Psychology

The Saint Joseph's University psychology program features courses in all of the major subfields of psychology, including clinical, developmental, social, cognitive, and health psychology. The Department of Psychology also has a strong representation from faculty in behavioral and clinical neuroscience. The psychology major focuses on teaching the skills that are in high demand for psychology majors entering the workforce or continuing on to graduate education, including:

• Written and oral communication
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Abstract reasoning
• Innovation
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management
• Research and statistical skills

The program also features a clinical concentration, specifically designed for students interested in pursuing careers in clinical psychology, counseling psychology and related mental health fields. As part of the concentration, you will complete coursework in abnormal psychology, clinical psychology, personality, psychological assessment, developmental psychology and clinical internship.

The psychology major at Saint Joseph's University is designed to give students the skills they need to immediately pursue careers in business and behavioral research. Managing and predicting human behavior is becoming increasingly important in the industry. This includes motivating employees, conflict resolution, management of human resources and market research.

The Department of Psychology offers a minor in industrial and organizational psychology, which is the direct application of psychological theory in business settings. The department is also well-positioned for training students interested in pursuing admission into graduate clinical psychology or counseling programs.

The department has four clinical psychologists on the faculty as well as a "clinical concentration” to help students who plan to work in mental healthcare settings get valuable training and experience.

Saint Joseph's combined BS/MS program in applied behavior analysis offers students an exciting and challenging curriculum of study with an emphasis on experimental psychology. Current undergraduate students can start earning credits towards the Applied Behavior Analysis MS, allowing them to earn a master's degree in just five years. Students interested in this 4+1 program must apply to the graduate program in their junior year and be conditionally accepted before they complete their bachelor's degree.

Saint Joseph's offers graduate programs to help undergraduates further develop their skills in psychology after graduation to help guide and advance their careers, including:

• Organization Development and Leadership MS
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS
• Social, Emotional and Behavioral Wellness Certificate
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Endorsement

View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.
 

Affordable tuition rates can be found on our tuition and fees website. *

*Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our tuition & fees page for a detailed breakdown.

To apply for this program, complete an application online. SAT and/or ACT scores are optional but you can submit them if you think they’ll strengthen your application.

Learn more about admissions requirements and how to apply as a first-year student, transfer student or international student.

First-Year Students
Applications for high school students are available beginning August 1 of your senior year. Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision options are available. For a full timeline of deadlines, visit our admission page.

Transfer Students
Applications to transfer to Saint Joseph’s are accepted on a rolling basis for fall and spring start terms.

1. To be considered for admission, you must have graduated from an approved secondary school (or be on track to graduate), received a diploma from an accredited home school association or earned a GED.

2. A high school transcript with an official school stamp or an official GED transcript is required. High school transcripts must include courses completed through your junior year as well as courses in progress during your senior year. If you’ve attended any post-secondary institutions, official transcripts for those institutions are required as well.

Transfer credit may be awarded for previous coursework. A course must meet the following requirements to be considered for transfer to Saint Joseph’s University:

• Undergraduate courses with a grade of “C” or above
• Graduate courses with a grade of “B” or above
• Pass/Fail grades are not eligible for transfer credit
• Must be from a regionally or programmatically accredited institution
• The coursework must match the course offered at Saint Joseph's
• Some programs have a time limit for specific courses
• Earned credit may be submitted for review based on a timeline of less than or equal to 5 to 10 years between completion of course and enrollment at SJU

*Visit the transfer page for a detailed breakdown of courses and institutions eligible for transfer.

If you are not a United States citizen, you must show proof of permanent resident visa status. Students educated in another country may be admitted if they:

• Satisfy general admission requirements
• Earn a minimum of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based) on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey

Students from English-speaking countries may choose to take the SAT or ACT as an option to the TOEFL exam. An evaluation of foreign transcripts by the World Education Service or other approved agency is required.

Saint Joseph’s is a military-friendly institution and offers assistance and services to veterans and their dependents who are utilizing educational benefits. Benefits include:

• Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill®
• Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
• Chapter 33 Post 911 GI Bill®
• Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Assistance
• Chapter 1606 National Guard or Reserves
• Chapter 1607 National Guard or Reserves (REAP) (*if eligible, must be utilized by November 25, 2019)
• Pennsylvania National Guard Educational Assistance Program (EAP)
• Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)