Loyola University Chicago

Loyola University Psychology and Counseling Degrees

Loyola University appears in our ranking of the 20 Best Master’s in Pastoral Counseling Online Degree Programs.

Loyola University Chicago offers a Bachelor of Science in Psychology that provides students with a broad understanding of psychology and provides them with opportunities to learn how psychology can be used to solve individual and social problems. Students are able to concentrate their studies through other disciplines as well. Students learn how to use scientific knowledge to make reasonable and ethical judgments that promote the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and society. They are able to design, conduct and communicate the results of research related to psychology. Courses required for the program include:

• Abnormal Psychology
• Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Body Image – Lab
• Cognitive Psychology
• Community Psychology*
• Counseling I*
• Developmental Psychology
• Developmental Psychology – Lab
• Experimental Psychology-Sensation & Perception – Lab
• Experimental Psychology-Cognition – Lab
• Gender & Sex Differences*
• Health Psychology*
• Industrial/Organizational Childhood*
• Infancy and Early Childhood*
• Introduction to Neuroscience
• Judgment and Decision-Making
• Learning and Behavior
• Neuroscience I – Lab
• Philosophy of Mind
• Psychobiology – Lab
• Psychology-Biology of Perception
• Psychology & Law*
• Psychology of Addiction*
• Psychology of Adolescence*
• Psychology of Human Sexuality*
• Psychology of Language
• Psychology of Personality
• Psychology of Political Behavior*
• Psychology of Religion*
• Psychology of Women*
• Psychopathology of Childhood*
• Social Psychology
• Social Psychology – Lab
• Test & Measures – Lab

*Electives

Students must also complete an internship and psychology as well as conduct independent research.

Terminal Masters in Applied Social Psychology

The terminal Master of Arts in Applied Social Psychology is designed to prepare students to become research specialists. Students work under the direction of a supervisor with a doctorate degree in government agencies, market research firms, personnel departments and other industries that need detailed research into social psychology. Students are required to complete a thesis for the program. Courses required include:

• Applied Social Psychology
• Research Methods
• Social Psychology Theory
• Statistics

In addition to the core courses, students must choose at least two Advanced Methods Courses. They must also choose at least one course from Applied Topics Courses and Basic Social Psychology courses. One elective must also be completed.

MA in Pastoral Counseling

The online Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling can be completed full time or part-time.  A highlight of this program is the myriad internship sites available to prepare practitioners for service to their clients.

Applied Social Psychology Ph.D. Program

Students in the Applied Social Psychology doctorate program at Loyola University Chicago are able to explain how classic and contemporary social psychology theory and research applies to behavior in humans as well as how to conduct a literature review. Students are able to evaluate research presented in social psychology journals as well as how to synthesize basic and advanced research into scholarly work. Courses required for the Ph.D. program may include:

• Applied Social Psychology
• Attitudes
• Cognitive Development
• Cognitive Social
• Consumer Psychology
• Criminal Justice
• Group Dynamics
• Information Processing
• Methods of Program Evaluation
• Multivariate Analysis
• Neuropsychology
• Organizational
• Personality
• Political Cognition
• Prejudice and Intergroup Relations
• Psychopathology
• Research Methods in Social Psychology
• Social Development
• Social Psychology Theory
• Statistics
• Structural Equation Modeling
• Survey Research Methods
• The Self

Students must also complete seven electives courses. Students must complete an internship of at least 1000 hours of research or by teaching four courses. A comprehensive examination is also required. Students must research, present and defend a dissertation.

About Loyola University Chicago

Father Arnold Damen, S.J. founded Saint Ignatius College in 1870 and, in 1908, the law school was established. The school was renamed Loyola University in 1909, the same year the medical school was created. Initially, classes were held at 1076 West Roosevelt Road but, in 1912, the school began a 10-year process to relocate the school to its Lake Shore Campus in Rogers Park. The school established a downtown campus in the Loop in 1914. That same year, the School of Sociology was founded by Father Frederic Siedenburg, S.J. at the downtown campus.

The business school opened in 1922 and, in 1923, the Chicago College of Dental Surgery merged with Loyola. In 1927, Loyola’s downtown campus moved to another location in the same neighborhood but eventually moved to the Near North Side in 1946.

Women were permitted to attend Loyola but only on the downtown campus. In 1966, they were given access to all programs at the University. In 1969, the medical and dental schools moved to Maywood and that campus is now known as the Loyola University Medical Center. The following year, Loyola officially separated from the Society of Jesus, coming under the control of a board of trustees made up of lay people. However, the curriculum offered at the school is still based on Jesuit beliefs.

Today, there are over 17,000 students enrolled at Loyola and 93 percent of the faculty hold the highest degree in their field. Three months after graduation, 98 percent of students have a job in their field or are enrolled in graduate school.

Loyola University Chicago Accreditation Details

Loyola University Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been since 1921. The Commission evaluates the University on its effectiveness in fulfilling its educational mission based on criteria they have set. The Commission reviews governance, student services, financial stability, and other factors to confirm that students are receiving a high-quality education. Programs throughout the University are also accredited by the following organizations:

• American Bar Association
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Council on Social Work Education
• Liaison Committee on Medical Education
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Loyola University Chicago Application Requirements

Freshmen, students who have not earned college credit after graduating from high school, must complete an application and send official high school transcripts. They must also provide official ACT or SAT scores and a letter of recommendation. Although not required, it is recommended that students send a resume of achievements and extracurricular activities as well as an essay on a subject of their choice.

Students who have earned college credit after high school graduation may enter Loyola University Chicago as transfer students. They must submit an application as well as transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Students who have earned less than 12 credits must also provide official high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores. Some programs have additional requirements for the admission of transfer students so it is recommended that they contact an admissions counselor before applying.

Graduate students must complete an application form and provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. One must show that the student has earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Students must also provide three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and GRE or GMAT test scores.

Loyola University Chicago Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition at Loyola University Chicago varies depending on the program the student wishes to enter. For the School of Arts and Sciences which houses the Psychology Department, full-time tuition is $21,360 for undergraduate studies. Part-time undergraduate tuition is $788 per credit hour. Tuition for the Psychology master’s degrees is $1,033 per credit hour and for the doctorate program is $1,350.

Financial aid is available and students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify. Aid may be offered in the form of scholarships, grants or loans. Students who attend on campus may be offered work-study programs.

Loyola University Chicago offers several psychology programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Although the full degree programs are not offered online, some classes may be available in an online format that makes it easier for working adults to achieve higher education goals.