Psychology and Counseling Programs
California Baptist University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Counseling Psychology Online Programs.
California Baptist University makes it easy for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology and then continue their studies at the post-graduate levels. The university offers both a master’s a doctoral program with an emphasis on psychology and counseling. Students will typically start out in the university’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program. California Baptist offers concentrations for undergrads such as forensic psychology, lifespan development, and industrial and organizational psychology. Students can also choose concentrations in sports psychology, social work or medical anthropology. The university allows students to take classes in the psychology department and other divisions and departments.
After earning a bachelor’s degree, students can apply to the university’s Master of Science in Clinical Psychology. Developed for those who want to work with people struggling with addictions and mental health conditions, this program requires that students take at least 62 credits of classes over two years. The forensic psychology concentration is best for students who want to work in a criminal justice field. They can also choose the professional clinical counselor concentration. This program requires that students do some fieldwork. All counseling students will take courses such as Human Growth and Development, Family Therapy I and II and Professional Ethics and Law. The university allows students to combine the clinical psychology program with its counseling ministry program too.
It takes five years for students to complete all the work in the university’s Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program. Students will take 128 units of required courses and classes in one of three concentrations: forensic psychology, attachment theory or organizational psychology. Students will take 15 units of required classes, 12 units of classes required by the state of California and more units of other courses. They receive 34 credits for their practicums and 18 credits for their research work. California Baptist University requires that doctoral candidates do fieldwork and a dissertation.
About California Baptist University
California Baptist University is a private university affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention. Established in 1950, it originally used the name of the California Baptist College. Just a few years after opening, the convention took over the operations of the college. As enrollment grew, the college constructed a new campus and moved its students and faculty to Riverside. Its main campus grew over the years to include more than 70 acres of land. The campus received recognition for its overall design and its abundance of Mission Revival style buildings.
Also called CBU and Cal Baptist, the university is now home to 11 different schools such as the School of Christian Ministries and the College of Health Sciences. Rick Warren, the author of the best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life,” graduated from Cal Baptist. Other notable alumni include beauty queens, musicians, politicians, and pastors. Though Cal Baptist still retains its religious affiliation, it does not have the many requirements that similar schools do. Students can attend church service on the campus and participate in religious events and organizations though. CBU originally had an enrollment of just 120 students but now has an enrollment of more than 9,000 students.
California Baptist University Accreditation Details
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges of the Senior College and University Commission granted CBU regional accreditation. Regional accreditation is important for students who may want to apply for financial aid as well as transfer students who want to make sure a new school will accept their credits. Though the university’s psychology and counseling programs do not have specialty accreditation, many of its other programs do.
Featured Programs
California Baptist University Application Requirements
Undergrads applying to CBU will find that the application goes live in the middle of September every year. The priority application deadline is December 1, but the university will accept applications through the late spring and early summer. Undergrads will complete the application and write a short essay. This essay asks them to write up to five paragraphs on what the university will do for them. CBU asks students to write about any experiences they had in the past in this essay too. They will then pay a $45 application fee to process the form. Cal Baptist asks for an official ACT or SAT score and a transcript too.
Graduate students will also complete an application, which asks them to select which of the grad programs they want to study. There is a $45 processing fee attached to the application. Grad students must demonstrate English proficiency and have a bachelor’s degree. They can submit a transcript before finishing a degree, but the university asks for a final transcript later. CBU uses that transcript to see the grades that students received and their total course listings. Grad students will also write an essay and submit it with the application and provide contact information for three references. Some programs may ask for a resume, test score and/or a sample of research the student did as an undergrad.
Tuition and Financial Aid
CBU estimates that undergrads living on its campus will pay close to $43,000 a year. This includes a room and board cost of more than $9,000. Students pay around $31,700 a year for tuition and another $2,100 a year for miscellaneous fees. If a student does not have health insurance, the university asks that he or she pay for a plan that costs a little more than $900 a semester. Counseling psychology majors pay $680 per unit, while doctoral students pay $875 per unit. Post-graduate students are responsible for their own textbooks and other school supplies as well as university fees.
Incoming freshmen can apply for one of four scholarships available from the university. These scholarships award students between $7,500 and $13,500 a year. The amount that students get will depend on their test scores and high school grade point averages. CBU has two scholarships for transfer students that award them $7,500 to $9,500. These students must bring at least 24 credits with them and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Students who complete the FAFSA may qualify for a CBU grant that awards them up to $4,000 too based on their needs and merit. The FAFSA will also determine if students get any grants or loans. The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at California Baptist University provides information for students who want to know more about financial aid for psychology and counseling majors.
Related Resources:
- 5 Tips for Landing Your First Job after Earning a Psychology Degree
- Is an Online Psychology Degree Cheaper Than a Traditional One?
- Should One Expect to attend Graduate School with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology?
- What Can I Do With a Bachelors Degree in Psychology?
- What Can I Do with a Master’s Degree in Psychology?
- What Interests Would Lead One to Obtain an Online Degree in Psychology?
- What is the Future Job Outlook for Careers with an Online Degree in Psychology?
- What is the Future Outlook for Careers in Psychology?
