What you need to understand about online learning is that the amount of time it takes to complete courses entirely depends on your commitment to studying.
A typical bachelor’s degree requires 120 to 129 credits to complete the course, which can take around 2 years for full-time students with associate’s degrees who attend college on campus, where online training usually takes 4 years but can take up to 7 years since most students only study part-time. In fact, most online schools have a time limit to complete programs that include psychology, where they give you 7 years to complete the program and if you don’t finish in that time you will lose credits earned toward your degree.
Another example is studying for a master’s degree full-time on campus can take 2 years to complete, where studying online for the same course can take 3 to 4 years depending on how many courses you complete each semester. However, you should also be aware that, if you devote more time to studying than most on-campus students; if you complete courses during the summer and maintain a full course load each year, you will be able to finish your degree in less than 4 years.
It can cost $8,000 to $60,000 a year for a bachelor’s in psychology. This includes tuition, room and board, books, and supplies.
For a doctoral degree, the cost ranges from $7,000 to $40,000 per year.
Then there are license fees that range anywhere from $500 to over $1,000, which includes application and exam fees as well as the cost for the initial license.
If you attend a brick-and-mortar college in-state, it will cost you much less than it would for out-of-state attendees, while it usually doesn’t matter what state you reside in when studying online.
Moreover, when attending a brick-and-mortar school you will have to pay for room-and-board or transportation, books, and other supplies, while online students don’t require such things. However, they do have to pay technology fees usually on a per-credit-hour basis, but some may offer tiered rates. Technology fees include tech support, technology improvements, and online training management systems.
Typical technology fees include:
5 or less credits = $86
5-8 credits = $189
9 or more credits = $252
Before choosing a major there are some important facts you should know about.
In general, you can begin your career as a school counselor, a psychologist, or other by earning a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in counseling, social work, psychology, education, or sociology but you will still need a master’s degree to qualify as a licensed counselor in most states.
Many bachelor’s degree courses include a combination of liberal arts and science, as well as classes for the concentration you choose to focus on. You can select from counseling, psychology, human services, and more.
Furthermore, there are numerous specializations and subfields associated with a major in psychology such as industrial/organization, statistics, behavioral, educational, social, development, cognitive, neuroscience, and clinical.
Only 5% of students enrolled in a 2-year degree program, actually graduate from community colleges in two years, 36% of students enrolled in four-year flagship public and private colleges earn a bachelor’s degree in 4 years, and 19% of students enrolled in 4-year non-flagship public university, graduate on time.
The problem lies in not earning enough credits during a semester. Most bachelor’s degrees require around 120 credits to complete. If you earn 15 credits each semester, you will have 30 credits a year and in four years you will have accumulated enough college credits to earn your bachelor’s degree. However, numerous students only take enough courses to earn 12 credits each semester, which adds one year to the program length. Talk to your school advisor to find out how to ensure you graduate on time.
Accreditation is a very important facet of your career since, if the college you attend is accredited by a reputable association, the degree you earn from that college will have more value and some employers include this information when evaluating you for employment.
The reason why accreditation is so important is that, without it, it’s hard to determine what kind of standards the training programs hold and if they are up to date with technology and innovation.
A college gets accredited voluntarily by an association of their choice. The association will interview and inspect the college thoroughly to see if they meet their standards of everything from cleanliness to academics and, if the college passes the inspection, the association puts their stamp on them as an assurance that they meet all their requirements.
Every college should have Post-Graduate Job Placement assistance services to help students plan their careers from the beginning to the end of college so that they will graduate and be able to move right into the occupation they choose. Some of the services these programs should provide are:
Employers today want only the best of the best working for them. Some businesses are even willing to pay for the education of potential candidates. So, when it comes to degrees, most employers look at the accreditor of the school you earned your degree from, since this says a lot about the kind of education you acquired. If an employer is willing to go so far as to pay for a student’s education, imagine what kind of salary they will offer to those holding a degree from a highly reputable association.
Accreditation means that a program or institution meets quality standards set by an accrediting association. For example, the American Psychological Association fully accredits a large number of degree programs in mental health counseling. Whether the school you're enrolled in is online or on campus, as long as it is accredited, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for financial aid.
Educational accreditation can be either specialized or institutional. Institutional accreditation is provided by national and regional associations. However, if your school has regional accreditation you will have the best chance for financial aid, transferrable credits, and easy access to master’s programs. National accreditation does not hold the same weight as regional.
