication
- education
- English
- general study
- history
- math
- music
It offers graduate study in education online only.
The mission is “transforming students providing Christ-centered education preparing them for lifelong service to God, Family and society.” In 2016, US News & World Report ranked York College as the 69th best Midwestern Regional College. The Behavioral Sciences department provides a program designed to prepare students to enter a variety of careers in social and behavioral sciences, as well as for graduate study.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The BS in Psychology program provides coursework in the study of human behavior and thinking. Graduates from the program are prepared to enter careers in psychology in a wide variety of fields including:
- government
- business,
- non-profits
Positions include:
- clinicians
- college professors
- elementary teachers
- licensed counselors
- therapeutic support
Students in the program are encouraged to participate in Internships with local organizations including:
- schools
- health care agencies
- research organizations
This gives students exposure to work experience in their field of study and to develop future career goals. Psychology students have the opportunity to do research with fellow students and faculty. The BS in Psychology program requires 120 credits for completion and has additional math and science requirements.
Accreditations
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
York College
The Psychology Department
1125 East 8th Street
York, Nebraska 68467
(402) 363-5600
E-Mail: jspivey@york.edu
Program Website
Earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology is a great start to many different career choices. An undergraduate psychology degree is a perfect start to a career or graduate training in fields such as psychology or sociology. What many people do not realize is that these degrees are also a great stepping stone into unrelated fields such as:
- business
- law
- medicine
- nursing
- human resources
- management and many more
For students interested in beginning their undergraduate training, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from one of Nebraska’s many colleges and universities is an excellent choice.