messiah-college

Counseling and Psychology Degrees Offered at Messiah College

Messiah College appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Master’s in Counseling Degrees Online.

Messiah College offers a minor in Psychology, minor in Pre-Counseling and Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and Master of Arts in Counseling.

The minor in Psychology requires the completion of 18 credit hours. The required courses include Introduction to Psychology, Cognition, Social Psychology, Biological Basis of Behavior, Sensation and Perception, and Life Span Development.

The minor in Pre-Counseling and Theory requires the completion of 21 credit hours, and the courses include Introduction to Psychology, Dynamics of Family Interaction, Abnormal Psychology, Counseling Theories, Counseling Skills, and Foundations of Marriage and family.

The Bachelor of Science is intended for students seeking to pursue psychology careers that have a stronger focus on science and math. The Bachelor of Arts prepares students for entry-level psychology positions and advanced study. Both programs require the completion of at least 123 credit hours. The major requirements for the BS program include Introduction to Psychology, Writing for Psychology, Human Biology, Cognition, Life Span Development, Biological Basis of Behavior, Sensation and Perception, Experimental Psychology, History and Systems of Psychology, and Psychology Seminar. The major requirements for the BA program include Introduction to Psychology, Life Span Development, Human Biology, Writing for Psychology, Social Psychology, Statistical Methods in Psychology, Research Methods in Psychology, Experimental Psychology, History and Systems of Psychology, and Psychology Seminar. Students pursuing a BA in psychology also have the option to select the clinical concentration. This is intended for those seeking careers as clinical psychology or related areas. The clinical concentration courses include Group Dynamics, Abnormal Psychology, Counseling Skills, and Counseling Theories.

The Master of Arts in Counseling enables students to advance their careers in clinical mental health counseling, couple and family counseling, or school counseling. All concentrations require the completion of 60 credit hours. Courses are offered mostly online with flexible start dates. The program is designed to prepare students to take the professional counseling licensure examination, marriage and family therapy licensure examination, or certified school counselor examination. The core courses in the MA in counseling program include Lifespan Development, Multicultural Issues for Counseling Professionals, Counseling Theories, Career Counseling Across the Lifespan, Group Counseling, Counseling Techniques, Professional Issues and Ethics for Counselors, and Research Design and Statistics. The clinical mental health counseling courses include Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan, Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling, Substance Abuse/Addiction for Families, Crisis, Trauma, and Grief Counseling, Evidence-Based Treatment of Psychopathology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum, and Clinical Mental Health Internship. The marriage, couple and family counselors courses include Foundations of Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling, Premarital and Marital Counseling, Human Sexuality, Substance Abuse/Addiction and Families, Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan, Contemporary and Integrative Theories of Family Counseling, Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Skills and Practice, Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Practicum, and Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling Internship. The school counseling courses include Foundations of School Counseling, Effective Practices of School Counselors, Organization and Administration of School Counseling Program, Effective Practices for Every Learner, School Counseling Practicum, Elementary School Counseling Internship, and Secondary School Counseling Internship.

About Messiah College

Messiah College is a private institution of higher learning residing in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. It is a Christian-affiliated school that supports the Anabaptist, Wesleyan, and Pietist traditions. The Brethren in Christ Church established the college in 1909 as Messiah Bible School. It first started offering high school courses and various Bible programs. It became a junior college in 1921 and changed its name to Messiah Bible College. It evolved into a four-year college in the 1950s, and changed its name to Messiah College. It added degree programs in liberal arts. It officially gained accreditation in 1963. Today, Messiah College is home to more than 3,300 students from 38 states and 30 countries on its 471-acre suburban campus. It operates on the semester-based academic calendar.

Messiah College offers more than 85 academic majors through five academic schools: School of the Arts, School of the Humanities, School of Business, Education and Social Sciences, School of Science, Engineering and Health, and School of Graduate Studies. The most popular majors include engineering, business administration, health professions, management, registered nursing, and family and community services. The student to faculty ratio is 12 to one, with about 48 percent of classes with less than 20 students.

The U.S. News and World Report ranks Messiah College number five in its 2019 edition of Best Colleges Regional Colleges North.

Messiah College Accreditation Details

The Middle States Commission on Higher education regionally accredits Messiah College to grant bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

The Master of Arts in Counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Temple University Application Requirements

Messiah College features a rolling admissions policy. It is considered selective, with a 77 acceptance rate every year.

Undergraduate

  • Application
  • Official high school transcript
  • Official transcripts from previously attended institutions of higher learning
  • Official SAT or ACT scores
  • Personal statement
  • $50 application fee

Graduate

  • Application
  • Official transcripts from previously attended institutions of higher learning
  • Personal statement
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Current resume
  • $30 application fee

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition

Undergraduate

Basic tuition: $34,320 per year

Graduate

Graduate tuition varies by program. The Master of Arts in Counseling program is $660 per credit hour.

Financial Aid

Scholarships

  • Provost’s Scholarship
  • Trustees’ Scholarship
  • President’s Scholarship
  • Vollmer Scholarship
  • Amigo Scholarship
  • Lloyd and Lois Martin Multicultural Scholarship
  • Multicultural Scholarships
  • College Honors Program Scholarships
  • Dean’s Scholarships in the Humanities
  • Messiah College Scholarship
  • Dean’s Scholarships for Continuing Students

Grants

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
  • Messiah College Grant
  • Covenant Grants
  • Non-PA State Grant
  • Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Grant
  • TEACH Grant

Loans

  • Federal Subsidized Direct Loan
  • Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan
  • Federal PLUS Loan
  • Federal Graduate PLUS Loan

Federal Work Study

The Federal Work Study is funded by the federal government that enables students to work part-time to earn money for college related costs. Students are able to work both on and off campus and up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session. They make at least the current federal minimum wage and are typically paid every other week. Actual pay differs by employer, job tasks, and qualifications of individual students.

Degree programs in psychology and counseling prepare students to serve others and make a difference in the mental, emotional, and social well-being of various types of people. The counseling and psychology degrees offered at Messiah College help students become competent professionals who work with clients in an array of settings.