California Southern University’s School of Behavioral Sciences offers an online degree in psychology to meet your educational and career needs, whether you’ve only recently developed an interest in psychology or you’re a seasoned practitioner looking to obtain your doctorate.
At the undergraduate level, the BA in psychology is a well-rounded degree that’s perfectly suited for a wide variety of careers or graduate school options. It provides a comprehensive foundational education with an emphasis on science and human behavior. The research and oral and written communication skills you’ll develop will pay dividends throughout your professional life.
There are a number of online psychology degree plan options at the master’s level. The MA program is the degree track for those who are drawn to helping people with emotional or relationships issues—it’s the most direct path to licensure as a marriage and family therapist in the state of California. The MS program, on the other hand, offers an online psychology degree that will you serve you well as a mental health professional, with options to concentrate your studies in psychological disciplines such as chemical dependency and compulsive disorders, pastoral counseling, organizational psychology, sports psychology, and general psychology. The MS program also is a great stepping stone for those Learners who wish to pursue their doctorate at CalSouthern, and then perhaps licensure as a clinical psychologist.
On the doctoral level, CalSouthern offers the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). The PsyD differs from a PhD in that it is an applied degree, clinically focused, designed for a Learner who is inclined toward counseling, therapy, and clinical work, rather than research and academics. The PsyD also satisfies the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical psychologist in the state of California. In addition, it’s a degree that can lead to a career in academics, as well. In fact, if the academic program is clinically based, it may be the preferred degree.
CalSouthern also offers a variety of online certificate programs in popular or emerging psychology disciplines such as sports psychology, alcoholism and chemical dependency, organizational psychology, and pastoral counseling. The coursework is graduate-level, and a bachelor’s degree is required to participate in the program. However, that degree need not be in psychology, so anyone with a bachelor’s and an interest in the subject matter can enroll. The certificate programs can be used to position yourself for career advancement, for personal satisfaction, or as a way to “test the waters” of CalSouthern’s graduate school programs—the credits you earn while completing the certificate program can be applied to your master’s degree.
Please take a few minutes to peruse the various online degrees in psychology. Get to know CalSouthern’s faculty—gifted educators and experienced and talented mental health care practitioners—and read profiles of some CalSouthern alumni. Most important, familiarize yourself with the supportive and collegial academic environment that makes CalSouthern so distinct from other online institutions. Faculty, administration, and staff are accessible and eager to provide you with all the tools and support you need. We measure ourselves by your satisfaction and success. It’s the CalSouthern difference.