Studying Counseling and Psychology at GCU
Grand Canyon University appears in our ranking of the 20 Best Master’s in Pastoral Counseling Online Degree Programs.
Grand Canyon University offers a rich array of degree programs through nine colleges that include business, nursing, science, engineering, education, fine arts, and theology. Their Humanities and Social Science College offers excellent on-campus and online degrees in psychology and counseling at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The counseling degree is recommended for those who want to work one-on-one with clients or with groups. The psychology degree is recommended for those who want job flexibility that leads to different career paths.
The Bachelor of Science in Counseling is for those who want to help clients overcome problems. This degree comes with a specialization in Addiction, Chemical Dependency, and Substance Abuse which is designed to help graduates serve clients, facilitate treatment, implement crisis intervention and understand substance use disorders. Completion of this degree in counseling qualifies most students to pursue some type of licensure, but this depends on the student’s state certifying board.
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree helps prepare graduates for a variety of job opportunities through understanding human behavior, cognitive processes, cultural factors and social environments. The Bachelor of Science in Psychology coursework is based on the educational objectives established by the American Psychological Association (APA). There is a degree emphasis available in Performance and Sport Psychology that is perfect for those who want to become trainers, coaches, educators and health care professionals in the athletic world.
The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program is for students who want to become independent, licensed counselors. This degree gives students the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to professionally guide clients who are struggling with a variety of social, behavioral and emotional challenges. Graduates are taught ethical standards, professional guidelines, research findings, intervention methods, theoretical foundations and counselor-client relationship models.
There are online bachelor’s degrees available in Sociology and Behavioral Health Science. There are many graduate certificates in psychology and counseling available. This includes a graduate certificate in health, forensic, gerontology, life coaching, human factors and industrial and organizational psychology. There are online and on-campus Master of Science degrees in Trauma, Mental Health Counseling available with specializations in Christian Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy and Childhood and Adolescence Disorders.
About Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is a Christian university located in Arizona. They are private, non-profit and one of the largest Christian universities in the world. Grand Canyon University was established in 1949, but they have become an active academic center in Phoenix campus for students and the community. Grand Canyon University is a member of NCAA Division I. Their sports teams are members of the Western Athletic Conference. They have about 20,500 on-campus and 70,000 online students for a total of about 90,500 students.
Featured Programs
The university offers about 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees through nine diverse colleges. These include the Colleges of Education, Business, Fine Arts and Production, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nursing and Health Care Professions and Science, Engineering, and Technology.
Grand Canyon University recently was sold and privatized, but it changed back to non-profit in 2018. The university has invested millions of dollars to improve academic quality, campus infrastructure, and student experiences. This has resulted in better labs, libraries, classrooms, residence halls, residence halls, and student support centers. The university spent over $150 million dollars in 2006 on campus enhancements.
For example, there is a new soccer stadium as well as new facilities for tennis, baseball, softball, and volleyball team members. There is also a new engineering building for STEM majors and new on-campus apartment residences. The university has also revamped their online degree program in order to meet the growing needs of non-traditional, working adults around the country and the world.
Grand Canyon University Accreditation Details
Grand Canyon University’s accreditation is through The Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Grand Canyon University Application Requirements
Grand Canyon University maintains an acceptance rate over 40 percent. The typical incoming freshman will have a 3.5 GPA. The minimum age for admission consideration is 16 years old. Admissions counselors look for applications who have impressive interests, diverse perspectives, progressive growth and enthusiasm for learning. High school graduates must have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 with a qualifying standard ACT score of 19 or SAT score of 1380.
The university integrates positive and uplifting concepts from the Christian faith into campus policies and life, but there are no religious requirements for prospective students. Unless of course, the student is a Christian theology major. There are additional admission requirements that vary based on the academic level, degree program and learning platform.
Graduate applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college with at least a 2.8 GPA. Those who do not meet this low GPA requirement may be eligible for admission if they submit standardized test scores (500 for the GMAT and 1,000 for the GRE).
Grand Canyon University Tuition and Financial Aid
Most students who attend campus will pay $8,700 every year in tuition because there are many scholarships available. These can reduce the costs of tuition for many by almost half. The average annual tuition rate without scholarships or grants is around $16,500. This rate has remained consistent for many years because the university is committed to affordable education. On-campus students will spend around $7,500 for residency and $1,630 for other fees. Traditional undergraduates will spend $687.50 per credit for the first 11 credits.
Online and evening rates for non-traditional students depend on the degree program. Most online and evening undergraduate programs cost from $395 to $470 per credit. Online graduate classes will cost from $340 to $670 per credit. A few online and professional studies programs charge $515 per credit, such as the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program. Doctoral programs are usually $650 per credit. Active duty military members will be given a special discount rate.
Grand Canyon University is an excellent educational choice for local and international students because they offer affordable degrees within a value-rich environment. Grand Canyon University’s major and programs can be accessed here through their Academics page.