Can You Earn a Psychology Degree Completely Online?

Are you fascinated by the way the human brain works and the way people behave? Do you sometimes think you should be in a career that focuses on human behavior, mental health, or related fields?

If so, a psychology degree might be your pathway to a rewarding career as a researcher or counselor.

Maybe you're considering returning to school in midlife--or even starting college as an adult in your 30s, 40s, or 50s, with a family and a job that you need to keep making the house payments.

Today, you can find online bachelor's programs in psychology in almost every state. There's never been a better time to begin working on a new degree and retooling for a new career.

Studying Psychology With Online Learning

You might be surprised to learn that a large number of today's adult college students enroll in a psychology program part-time while holding a full-time job, raising children or taking care of elderly parents.

With online programs, the quality of education is equivalent to that of a face-to-face classroom, and faculty are well-credentialed professors.

You can earn a full degree or apply previously earned credits towards an online degree-completion program. You can find both synchronous ('live' courses where you remotely participate in a class with other students) and asynchronous, self-learning courses.

How to Finance an Online Psychology Degree

Today's universities that offer online degrees have also found many ways to make online education more affordable. They've created new models of tuition and fees, payment plans, and alternate ways of financing.

Students may also find discounted tuition through financial aid and assistance using:

• employer assistance programs
• scholarships and grants
• the US GI Bill, veteran discounts, and military waivers
• other tuition waivers
• the CLEP exam and programs that provide credit for work experience

As a prospective student, make your school's financial aid officer your best friend. This counselor can help you navigate all the many resources at your disposal--which most people are unaware of.

Online Psychology Degree Programs

Many universities offer online undergraduate psychology degrees, and you can also find many online master's degrees in different specialties in psychology.

Ten schools that offer online bachelor's degrees in psychology include:

1. Arkansas State University

The Bachelor of Arts in psychology online degree at Arkansas State University focuses on 'an understanding of the factors that impact and motivate human behavior as well as the strategies and tactics that help modify and redirect behavior to a desired outcome.'

Coursework provides skills in relationship-building, research design and methodology, and data analysis, among other topics. The tuition is $276 per credit hour.

2. The Chicago School

With a tuition of $516 per credit hour, The Chicago School stands out from the pack in terms of providing two distinct online bachelor's degree programs: a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Bachelor of Science in business psychology.

The school is also distinctive in allowing undergraduate students to enroll in master's level courses to earn graduate credit while still working on the bachelor's degree. The programs are also targeted to students with career or family commitments.

The BS in business psychology has concentrations in industrial/organizational psychology, organizational leadership, and behavioral economics.

3. Mississippi State University

The Bachelor of Science in psychology at Mississippi State University is primarily a degree completion program, although students who lack their general education coursework can take MSU's online freshman and sophomore core courses. In-state online tuition for everyone is $427.75 per credit hour.

Mississippi State's program prepares students for careers in case management, community mental health, corrections counseling, government, human resources, marketing research, and social work, among others.

4. New Mexico State University (Global Campus)

At New Mexico State University, you could earn an online Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a tuition cost of $395.40 per credit hour.

In this program, your courses would help you to understand how the brain works, how and why emotions affect people, how people learn, and why humans behave the way we do. Students learn how to use scientific methods to study human thought and behavior.

5. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University's Bachelor of Science in psychology would be an online program teaching critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills as well as those in research, data analysis, and computer literacy.

Students enroll in coursework including psychology, personality, pediatric psychology, forensic psychology, psychology of sport, and human performance.

OSU's block rate tuition structure for full-time students (12-18 hours per semester) is $6,321.00 for Oklahoma residents and $14,081.25 for non-residents. The hourly tuition would be $421.40 for residents and $938.75 for others.

6. University of Alabama at Birmingham

Situated in Alabama's world-class research institution which is one of the largest research institutions in the Southeastern U.S., you would have many advantages if you enrolled in UAB's online Bachelor of Science in psychology program.

Tuition for the online degree program at UAB is $368 for Alabama residents and $911 for nonresidents.

A highlight of this degree program is the opportunity to participate in research, teaching, and community practicum experiences. The optional community-based practicum lets you perform supervised work in courtrooms, clinics, centers, and other community settings.

7. University of Arizona

At the University of Arizona, the online Bachelor of Arts in psychology leads students through a discovery of how the human mind and brain evolve from birth through old age.

Coursework investigates the impact of brain disorders such as the autism spectrum and Alzheimer's disease. You'll also learn about how human behavior is shaped by and reacts to environmental influences.

The cost per credit at the University of Arizona is $525 per credit hour.

8. University of Idaho

At the University of Idaho, you can earn either a Bachelor of Arts or Science in psychology, and all full-time online students pay the in-state tuition block rate of $8,816.

Some highlights of studying psych online at the University of Idaho include hands-on learning and internships, the chance to participate in research with faculty leaders in the field, and a 2 + 2 Transfer Pathway for those bringing an associate degree from community colleges.

9. University of Central Florida

One of the most affordable online psychology degrees in the nation is available to Florida residents, who only pay $179.19 per credit hour in tuition. (The cost for nonresidents is $715.80 per credit hour.)

The University of Central Florida's Bachelor of Science in psychology offers six tracks: clinical, experimental, general, human factors, industrial/organizational, and neuroscience.

Students participate in research, fieldwork, internships, a capstone project, and student organizations.

10. University of Texas, Permian Basin

For just $362.34 per credit hour, the University of Texas in the Permian Basin is home to an online Bachelor of Science in psychology that is just as distinguished a degree as that received by campus-based graduates.

UTPB online psych graduates excel in a wide range of professional roles because they've learned how to think critically about both the theoretical and applied aspects of psychology, reason about empirical research, and write strong and cohesive arguments.

This flexible online program is well-suited to the needs of adult students who carry work and family responsibilities.

Start Preparing for Your Psychology Career Today

Begin a career in psychology by earning a psychology degree online. Check out the public universities in your home state as well as some of the leading online universities to look for programs that interest you.