Fort Hays State University

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Studying Psychology at FHSU

Fort Hays State University appears in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable School Psychology Online Degree Programs.

At Fort Hays State University, students may study Psychology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. They may pursue bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and certificates. The two available bachelor’s are the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Although the school recommends that students planning on going on to graduate school should pursue the Bachelor of Science, they may do so after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree as well.

The chief difference between the two is that Bachelor of Arts students must take 10 credits worth of a foreign language and take a 20-credit course of study chosen by the Psychology faculty in the student’s professed area of interest. The foreign languages offered are Chinese, which is online-only, German, French, and Spanish. Instead of the foreign language component, Bachelor of Science students must take a 20-credit course of study in either science, mathematics, or a combination of both.

In addition to the required blocks and major courses, students must complete 55 credit hours worth of core curriculum. The total number of credits for any of the undergraduate degrees in Psychology is 124. Classes include Introduction to Cognitive Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, and Testing and Psychological Measurement.

Graduate students can earn one of three master’s degrees at Fort Hays State University: Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, Master of Science in Experimental Psychology, and Master of Science in School Psychology. They may also earn a certificate as an Educational Specialist in School Psychology.

Other certificates available include Case Management and Behavioral Health. Certificates generally require between eight and 12 credit hours and can be taken in conjunction with bachelor’s or master’s degree programs.

Students wishing to study online can choose all but two of the available psychology programs. The two not included are the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and the Master of Science in Experimental Psychology.

About Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays was a former army post that had been abandoned in 1887. In 1902, the first students began their studies at a cost of just $5! The school’s founder wanted to keep it at the former post site, but the citizens of Hays wanted it closer to the town. So, they moved it, and it reopened in 1904.

The school was founded as a normal school, and it has undergone several name changes over the years until becoming Fort Hays State University in 1977. The tuition isn’t just $5 anymore, but Fort Hays State University has one of the lowest tuition costs in the state.

According to U.S. News and World Report, the school ranks No. 128 in the Midwest Region. The school’s online programs all rank in the top 50 in several categories, including online graduate education programs for veterans, online bachelor’s programs, and online graduate nursing programs. The school accepts about nine in 10 students who apply.

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Fort Hays State University Accreditation Details

The school’s regional accreditation comes from The Higher Learning Commission. Various departments at the university have also earned their own academic accreditation from separate organizations. They include the:

  • American Chemical Society
  • Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering
  • Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
  • Council on Social Work Education
  • Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
  • Kansas State Board of Education
  • Kansas State Board of Nursing
  • National Association of Schools of Music
  • National Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation
  • United States Department of Homeland Security and National Security Administration

Fort Hays State University Application Requirements

Students must have the standard slate of high-school courses completed when they graduate. Also, Kansas residents must either have a 2.0 GPA in their high-school curriculum and have either a 21 or better on the ACT or a 1080 or better on the SAT or be in the top one-third of their graduating class. The same rules apply to nonresidents, only they must have a GPA of 2.5 instead of 2.0. Of course, students must also submit their full high-school transcript and include all schools attended. These must be official transcripts.

Graduate students must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a foreign equivalent. They must submit transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended. As is usual with graduate school admission at many institutions, each department has its own rules regarding letters of reference, personal statements and other essays, and entrance examination requirements. Students should peruse the website to find out all the relevant information they need.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Fort Hays State University charges tuition by the credit hour. In-state undergraduate residents pay $175.80 per credit hour, and out-of-state students pay $511.43. Fort Hays State University has reciprocal agreements with states that border Kansas, including Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Students from these states pay $242.43.

Graduate tuition is $241.71 for in-state students and $609.77 for out-of-state students. Online students pay $218.67 for undergraduate and $287.75 for graduate tuition. All of these costs, both graduate and undergraduate, are per semester.

All students in their first two years must have a meal plan. Juniors and seniors may select to have no meal plan at all and pay far less for room and board. With a full meal plan and a double-occupancy room, it will cost students between $7,000 and $8,000, roughly, per year.

All financial aid transactions go through the Office of Financial Aid immediately after the student completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The government will use the FAFSA to figure out how much aid a student is entitled to while enrolled at Fort Hays State University and then distribute that money accordingly. Students may apply for private aid in addition to the need-based aid the FAFSA provides.

Fort Hays State University provides Kansas students with a great opportunity to earn a degree in Psychology either online, in the classroom, or as a hybrid effort.

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