Psychology and Counseling Degree Programs at Hodges University
Hodges University appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Master’s in Counseling Degrees Online.
Located in Naples, Florida, Hodges University offers a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology that goes beyond simply looking at the ways people think and behave. This program has a high number of research courses and asks students to develop their own ways of thinking. The university offers flexible program options that give students the choice between taking online or traditional classes. Many students take both types of courses before they graduate. They also work with professors who have real-life experience.
The applied psychology program features three components: electives, general education, and psychology. Computer Applications, English Composition, and Principles of Sociology are a few of the classes in the general education component. Students will take 12 courses to complete the psychology component, including General Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Psychology of Conflict Management, Cognitive Psychology and Psychology of Personality. Hodges University allows psychology majors to do internships too. Students in this program can also earn a certificate in substance abuse counseling.
Also available is a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that combines practical experience with traditional classes. It can take up to three years to complete this program, but it depends on how long it takes students to finish their practicums. They will spend at least 150 hours in a practicum and do a minimum of 600 hours in an internship. Students also take 60 credits of classes and do four residency sessions on the Hodges University campus. Each session requires that they work over the course of a traditional weekend. As an online program, it features real-time classes that allow students to log into the system and watch their professors speak. Students will meet the basic requirements for getting a counseling license through this program.
About Hodges University
Hodges University is a small private university that was established in 1990. Originally called the International College, it later changed its name. It now operates one campus in Naples, which is its main campus and a second in Fort Myers. Known for its distance education programs, the university once offered courses that students completed through workbooks that they sent through the mail. Though it still offers programs for distance education students, those students now have the option of taking online courses. Its clinical mental health counseling option is only one of the university’s available online programs.
The university has five colleges operating on all its campuses. One of those is the Nichols School of Professional Studies. This is the college responsible for its clinical mental health counseling programs. Other programs provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to work in different professional areas. More than 65% of its enrolled students are over the age of 23 and includes both those who never attended college and those who dropped out of school. Between its two traditional campuses and its online campus, Hodges University has an enrollment of around 1,700 students.
Hodges University Accreditation Details
Hodges University has the regional accreditation that many students today look for before applying. It comes from the Southern Association of Colleges of Schools (SACS). Not only does SACS accreditation allow students to get any of the financial aid that they need, but it also lets them transfer credits to and from Hodges. The university’s psychology program does have accreditation, though the program will still prepare students for working in a social sciences field. Its counseling program has accreditation from the Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Hodges University Application Requirements
Undergrads can easily apply to Hodges because the university accepts a wide range of students every year. All students will start with the same application, which is available online and only takes around 20 minutes to finish and submit. It includes sections where students can share their contact information and provide more info on where they went to school. They will then meet with an admissions officer to talk about what the university needs from them, which may include a test score or a high school transcript/GED score. Once the university receives this information, it will make a final decision on the applicant. Those accepted can immediately enroll in classes.
The application requirements for students applying to the counseling program are a little more complex. While it includes an online application and a $50 fee, it also includes an interview. Students often have the option of completing this interview over the phone or the computer and on the university’s campus. They must also submit a form that shows they are eligible to enroll in an online program and a detailed essay. This essay should talk about the student’s strengths, reasons for choosing Hodges University and what they hope to get out of the clinical mental health program. The essay should also list two specific goals the student wants to accomplish while enrolled in the university.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Both Florida residents and students from other states will pay the same rate to attend Hodges University. Students also pay the same rate to take traditional courses as they will to take online classes. This rate is $570 per credit hour for undergrads and $710 per credit hour for graduate students. A veteran program reduces the cost for veterans by $100 per credit hour, and active duty military students save $250 per credit hour on their courses. Students also receive a $100 per credit hour discount when they earn a bachelor’s degree from the university and then enroll in a graduate program. Similar discounts are available for students who work for organizations and companies that partnered with the university.
In addition to discounts, Hodges University also offers financial aid packages for certain students. It will not even consider offering financial aid to any student until it receives his or her FAFSA. Those who need help with this form can contact a financial aid counselor. Work study, loans, grants, and scholarships are some of the options available for undergrads. Graduate students can use federal student and PLUS loans to pay for their classes, but some students may want to look at some of the alternative loan programs that come from other lenders too. Both undergrads and graduate students studying psychology or counseling at Hodges University can apply for financial aid with the FAFSA.
