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Northwest University

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Five Psychology and Counseling Degrees at Northwest

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

In Millard Hall, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences led by Dr. Matt Nelson awards a 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Counseling, Cultural Psychology, Marriage and Family Studies, Organizational Psychology, or General tracks applying behavior theories in 180 practicum hours.

Online on Canvas, the B.A. in Psychology offers Northwest University adults 24/7 access to a custom 30-120 credit digital curriculum outlined by Dr. Robert Campbell for asynchronous courses like Neuropsychology.

Chaired by Dr. Brooke Lundquist, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling admits diverse 60-credit cohorts in Tuesday and Thursday night or online classes for Washington LPCC licensure after 600-hour internships, including Eastside Recovery, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and NUhope Counseling. The Master of Arts in International Community Development builds a 40-credit, two-year sequence online under Dr. Kim Lampson with a two-week Oxford trip and nonprofit practicum, such as Genesis Project or Jubilee Reach.

Exclusively in Kirkland, the Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology delivers a 119-credit, practitioner-scholar program headed by Dr. Leihua Edstrom with APA approval for advanced dissertations.

About Northwest University

Northwest University originated on October 1, 1934, when The District Presbytery selected Dr. Henry H. Hess to lead Northwest Bible Institute for the Assemblies of God USA Church. Instead of three-year diplomas, it started four-year bachelor’s degrees in 1948. In 1949, President Charles Butterfield renamed it the Northwest Bible College. Six years later, a Liberal Arts Division was added to expand beyond ministry. In 1959, Northwest opened its current 56-acre Kirkland campus designed by H.J. Secrist.

Featured Programs

Fully accredited since 1973, Northwest entered a 20-year training contract with the Seattle Seahawks in 1984. One decade later, it became the 87th member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). In August 2001, it was declared Northwest University as the first Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology began. Merged with Salem Bible College in 2008, it created the College of Adult & Professional Studies for online degrees in 2013.

Endowed for $9.25 million, Northwest now enrolls 1,733 Eagles from 16 countries for 78 percent retention with 20+ clubs like Hands to Outreach. Money magazine ranked Northwest University the 21st most valuable private school. On Niche, NU boasts America’s 74th best religious studies, 208th top location, and 303rd best psychology degrees.

Northwest University Accreditation Details

On June 25, 2014, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) filed a Summary of Commission Actions Report that listed reaffirming the Level VI accreditation successfully through 2024 under its sixth president, Dr. Joseph Castleberry, who published The New Pilgrims: How Immigrants are Renewing America’s Faith and Values. Located just eight miles east on Route 520 in Redmond, the significant seven-state Pacific Coast accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to continually review Northwest’s 31 baccalaureate, 11 master’s, and three doctoral degrees. Particularly, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences was accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Program Consultation on October 28, 2018. Note the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling isn’t accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) though.

Northwest University Application Requirements

Admission to the West’s 46th best college on the U.S. News & World Report is classified “selective” though 457 of the 469 Fall 2017 applicants were selected for 97 percent acceptance. First-year Eagles flying toward the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology must meet the required preparatory high school work. This includes four English, three Math, and three Social Studies units. Scoring 680 or better on the GED equivalent would be satisfactory. Emphasis is placed on students’ faith in Jesus Christ and vocational service. Freshmen generally score in the top 25th percentile. On average, undergrads hold a 3.41 GPA, 1116 SAT, and 22 ACT mark. Test exemptions are made for transfers with at least 20 semester or 30 quarter credits. The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences typically seeks graduate cohorts with a B.A./B.S. and a 3.0 average in the last 60 credits. Most Psy.D. entrants majored in psychology and have relevant service experience. Prerequisite courses include Personality, Developmental Theory, Abnormal Psychology, and Statistics. Scoring at least 150 on each GRE General Test section is preferred.

Northwest University set freshman deadlines of November 15th for Early Action I, January 15th for Early Action II, and February 15th for General. Bachelor of Arts in Psychology transfers could file until August 15th for Fall and December 15th for Spring. International students passing the 500 TOEFL benchmark only have until June 1st and November 1st respectively. Online M.A. programs for counselors offer convenient rolling admission. The Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology mandates a January 15th deadline yearly though. Accordingly, create an NU Portal account to submit the $30 online application. Registrar transcripts are sent to 5520 108th Avenue Northeast PO Box 579 in Kirkland, WA 98033. Official test reports are electronic with SAT/GRE code 4541 or ACT code 4466. Program checklist items include the I-20 form, three 300-word essay responses, three references, current résumé, and admission interview. Inquire further by contacting (800) 669-3781 or info@northwestu.edu.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, Northwest University is billing traditional Bachelor of Arts in Psychology majors $16,250 per term or $32,500 annually. Part-time study incurs $1,355 per credit. Summer Term tuition will fall to $445 per credit. Undergrads pay mandatory student fees of $460 per year. Living at the Kirkland campus’ dorms like Crowder Hall adds $9,000 every nine months. NU budgets $840 for books and $2,430 for unexpected expenses. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals about $43,440 on-site or $35,350 if commuting. The Online B.A. costs $445 per credit. Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling cohorts spend $771 per credit or $46,260 total. The Master of Arts in International Community Development charges $679 per credit or $27,160 overall. The Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology is $928 per credit or $110,432.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Student Financial Services Center in Barton Room 226 disburses $15.22 million combined for 92 percent of NU Eagles to soar with $17,623 each on average. University funds include the Provost Scholarship, Dean Scholarship, Faculty Scholarship, Bible Quiz Scholarship, College Bound Scholarship, Debate Scholarship, District Youth Directors Scholarship, Ministry Success Award, Athletic Scholarship, Transfer Academic Scholarship, and ROTC Scholarship. The President’s Scholar Program covers full tuition for five freshmen meeting 3.75 GPAs and 1300 SAT scores each year. The Department of Veteran Affairs will pay out-of-pocket tuition and fees for military members under the GI Bill. FAFSA applications coded 003783 will determine Federal Pell, SEOG, or Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant eligibility. Since 2018, student employment jobs have paid at least $11.50 per hour. The Washington State Need Grant has awarded up to $9,739 for local residents. The Seattle Foundation has a March 1st deadline for 40+ programs like the Nora Stone Smith Scholarship and Alden Landis Memorial Scholarship too.

Keep learning about Northwest University at the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences website.