Bryn Mawr College

Counseling and Psychology Programs at Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr College appears in our ranking of the 50 Great Small Colleges for a Bachelor’s in Psychology.

Bryn Mawr College is home to the Department of Psychology, which offers programs for students in the social sciences. Those who aren’t sure if they want to major in psychology can choose the college’s pre-major program. They’ll take at least one research class and a course in statistics along with other psychology courses before they declare a major. The college also offers options for students who want to study abroad or do research projects before they graduate.

Students will find different psychology courses available each semester and when they first start at the college. Introductory Psychology is the first class that majors will take, followed by Research Methods and Statistics. They also take laboratory classes that are available in fields such as early childhood and childhood psychology. Other classes include Behavioral Neuroscience, Abnormal Psychology, Lifespan Development, and Social Psychology. All psychology majors at Bryn Mawr College must do a senior thesis too. They’ll work with advisors to decide on a subject and then research the topic. The college accepts both research projects and written papers.

A clinical developmental psychology program (CDPP) is another program offered by the college for graduate students only. It includes research, clinical practice and training requirements. Students do practicums in the third year of the program to learn how to assess the needs of children in family counseling. The Research Brown Bag is a component of the program that asks students to meet once a week to discuss their research and thesis work. CDPP graduate students will also take classes that include Developmental Psychology, Family, Social and Cultural Psychology, Family Therapy, Cognitive Psychology and Consultation and Practice Issues in School Psychology.

About Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr College is a private college for women in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Established in 1885, it took its name from the town of the same name, which is a Welsh term that means a large hill. The college was one of the first schools in the United States to offer graduate programs for women and later doctoral programs. At the time of its founding, most colleges in the nation only accepted men. Bryn Mawr College allowed women to both live on its campus and work on their degrees there. In its first year, eight graduate students and 36 undergrads signed up for classes. Known for its affiliation with the Society of Friends/Quakers in its early years, the college later split from that organization.

Also known as Bryn Mawr, the college now offers multiple undergraduate degree programs and a few post-graduate and graduate tracks. Travel + Leisure ranks the campus as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the nation. Bryn Mawr ranks as the 52nd and the 77th best American college, according to Washington Monthly and Forbes. While US News and World Report ranks it as the 27th best liberal arts college in the nation, Washington Monthly ranks it as the seventh-best liberal arts school in America. Some of the famous women who attended Bryn Mawr College include actress Katharine Hepburn, former Harvard University president Hanna Holborn Gray and playwright Sarah Jones. The college’s graduate programs are now coeducational.

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Bryn Mawr College Accreditation Details

Bryn Mawr has accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which covers the entire social work program. The main accreditation held by the college comes from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and gives students the choice of bringing transfer credits to the college. MSCHE accreditation is also important because it helps students get the financial aid that they need. This type of accreditation is one of the requirements for students who will use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Bryn Mawr College Application Requirements

Around 40 percent of the students who apply to Bryn Mawr every year will receive an acceptance letter. The college has two early admissions deadlines of November 15 and January first. Those who apply by the first deadline will receive a response before the holidays. Students who apply by the second deadline will get an answer by the beginning of February. The college has a final deadline of January 15 for all prospective freshmen. Early decision applications must have signatures from the student’s parents, a guidance counselor and the student. Bryn Mawr accepts the Common Application and the Coalition Application and requires that students complete the writing supplement on either application. Students also need to submit a school report, transcripts, a guidance counselor recommendation, two letters of recommendation from their high school teachers and an ACT or SAR score. The college asks for a mid-year school report and a final school report too.

The final deadline for graduate school applications is January 15. Students must complete the college’s online application and pay a $50 fee. They will also submit an official GRE score, college or university transcripts, a resume and a statement of purpose. Three letters of recommendation are also required. Bryn Mawr encourages students to have their professors and employers write these letters and discuss some of the professional experiences they have in psychology and child development.

Tuition and Financial Aid

At Bryn Mawr, undergrads pay $51,130 each year for their tuition and another $860 in fees. Once they begin classes, they’ll pay a $410 enrollment fee each semester too. The college charges an average of $16,500 a year for a dorm room and a meal plan. Graduate students pay $7,270 to take a single class or $43,620 each year for full-time enrollment. When they do their practicums, they pay $1,170 per unit, which covers the cost needed to evaluate their work. Graduate students receive credits for any fieldwork that they do.

Merit scholarships are just one of the financial aid options available for Bryn Mawr students. Many of these scholarships cover the total cost of tuition and fees and go to students with the highest test scores and grade point averages. The Bryn Mawr Grant is a special program that provides funds to students who show a high level of need on the FAFSA. Students can also qualify for work-study or look at the jobs that the college has available on and off its campus. Loans and other special programs are available for Bryn Mawr College college students majoring in counseling or psychology.

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