Counseling and Psychology Programs at SAGU
Southwestern Assemblies of God University offers more options for counseling and psychology majors than almost any other Christian college in the United States today. It offers an Associate of Science in Addictions Counseling for those who want to work with drug addicts. There is also an Associate of Science in Psychology program designed for those who want to learn more about the social sciences before working on a bachelor’s degree.
The university offers a bachelor’s in psychology program that functions as a pre-professional program. Designed for students who will work in a professional field within the social sciences, it features small classes and opportunities for students to work one on one with their professors. There is also a bachelor’s in counseling pre-professional program that can help students study the same advanced topics they would look at in graduate school. This program allows students to learn about counseling adults and children, intervening during crisis situations and developmental psychology as a whole.
Some students may want to enroll in one of the university’s human services degree programs. Designed for those who want to work in government and nonprofit agencies and organizations, these programs allow students to study general human services topics or to specialize their degrees in social work, criminal justice, counseling or psychology. All of the psychology and counseling programs for undergrads are available on the university’s campus and through its online system.
Graduate students can enroll in one of the three counseling programs offered by the Southwestern Assemblies of God University. It offers a master’s in clinical psychology that includes practical work and courses that train students on the issues they will encounter when working with their own patients. The university’s clinical mental health counseling program is another clinical option that includes some fieldwork. Students can specialize their degrees and learn more about working with patients and their families or with individuals in different settings.
The university also has a degree program in human services counseling that does not require any fieldwork. This program is best for students who want to work in nonprofit organizations or government agencies. They will learn how to work with patients in an office setting and how to meet their needs without doing any actual counseling. A Master of Education in School Counseling is available for students who want to become licensed school counselors in Texas.
Featured Programs
About Southwestern Assemblies of God University
The Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a small Christian university in Texas with an enrollment of more than 2,000 students. Though the university lists its establishment date as 1927, this was actually when a new school opened in the area. Called the Southwestern Bible School, it opened in Oklahoma and offered several different religious programs. The Shield of Faith Bible Institute opened in Texas a few years later, followed by the Southern Bible College. These three schools would each operate independently before merging in the 1950s to create Southwestern Bible College. The school would use that name until becoming Southwestern Assemblies of God University near the end of the 1990s.
As one of the main religious colleges in southwestern Texas, the university is home to two separate colleges. One of those colleges offers religious studies programs, while the other college is responsible for its professional and other programs. Students can now enroll in more than 60 different undergrad and graduate degree programs. Some of those programs are also available from SAGU online.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University Accreditation Details
SAGU is one of the only Christian colleges in Texas that has both regional and religious accreditation. Its religious accreditation comes from the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and lets students know that the university will allow them to practice and show their faith. SAGU also has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which allows students to attend a religious institution and still get government aid money.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University Application Requirements
SAGU looks for students who have strong religious beliefs and those who are capable of taking university courses. Undergrads hoping to attend the university must complete several steps, including filling out the SAGU application and paying the application fee. They will also submit transcripts from their high schools and any colleges they earned credits from before supplying an official test score. SAGU requires that incoming freshmen score at least 980 on the new SAT or 19 or higher on the ACT. Undergrads must also submit a character reference from someone who can speak to their moral character.
Graduate students must have a bachelor’s degree in a field relating to the one they hope to study at SAGU. The university asks for an official transcript because it wants to make sure that the student not only has a bachelor’s degree, but that the applicant maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in college. All its psychology and counseling programs ask for an official GRE score too. Students should also provide SAGU with several references, including character, professional and academic references. They will also write and submit an essay based on the topic listed in the application.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Though SAGU is a private Christian university, it believes that it is more affordable than similar schools are. Undergrads can take 12 to 15 credits on its Texas campus and pay a little less than $10,000 a semester. Students enrolled in online classes pay a lower tuition rate of $575 per credit hour. Graduate students pay $585 per credit hour, whether they take online classes or classes on campus. Students also face fees of $480 per semester.
SAGU awards millions of dollars to undergrads and graduate students in institutional aid every year. Undergrads can apply for one of more than 20 different programs to get free money for the coming school year. The university offers scholarships for the children of alumni and has grants for the children of ministers and missionaries. It also offers 10 scholarships and grants for graduate students, including academic scholarships that award grad students with up to $1,000 a semester and a grant that goes to students who are licensed educators. Students working on any of the SAGU degrees available from the Southwestern Assemblies of God University can apply for federal student aid also.