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Program Overview
Gain insight into our online bachelor’s degree in psychology program
Prepare to support the mental health of people from all backgrounds with the knowledge and skills you will gain in the 100% online Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northwest Missouri State University. This specialized undergraduate degree program offers you the resources and qualifications to better understand the brain, human behavior, and mental processes.
In our bachelor's degree in psychology online program, you will explore the scientific study of a person's thoughts and behaviors. Specifically, you will enhance your own critical-thinking skills by studying scientific research methods and evidence-based techniques; gain insight of individual behavior, motives and thought processes; and understand the biological and social factors that contribute to human development, cognitive skill building, relationship building and overall personality.
Our experiential learning format prepares you with the relevant knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to the workforce upon graduating. The undergraduate-level curriculum goes beyond theory and encourages you, as a student, to think critically and act decisively. Plus, the profession-based learning aspect of the curriculum, influenced by the Professional Advisory Board at Northwest, allows you to apply your studies to real-life contexts. The Board, composed of industry professionals, meet annually to discuss the job market, workforce skills, gaps and needs and provide that information to Northwest faculty, so they may incorporate it in their course learning outcomes.
In our bachelor's degree in psychology online program, you will explore the scientific study of a person's thoughts and behaviors. Specifically, you will enhance your own critical-thinking skills by studying scientific research methods and evidence-based techniques; gain insight of individual behavior, motives and thought processes; and understand the biological and social factors that contribute to human development, cognitive skill building, relationship building and overall personality.
Our experiential learning format prepares you with the relevant knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to the workforce upon graduating. The undergraduate-level curriculum goes beyond theory and encourages you, as a student, to think critically and act decisively. Plus, the profession-based learning aspect of the curriculum, influenced by the Professional Advisory Board at Northwest, allows you to apply your studies to real-life contexts. The Board, composed of industry professionals, meet annually to discuss the job market, workforce skills, gaps and needs and provide that information to Northwest faculty, so they may incorporate it in their course learning outcomes.
This online psychology program is fundamental in preparing career-ready graduates
More than 94% of students graduating with this bachelor’s degree in psychology find employment or continue their education within six months after graduation.
To gain a well-rounded experience, students will need to select a minor.
Graduates of this online program will be able to:
- Utilize their solid research background and understanding of the scientific foundation of psychology
- Apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation
- Apply psychological principles to personal, social and organizational issues, including the roles of race and gender
- Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem-solving
- Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation
- Utilize their solid research background and understanding of the scientific foundation of psychology
- Apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation
- Apply psychological principles to personal, social and organizational issues, including the roles of race and gender
- Engage in innovative and integrative thinking and problem-solving
- Develop meaningful professional direction for life after graduation
Psychology career opportunities:
- Market Research Analyst
- Consumer Behavior Analyst
- Children's Advocate/Children's Service
- Crisis Counselor
- Sales/Management
- Family Counselor
- Youth Counselor
- Substance Abuse/Recovery Counselor
- Market Research Analyst
- Consumer Behavior Analyst
- Children's Advocate/Children's Service
- Crisis Counselor
- Sales/Management
- Family Counselor
- Youth Counselor
- Substance Abuse/Recovery Counselor
Accreditation:
Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Also available:
Northwest offers a variety of specialized online education program options. Check out our other online undergraduate programs.
Accreditation:
Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Tuition
Find out how and when to pay your tuition
Our B.S. in Psychology online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included.
Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course |
---|---|---|
B.S. Psychology | $334* | $1,002 |
Important Refund Information
2nd day of class | Last date for 100% refund for dropped course |
4th day of class | Last date for 75% refund for dropped course |
6th day of class | Last date for 50% refund for dropped course |
8th day of class | Last date for 25% refund for dropped course |
Required fees
Required fee per course: $30
Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.
Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student’s Northwest record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Our application deadlines and class schedules
Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working students, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spring 1 | 1/13/25 | 12/19/24 | 1/2/25 | 1/7/25 | 1/8/25 | 2/28/25 |
Spring 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/18/25 | 2/24/25 | 3/3/25 | 3/5/25 | 4/25/25 |
Summer 1 | 5/5/25 | 4/15/25 | 4/21/25 | 4/28/25 | 4/30/25 | 6/20/25 |
Summer 2 | 6/23/25 | 6/2/25 | 6/6/25 | 6/13/25 | 6/17/25 | 8/8/25 |
Now enrolling:
earning your degree?
Admissions
See the qualifications for our online bachelor’s in psychology degree program
At Northwest, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the B.S. in Psychology online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them. The requirements include:
Admission Requirements:
- GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
To apply for this program, you must meet the requirements for one of the sections listed below.
Transfer Criteria
- Students with 24 or more transferrable credit hours:
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative transfer GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Students with less than 24 transferrable credit hours:
- Follow freshman admission requirements and have a minimum 2.0 cumulative transfer GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Transfer students from non-regionally accredited institutions will also be considered a freshman; credit cannot be transferred into Northwest from a non-regionally accredited institution
Returning Students (previously enrolled as degree-seeking at Northwest)
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative transfer GPA in any coursework completed since last being at Northwest (on 4.0 scale)
- A probation essay (if returning after being suspended or put on probation) explaining previous time at Northwest, what they've been doing since and how they plan to be successful when they return
Freshman Criteria (Adult - 24+ years old):
- High school transcript showing graduation date or completion of GED/HiSET
- Essay
- ACT/SAT test scores optional; can be submitted for scholarship/placement purposes if available
Freshman Criteria (for non-adult freshmen and transfers with less than 24 transferrable hours):
- Category I:
- 21 or higher ACT composite (or the SAT equivalent: SAT-980 or 1060**)
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted) or above (on 4.0 scale)
**Per 2016 SAT redesign.
- Category II:
- Have an admissions index score (see here) that equals or exceeds 100 points
- A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted) or above (on a 4.0 scale)
- Category III:
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (weighted or unweighted) or above (on a 4.0 scale)
- Complete high school college-preparatory curriculum
- Students who have completed the GED or HiSET are eligible with a minimum score of 660 on the GED or a minimum score of 75 on the HiSET
- This category is not an option for home-schooled or unaccredited high school graduates unless they have also completed the GED or HiSET
Home-Schooled Students
Applicants must have their ACT or SAT results submitted directly from ACT or College Board. A transcript listing of high school courses and grades in each course is also required for admission.
- 21 or higher on the ACT (or SAT equivalent), OR
- GED score of 660 or higher, OR
- HiSET score of 75 or higher
GED Applicants/HiSET Applicants
A student may be considered for admission after receiving an equivalency certification, meeting the following criteria:
- GED score of 660 or higher, OR
- HiSET score of 75 or higher
Official transcripts can be emailed to [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:
Office of AdmissionsNorthwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001
Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304.
Click here for State Authorization information.
Admission Requirements:
- GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
Courses
A look at the online psychology degree courses
For the B.S. in Psychology online, the curriculum is comprised of 120 credit hours, including: 44-47 credit hours of Northwest Core (general education), 4 credit hours of our university seminar, 27 credit hours of major coursework, 9 credit hours of advisor-approved electives, and as many credit hours needed to complete a minor and general electives needed to fulfill the 120-credit-hour degree requirement.
Students are required to take a University Seminar (1 credit hour) and a digital literacy course, usually Computers and Information Technology (3 credit hours). Below is the information for each course.
If a course in this program is also used to fulfill a Northwest Core requirement or a requirement in another program, the number of credit hours may be counted only once toward the total number of credit hours required for graduation.
Learning Outcomes:
- Communicating: Use speaking and writing to respond to a variety of purposes and audiences.
- Critical thinking: Reflect on and evaluate their critical-thinking processes. Assimilate, retain, and interpret information. Recognize the role of diagnosing and identifying abnormal behavior and aiding in psychotherapy.
- Managing Information: Present information clearly. Gather, distill, and present information. Define and discuss assessment strategies used to evaluate abnormal behavior.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Demonstrate knowledge of concepts that influence interpersonal interactions in diverse settings and that relate to cultural competence. Gain an understanding of how biology, cognition, emotions, and the social-cultural world impact behavior. Be able to define and discuss numerous patterns of abnormal behavior. Evaluate legal and ethical considerations for people with mental illness.
- Valuing: Consider multiple perspectives, recognize biases, deal with ambiguity, and form and defend reasoned positions. Recognize how psychology may be applied to various majors and everyday life.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to define the basic principles of cognitive psychology (e.g., how do people learn, remember, and reason).
- Students will be able to have an increased understanding of cognitive psychology topics.
- Students will be able to evaluate their own increase in knowledge about cognitive psychology.
Other:
When I provide a demonstration of the procedures of a classic experiment in cognitive psychology, students should remember that they are not participating in an experiment, but rather gaining practical first-hand knowledge of how such experiments would occur.
Learning Outcomes:
Explain how knowledge from I/O Psychology can be applied to help managers and supervisors, including:
- Managing organizations through leadership and strategic planning
- Supervision and human resource management
- Managing professional development of staff
- Recruiting and managing volunteers
- Use feedback to increase knowledge and improve exam scores
- Demonstrate the ability to assimilate, retain, and interpret information (Critical Thinking outcome in Northwest Competencies)
Learning Outcomes
- Communicate effectively about issues of gender and race.
- Identify and define core constructs related to the psychology of race and gender.
- Analyze and critique the psychology of race and gender literature.
- Participate in discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion from a scientific perspective.
- Integrate knowledge learned in the course into your everyday life.
Learning Outcomes:
- Describe and differentiate among the major psychological approaches which explain personality
- Develop an understanding of some of the most frequently studied individual differences in personality psychology
- Critically evaluate both scientific and popular personality tests and research
- Apply personality psychology concepts to the real world and their own lives
- Create a product based on a personality psychology concept, theory, or measure that could be used by a lay audience
Students must complete a minor for this program. Please note, not all minors are available online. Students must also complete general education free electives as needed to reach a minimum 120 graduation hours.
Still undecided?
Check out our other undergraduate online degree programs.
Ranked #13
Northwest Missouri State University is ranked No. 13 in "Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology" by EduMed (2023).
Highly Qualified Faculty
100% of classes are taught by professionals, not graduate assistants
*Tuition and fees are based on current rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition. A one-time fee of $20.50 will be charged for remote proctoring of required Assessment of Core Proficiencies.
Request Information
Submit this form, and one of our enrollment specialists will contact you to answer any questions and guide you through the process, from start to finish.
Or call 844-890-9304
By submitting this form, I am providing my digital signature agreeing that Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest) and its agent, Risepoint, may email me or contact me regarding educational services by telephone and/or text message utilizing automated technology or a pre-recorded message at the telephone number(s) provided above. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend Northwest or to purchase any other goods or services. Privacy Policy. SMS Terms.
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Or call 844-890-9304
By submitting this form, I am providing my digital signature agreeing that Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest) and its agent, Risepoint, may email me or contact me regarding educational services by telephone and/or text message utilizing automated technology or a pre-recorded message at the telephone number(s) provided above. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend Northwest or to purchase any other goods or services. Privacy Policy. SMS Terms.
REQUEST INFORMATION
Submit the form, and a representative will contact you to answer any questions.
By submitting this form, I am providing my digital signature agreeing that Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest) and its agent, Risepoint, may email me or contact me regarding educational services by telephone and/or text message utilizing automated technology or a pre-recorded message at the telephone number(s) provided above. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend Northwest or to purchase any other goods or services. Privacy Policy. SMS Terms.
Request Information
By submitting this form, I am providing my digital signature agreeing that Northwest Missouri State University (Northwest) and its agent, Risepoint, may email me or contact me regarding educational services by telephone and/or text message utilizing automated technology or a pre-recorded message at the telephone number(s) provided above. I understand this consent is not a condition to attend Northwest or to purchase any other goods or services. Privacy Policy. SMS Terms.