Counseling and Psychology Programs at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology appears in our ranking of the 5 Best Online Doctorate in Educational Psychology.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers more course and psychology degree programs than almost any other college in the country. Most of these are professional programs designed for students who already have at least two years of psychology or counseling experience and a degree in a related field. While some programs ask students to study on one of its campuses such as those in Chicago or Los Angeles, others allow students to do all their work online or do just a small amount of work offline.
One of those programs is a Master of Arts (MA) in Forensic Psychology. Designed for those with an interest in forensics and criminal justice, this is a full-time program that takes three years to finish. Those in the licensure version of the program develop the skills and gain the knowledge to get a license that allows them to work with criminals and victims. This is also available as a non-license program that takes two years for full-time students to complete and four years for part-time students to finish. The forensic psychology program includes courses such as Trauma and Crisis Intervention, Social Psychology and Aggression and Ethics and Professional Issues in Forensic Psychology.
Students who already have a graduate degree can work on a doctoral degree through the school. It offers doctoral programs in international psychology with concentrations in organizations and systems and trauma services. Students in the business psychology program can pick a concentration in industrial and organizational psychology or consulting. A Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis is also available. The school allows students to earn a graduate degree in three years and then complete the requirements for a doctoral degree in two additional years.
Other online psychology degree programs at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology include a Master of Science (MS) in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Concepts and Principles in Applied Behavior Analysis, Professional Ethics and Issues, and Observation and Measurement are a few of the required courses in the ABA program. Students will spend several semesters working on a final research project that they present in lieu of a thesis. The school also offers an Ed.D. in Educational Psychology and Technology that students can complete online.
About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is a small school system that offers graduate programs in psychology and related fields. Usually called The Chicago School, it opened as the result of a group of psychologists working in Chicago during the 1970s. They believed there was a need for a professional school that could offer doctoral and graduate programs for working students. The group began working on the plans for the school in 1977 and saw it open two years later. It would move one year later into the historic Fine Arts Building, which gave it more room to expand. Citing the needs of students outside of Illinois, the school opened a second campus in Los Angeles. The success and popularity of that campus led to the school establishing new campuses in Texas, Washington DC and other parts of California. The Chicago School now offers online graduate and doctoral programs for psychologists and similar professionals.
Featured Programs
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Accreditation Details
Some of the psychology programs offered by The Chicago School have accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA). APA accreditation covers both the practicums and internships that students do as well as all the classes they take. The school also has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), which means that students can transfer credits into The Chicago School and apply for financial aid.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Application Requirements
Like other schools today, The Chicago School has an online application with an account creation feature that lets students fill out their applications with an internet connection. The account creation feature gives students the chance to go over that application several times before they submit it and to make sure that they filled out each section. This application has a $50 fee that students must pay too. The main requirement for psychology and counseling students is a recent resume. This resume should show that the student has a bachelor’s degree in a social sciences field and that he or she has at least two years of field experience beyond the college level.
An essay of between 500 and 750 words is also due. This essay should explain why the student wants to study one field and any experience he or she has in that area, what diversity means to the applicant and the professional goals that the student has. The school recommends that students write about how their studies will help them achieve those goals. Though the school does require official transcripts, it gives students the option of sending a valid GRE score too. That score can compensate for a lower grade point average or less experience.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The Chicago School charges different tuition rates for each program and for programs that are available online. All its Master of Arts and Master of Science programs charge $1,164 per credit hour. This rate is the same for online students as traditional students. Its educational and psychology doctoral programs charge $1,449 per credit hour. Students enrolled in one of these programs on the school’s New Orleans campus will pay $1,303 per credit hour.
Any student who meets the basic requirements for enrollment at The Chicago School will also qualify for financial aid. The school has a commitment to its students and promises that it will help them afford their educational costs. New students will receive a pricing sheet that shows them all the fees and tuition they need to pay. They can apply for jobs and work for the school, but they can also use the FAFSA to get financial aid. This is how students receive government loans. Private loans come from other lenders but usually have steep interest rates and extensive repayment terms. Traditional students can apply for grants and fellowships, and all students may qualify for one of the 10 scholarship programs offered by the school. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology can help students in any of its graduate counseling and psychology programs afford their educational costs.
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