Psychology and Counseling Programs at Sofia University
Sofia University appears in our ranking of the Top 5 Best Online Ph.D. in Psychology Degree Programs
The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program offered by Sofia University serves as a good introduction for students to the field of psychology. It features 90 units of classes that most students complete over two years and is available entirely online. The university designed the program for students who earned an associate degree from another school and those who took classes on another campus. Psychology majors have the option of taking computer science and business courses too.
Two Master of Arts programs are also available from Sofia University for psychology majors. The first includes a major in counseling psychology. Students begin in the fall and spend three years working on their degrees. They must complete four units of clinical work, which they can do in the counseling center operated by the university and in facilities away from the campus. The university requires that students do a minimum of 225 hours of fieldwork in the final year of the program. Majors can choose to focus their studies to meet the requirements for becoming a licensed practical counselor or a licensed marriage and family therapist.
The university’s Master of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology takes an average of two years to complete and includes 48 credits of classes. It’s available as a hybrid program or a program that includes only online or on-campus work. Students learn more about the theories and practices within transpersonal psychology, including the ways in which people work together and how they think about different issues. This program also features multiple practicums. Students can work with the university and their professors to make sure they choose practicum locations that relate to their studies and future careers.
Also available from Sofia University is a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology. Students can enroll in a combined program that helps them transition from the bachelor’s and master’s levels to the doctoral level. The program is also open to those with only a bachelor’s degree and those who have a full graduate degree. It typically takes three years to complete and includes between 75 and 125 credits of classes depending on the degree(s) the student has. The doctoral program looks at less established areas of psychology, including transpersonal, experimental and spiritual psychology.
About Sofia University
Sofia University is a private university that operates as a for-profit school. Founded in 1975, it opened as the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and used that name until 1986. It also operated as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology from 1986 to 2012, which was when it became Sofia University. Prior to becoming a university, the institute only offered graduate and doctoral programs for students who had professional psychology experience. It now offers a psychology undergrad program and similar programs in business and computer science. Each one allows students to transfer credits and take classes to earn a bachelor’s degree. Some of the majors and programs added to its curriculum in the last few decades include options for students who want to study artificial intelligence, software design and human and computer interaction.
Sofia University Accreditation Details
Sofia University has institutional and regional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This organization is responsible for accrediting schools that serve as senior colleges and those that offer full degree programs on the west coast. It allows Sofia to grant financial aid to students who show need on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and give students credit for their past experiences and any classes they took.
Sofia University Application Requirements
The unique approach that the university takes to teaching also applies to its admissions requirements. Students only need to do three things to apply for a spot in the university’s undergraduate psychology program. They will need to apply online, pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee and submit their official transcripts. Sofia allows students to get up to 45 credits based on their past experiences and will accept up to 45 credits earned through AP and similar high school programs. Those coming from another college or university must present a transcript and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. They will also need to bring at least 30 credits with them, which must include an oral communications class and a written communications class.
Graduate students applying to Sofia need to meet different requirements. In addition to the application, transcript and $50 application fee, they also need to submit a statement of purpose that lists any reasons they have for studying transpersonal or counseling psychology and why they chose Sofia. The transcripts they provide need to come directly from the college or university and go to the Office of the Registrar at Sofia. It encourages students to have their schools submit transcripts electronically. Sofia also requires several letters of recommendation and an interview with a faculty member within the psychology department. The same admissions requirements are also in place for prospective doctoral students.
Tuition and Financial Aid
SR Education Group named Sofia University one of the most affordable online colleges for 2019. Students in the bachelor’s program pay $350 per unit, which comes to $15,750 per year or $31,500 to complete both years in the program. Graduate students in either psychology program pay $650 per unit. The total cost of finishing one of these programs is between $31,200 and $58,500, and students pay $15,600 to $19,500 per year. Doctoral students attending the university pay $950 per unit for their classes. Most students spend an average of $71,250 to earn their degrees from the university, though those who transition from a bachelor’s degree to a doctoral degree will pay around $114,000 for all of their courses.
The Financial Aid Office at Sofia University can help students pay for their costs. This office can help students get aid if they served time or are currently in any branch of the military and if they live in Canada or the United States. A fund established by the university provided students with nearly $200,000 in scholarships over the last few years. Students can get scholarships and other types of aid if they use the Sofia code and file the FAFSA. Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans are some of the financial aid options available to students in the counseling and psychology programs offered at Sofia University.
