Southwestern College

Southwestern College Counseling & Psychology Degrees

Southwestern College appears in our ranking of the 50 Top Online Bachelor of Psychology Degree Programs.

Counseling and psychology degree options at Southwestern College include an Associate in Arts in Psychology for Transfer Degree and an Associate in Arts in Psychology. Students with career goals that include a four-year degree will want to consider the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program in psychology at the college. Students commonly transfer to universities after earning associate’s degrees at Southwestern College.

Programs in psychology are offered by the School of Arts, Communication & Social Sciences. Classes that students will take in the psychology major for transfer students include General Psychology, Elementary Statistics, Introduction to Physiological Psychology, and Principles of Biology. Students will choose to take Statistical Methods of Psychology or Statistical Methods of Sociology.

Other classes include Developmental Psychology and Academic and Career Options in Psychology. The college allows students to take electives in an area of their personal interest. Elective options include Human Sexuality, Abnormal Psychology, The Psychology of Death and Dying, or Introduction to Social Psychology. The curriculum requirements of the ADT in Psychology program are designed to introduce students to the basics of psychology before transfer to a university.

Applicants who would prefer to earn their associate’s degree and enter the workforce directly after completing the program will enroll in the traditional Associate in Arts in Psychology program. Some of the courses in the traditional degree include Women and Gender in World Culture, Principles of Biology, and General Psychology. The program requires that students complete a variety of liberal arts classes in addition to the psychology requirements.

General classes include American Civilization, Introduction to Art, College Composition, and Oral Communication. Students enrolled in full-time study will take at least 15 credits each semester. Students who enroll in psychology degrees at Southwestern College may qualify for financial aid, as well as use education benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA).

After receiving an associate’s degree in psychology, students may want to pursue a bachelor’s degree and eventually enter a master’s degree program. Many careers in counseling and psychology require a graduate degree or advanced collegiate study.

Some of the jobs a student may seek after studying psychology include research assistant, outreach worker, marriage counselor, behavior analyst, or mental health worker. Students interested in becoming a licensed psychologist may need to obtain a doctoral degree, which means their time at Southwestern College will be just the beginning of several years of college study.

About Southwestern College

Southwestern College is a community college located in Chula Vista, California, that was founded in 1961. The suburban campus covers 156 acres, and around 19,000 students attend the school each year. The college is part of the statewide community college system that has more than 70 campuses around California. Students commonly come from nearby areas like Coronado, San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City.

There are 15 athletic teams that play at the college, and the school’s official mascot is the Jaguar. The official colors are maroon and gold. The college was initially situated in a local high school in 1961 and would move to a newly built campus by 1964. Students who attend classes at Southwestern College may enter the workforce immediately upon graduating with an associate’s degree or continue their studies at a four-year university.

Southwestern College Accreditation Details

Southwestern College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Accreditation ensures students can enroll in high-quality educational programs that meet standardized levels of quality. The college was first accredited in 1961 and is recognized as a degree-granting institution by the United States Department of Education.

Areas of focus during the most recent accreditation cycle include bolstering the offerings of the college’s distance education services and enhancing the inclusivity, diversity, and civility of the college environment. The college is also considered a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is a College Board Member.

Southwestern College Application Requirements

Qualifying for admission to Southwestern College includes being at least 18-years-old on the first day of classes or having graduated from a United States high school. Students may enroll as concurrent students while still in high school, but all students who are less than 18-years-old must provide proof of their high school graduation. Students must submit an application and complete the application process before registering for classes.

Students who have been homeschooled must be in a program affiliated with a County Department of Education program, have a private school affidavit available, or have a teacher who is credentialed in the State of California. The minimum grade point average for all high school graduates who want to attend Southwestern College is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. There are some programs that require special applications like the nursing, surgical technology, and central services technician training programs.

Tuition and Financial Aid

All students who take classes at Southwestern College will pay an enrollment fee of $46 per unit. Non-residents of California will pay an additional $265 in non-resident tuition fees. Students who require a parking pass will pay $40 for a car or $20 for a motorcycle. The college also has parking meters available and reduced parking fees for Board of Governors Fee Waiver recipients. Students should submit a BOG Waiver if their household income qualifies for participation.

Students who enroll in classes may need to pay a health fee of $17 to $21 per term but may apply for a waiver under certain circumstances. Students will also pay a fee of $2 for accident insurance unless they are only enrolled in off-campus classes or travel study classes. Students will pay $1 per unit for the student center fee and $8 per semester for a student activities sticker.

Southwestern College makes more than $220,000 available each year for institutional scholarships, and students may apply for these funds online. Students will submit a FAFSA form to qualify for financial aid and may also want to submit a CA Dream Act application. Students may need to submit additional documentation during the financial aid application process.

Types of financial aid students may qualify for include loans, grants, scholarships, and student employment. There are also short term emergency loans, assistance for students in unexpected financial emergencies, and textbook buying assistance funds. Grants a student may receive when enrolled for classes at Southwestern College include Pell Grants, California College Promise Grants, CalGrants, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.