Six University Utah Degrees for Psychology and Counseling
The University of Utah appears in our ranking of the 50 Top Online Bachelor of Psychology Degree Programs.
Organized in 1970, the College of Social & Behavioral Science led by Dr. Cathleen Zick provides a 122-credit B.A./B.S. in Psychology online or face-to-face where University of Utah Utes can intern with the Hinckley Institute, join Psi Chi, add the Human Factors Certificate, and complete the Honors Track. Chaired by Dr. Jason Burrow-Sanchez, the M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling admits cohorts of 8-12 for a 60-credit, MPCAC-accredited licensure track at the St. George Graduate Center with 1,000 internship hours and a comprehensive exam. The M.Ed. in School Counseling follows a 48-credit, six-semester path outlined by Dr. Zac Imel for 100 percent K-12 school placement after ASCA-aligned evening courses like Psychometric Theory and 700 fieldwork hours.
At Sorenson Complex, the School of Education delivers a 73-credit, NASP-approved Ed.S. in School Psychology directed by Dr. Keith Radley with an optional Board Certified Behavior Analyst concentration for Utah post-grads to complete 1,500-hour internships, such as Bryant Middle or Meadowlark Elementary. Headed by Dr. Garth Fowler, the Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology currently immerses 27 Utes within a 68-credit, scientist-practitioner curriculum for 7000-level courses like Neuropsychological Bases of Behavior, 450 practicum hours, 2,000-hour internships, and doctoral dissertations. The Ph.D. in Psychology builds a 72-credit, APA-accredited plan overseen by Dr. Bert Uchino for concentrations in Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, or Cognition & Neural Science with 88 percent licensure success after qualifying exams and Statistical Consulting Lab research.
About the University of Utah
The University of Utah originated on February 28, 1850, when the General Assembly authorized legislation to create the University of Deseret as the first college west of the Missouri River. That November, Chancellor Orson Spencer welcomed the inaugural all-male class of 14. In 1853, it was closed due to poor funding. In 1867, it was reopened by David Orson Calder at the Salt Lake City Council House. In 1892, the University of Utah name was adopted. In 1900, UUtah relocated to its permanent campus on land acquired from Fort Douglas by President John Park. During the 1920s, UU started granting master’s degrees and running a medical school. In 1968, the University of Utah debuted its five-story J. Willard Marriott Library. By 2002, UU gained acclaim for housing the Salt Lake Games Olympic Village. In 2014, UUtah began an overseas branch in Incheon, South Korea.
Endowed for $1.08 billion, the University of Utah now employs 3,214 full-time faculty teaching 24,743 undergrad and 8,251 post-grad Utes from 130 countries online, on the 1,534-acre Salt Lake Valley campus, or at two regional centers with 600+ clubs like Movimento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan. In 2019, UUtah had the APA Division 7 Early Career Paper Award recipient. In 2016, UU received the Insight Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence Award. The University of Utah accepted a 2017 CASE District VII Award of Excellence too. The U.S. News & World Report ranked UUtah the 75th best psychology department and 64th top education school. On Niche, UU boasts America’s 108th best psychology courses, 69th best athletics, and 42nd top public education. The Wall Street Journal placed the University of Utah 189th overall. Forbes declared UU the 39th top value and 100th best research institution.
Featured Programs
University of Utah Accreditation Details
On March 26, 2018, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) began a three-day comprehensive evaluation visit at the University of Utah to reaffirm the Level VI accreditation status through 2028-29 under the 16th president, Dr. Ruth V. Watkins, who earned the Girl Scouts of Utah’s Girl Champion Award. Located 843 miles northwest via Interstate 84 in Redmond, Washington, this prized seven-state Pacific Coast Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to evaluate UU’s 192 degrees. Further, the College of Social & Behavioral Science has been approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA) since December 8, 1954. The Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) also accredited UUtah in 2018.
University of Utah Application Requirements
Enrollment at the University of Utah is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s since 14,818 of the 22,400 Fall 2018 applicants were chosen for competitive 66 percent acceptance. First-year Utes seeking the B.A./B.S. in Psychology must fulfill high school prerequisites or earn the GED equivalent. The Class of 2022 achieved a mean secondary GPA of 3.59. The middle 50th percentile had ACT scores of 21-27. Mid-range admitted SAT scores were 520-640 for reading and 530-660 for math. The Honors College requires cumulative GPAs of 3.5 or better. Incoming transfers with 30-60 accredited credits need GPAs above 2.6. Completing an Associate of Arts or Science with a 2.35 or higher average would qualify. The Department of Psychology requires four-year bachelor’s completion for graduate programs. Though 3.0 is the minimum, admitted Ph.D. students have a 3.71 average GPA. Median GRE scores are 165 verbal, 155 quantitative, and 5.0 analytical. Miller Analogies Test scores of 425 and greater are typically eligible.
The University of Utah has final undergraduate deadlines of April 1st for Fall, November 1st for Spring, and March 1st for Summer starts. The M.Ed. in School Counseling accepts applicants from July 1st to December 15th. M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling cohorts apply to the St. George Graduate Center until March 1st. The Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and Ed.S. in School Psychology close on December 15th. Other Ph.D. in Psychology candidates must file before December 1st. Accordingly, complete the UU or Common Application online for $55 ($65 if international). Forward official transcripts to 260 Central Campus Drive in Salt Lake City, UT 84112. Send test results via SAT/GRE code 4853, ACT code 4274, or MAT code 2204. Attach supplemental documents, such as the curriculum vitae or resume, one-page personal statement, 2-3 recommendations, graded writing sample, and teacher certification. Contact (800) 685-8856 or admissions@utah.edu with questions.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, the University of Utah is charging in-state B.A./B.S. in Psychology majors $8,952 annually. Non-resident bachelor’s tuition and fees are $28,788 each year. Mandatory student fees of $623 each semester are included. Living at the Salt Lake City campus’ dorms like Peterson Center adds $11,250 for yearly room and board. UU budgets $996 for books, $2,242 for miscellaneous, and $1,332 for transportation. Traditional annual undergrad attendance equals $24,772 in-state and $44,608 out-of-state. Online psychology majors spend $5,128 to $15,576 each semester. The Graduate School bills Utahans $3,912 and non-residents $12,347 per term full-time. Assistantship stipends cover up to $7,250 each Ph.D. semester.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid in Student Services Building Room 105 helps 85 percent of incoming UU Utes enroll with median assistance of $7,816 each for $22.79 million total. Psychology funds include the Danielle Vacca Scholarship, Barbara Christensen Memorial Scholarship, Caroleen Williams Scholarship, Cynthia & Robert Berg Scholarship, Dorothy Watkiss Scholarship, Herbert Gustafson Graduate Fellowship, Martin Harris Hiatt Fellowship, Phyllis Allen Jex Memorial Scholarship, Brian Campbell Research Scholarship, and Tiffany Bell Stock Memorial Fellowship. The President’s Scholarship gifts up to $35,000 annually for freshmen meeting the 3.60 GPA minimum. The $5,000 Transfer Utah Flagship Scholarship has a February 1st deadline for undergrads with 45-60 transferrable credits. Federal resources, such as the Pell Grant or Graduate Plus Loan, require FAFSA applications coded 003675. Utahans could also claim the Centennial Opportunity Grant, Utah Education Fund Grant, Horatio Alger Scholarship, Regents Scholarship, Tesoro Youth Leadership Scholarship, and more.
Continue reading about the University of Utah at the Department of Psychology website.