Sam Houston State University Counseling & Psychology
Sam Houston State University appears in our ranking of the 50 Top Online Bachelor of Psychology Degree Programs.
Studying psychology and counseling at Sam Houston State University is possible at the undergraduate and graduate levels with programs offered in many formats that include on-campus and online study. Available degrees include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts in Psychology, and a Specialist Degree in School Psychology.
Additional programs include a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology, a Graduate Certificate in General Psychology, a Master of Arts in Counseling, and a Master of Education in School Counseling. Each of the counseling and psychology programs at Sam Houston State University has benefits for students who have different career goals.
For example, one student may want to become a counselor in a high school and will choose the school counseling degree. Another student may want to simply expand his or her expertise in psychology with the graduate certificate program. Students will learn about many of the core topics in psychology within the university’s programs with classes on developmental psychology, cognition, learning, neuropsychopharmacology, and physiology.
Students who have never attended college before will likely begin with the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree, which is available on-campus or online at SHSU. Students will need to attend some classes on campus even if they choose the online option. Careers available to graduates include those in law enforcement, mental health services, higher education administration, and case management.
Prospective applicants to SHSU who already have a bachelor’s degree can take a look at the Master of Arts in Psychology option, which is available as an on-campus degree program. Students can complete the program with or without a thesis and may also concentrate in many related fields like business or criminal justice. The degree requires that students complete a total of 36 credit hours.
Those who would like to become skilled clinicians of psychology may consider the Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology. Students who are accepted into the program work with a mentor during their time at the university. Enrollees will also receive significant coursework on forensics, which many allow graduates to act as experts in court settings. The program requires that students complete 108 credit hours, and the program begins each fall.
About Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University opened its doors in 1879 as the Sam Houston Normal Institute and would operate for several years as a public school in Huntsville, Texas until it became an official teachers college in 1923. The modern version of the university would arrive in 1965 when it was renamed Sam Houston State College. The university’s motto is “The measure of a life is its Service,” and there are around 21,000 students attending the university.
Featured Programs
In Huntsville, the campus covers a total of 272 acres, and the university’s official colors are orange, white, and blue. The university is distinctive as it was the first institution labeled a Doctoral Research University within the Texas State University system by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. Sports are played in NCAA Division I games in the Southland Conference. Teams are nicknamed the Bearkats.
Sam Houston State University Accreditation Details
Sam Houston State University is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which allows the institution to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Students can also transfer their degrees to and from other accredited institutions, as well as participate in the federal government’s student loan program when they earn a degree from an accredited institution like SHSU.
Additional approvals for various schools, colleges, and programs within the university have been earned over the course of the university’s long history. Accreditations include approval from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for the programs offered by the College of Business Administration, as well as from the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission for the graduate degree in forensic science.
Sam Houston State University Application Requirements
Admission standards for students interested in attending Sam Houston State University must meet the standards of the State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy. Those requirements include having completed a high school program that includes recommended college preparatory classes, earning a high school diploma or an equivalent, and meeting the minimum scores on the SAT or ACT.
Applicants must earn a 1500 out of 2400 on the verbal, math, and writing portion of the SAT, or earn between an 18 and a 24 on the ACT’s various subject tests. Documents required during the application process include the Apply Texas Application, standardized tests score reports, and official high school transcripts. Students who are in the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class are exempt from having to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate students who are Texas residents will pay $5,241.50 for an average course load of 15 semester hours. Books and supplies are estimated at $500 and a place in a residence hall ranges from $2,112 to $3,292. A meal plan ranges from $1,955 to $2,080, and the overall approximate cost comes to $10,517.50 per semester.
Undergraduate students who are from outside the State of Texas will pay $11,571.50 for their tuition and will pay the same as Texas residents for other costs. Graduate students who reside in Texas and enroll in nine credits for the semester will pay $4,007.75 in tuition and fees and may also need to buy a parking pass for $198.00 each year. Graduate students who aren’t Texas residents will pay $7,742.75 for the semester in tuition and fees.
Students who want to qualify for financial and scholarships from Sam Houston State University will first fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid and will access their financial aid award information online through the university’s My Sam account access program. Some students may need to take further steps beyond the FAFSA to complete their financial aid application. Additional forms required may include tax returns or transcripts.
Applicants will work with the scholarship team from the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office to apply for institutional and outside scholarships and may need to submit additional scholarship forms to qualify. Students at Sam Houston State University may receive scholarships based on academic achievement or merit.