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DeSales University

desales-universityCounseling and Psychology Programs at DeSales University

DeSales University appears in our ranking of the 50 Top Online Bachelor of Psychology Degree Programs.

To prepare students for working in the social sciences field, DeSales University offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology with multiple concentrations or emphasis areas. Students have full access to the Psychology and Criminal Justice Digital Lab, which lets them conduct research projects and learn about the current forensic and digital tools available. Through the Career Development Center, students can get help writing their resumes and applying for jobs and internships related to psychology. The university also has a Psychology Club and a branch of Psi Chi, which is the international honors society for psychology majors. Psychology majors can study abroad too.

In the general psychology track, students take Introduction to Psychology and other basic courses. Majors can choose from concentrations in experimental and research psychology, forensic psychology and clinical or counseling psychology. The university also offers a certification program that allows students to take psychology courses and also get a certificate to teach social sciences. Students take different courses depending on their concentrations. While the clinical track includes Counseling Psychology, the forensic psychology track includes Crime and Society and Dangerous Minds: The Psychology of Antisocial Behavior.

Psychology majors must also complete the psychology core, which is worth 30 credits. Those courses include Human Development, Introduction to Psychology, Research and Design, Introduction to Computer Applications and Cognitive Psychology. DeSales University now offers an accelerated psychology major too, which includes concentrations in experimental and research psychology, forensic psychology and clinical and counseling psychology. This program allows students to earn a psychology degree in two years.

The only graduate program in this field offered by DeSales University is in psychiatric mental health work for nurse practitioners. Students take three core classes: Applied Research; Health Informatics, Quality and Safety; and Health Policy, Organization, and Financing. They will then take three advanced nursing classes and three psychiatric nursing courses, including Evaluation and Treatment in Psychiatry, Role Development with Special Populations in Psychiatry and Assessment and Diagnosis in Psychiatry. They also need to complete at least 675 hours of practicum work and 75 hours of clinical lab work, which the university lets students do in the on-campus simulation lab.

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About DeSales University

DeSales University is a private university affiliated with the Catholic Church through the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. Located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, the university dates back to 1964 when the Oblates began planning for a new college. It received a charter in 1962 and authorization from the state to offer bachelor’s degrees two years later. Known as Allentown College during its early years, it only accepted men before becoming coeducational in 1970. By the end of the decade, the college had launched a program for adult students that made it easier for them to attend college. This led to the college adding new graduate degree programs and eventually gaining university accreditation. US News and World Report ranks DeSales University as one of the best schools in the northern region and as one of the region’s most affordable universities.

DeSales University Accreditation Details

Students in need of financial aid can apply for an aid package with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) because DeSales University has regional accreditation. It obtained that accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and took steps to renew that accreditation every decade. This is the same accreditation that allows DeSales to accept transfer students and their credits. The physical therapy and nursing programs are some of those offered by the university that has specialty accreditation.

DeSales University Application Requirements

DeSales looks for students who prepared in high school for college, including both the grades they received and the classes they took as well as their grade histories. The deadline for undergrads is December first, which is the same deadline for the university’s scholarships. Undergrads need to submit an ACT or SAT score, high school transcript and two letters of recommendation. The university asks for one recommendation form completed by the student’s high school guidance counselor and one from a former or current teacher. Students should also take two years of foreign language and science classes, three years of math courses and four years of English classes.

To enroll in the university’s psychiatric program, students must have a bachelor’s degree from a college or university that has accreditation from one of the top two nursing accrediting agencies. They need either a valid nursing license in Pennsylvania or New Jersey before the program begins. Students should have a minimum of 12 months of nursing experience within the last three years. DeSales will accept a graduate school application or a Nursing CAS application and pay a $50 application fee. Other requirements include official paper or electronic transcripts, a current resume, a copy of the student’s nursing license and two letters of recommendation from a former/current instructor and a personal reference. DeSales also asks for a personal statement of 500 to 750 words and a GRE or MAT score if the student has a grade point average of less than 3.0.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The cost of attendance for undergrads at DeSales University includes the $37,200 that they spend on tuition each year. This does not include the fees of $1,500 that are due each year or the room and board costs that students pay to live on-campus. Students pay an average of $13,000 every year for a meal plan and a dorm room. Most students pay $1,500 every year for their textbooks too. Graduate students in the psychiatric nursing program pay $855 per credit hour and a $250 fee when they take lab courses.

Students can get help through the Office of Admissions when it comes to getting financial aid. Counselors can help students see what they need to qualify for aid and how to complete the FAFSA. DeSales encourages students to submit the FAFSA by the beginning of December to qualify for any of its scholarships. Six scholarships go to students with leadership experience and cover the full cost of attendance. Students can receive other types of scholarships that they can use with their other aid, which might include subsidized loans, federal grants, and work-study. DeSales University offers financial aid packages for any student with an interest in its counseling and psychology degree programs.