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Program Overview

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s B.A. Psychology completion program is a 60 credit hour program, consisting of a core of 30 credits and 30 credits of electives. The goal of this program is to provide strong preparation in the development of skills related to an understanding of human behavior in order to work within a variety of professional roles and professional settings. The program provides a sound foundation in the core subfields within the discipline of psychology, as well as opportunity for students to gain further depth through concentrations that span psychology and related fields in the behavioral sciences. Those concentrations include the following: Social Services, Child and Adolescent, Business Psychology, and International Psychology. In addition, students can choose a Generalist concentration which includes a broad range of courses from within those concentrations.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful of this program students will be able to:

• demonstrate an in‐depth understanding of the field of psychology, including major theories, empirical findings, and historical and current trends.
• read analytically, write clearly, using the APA Style Manual, and speak articulately about the study of psychology.
• critically and creatively evaluate psychological concepts and research.
• acquire information through library research with the use of computer search engines and information databases.
• design research projects using quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods.
• recognize, understand and respect sociocultural, international and cognitive diversity, especially in regard to its impact on psychology.
• participate in their diverse communities through their knowledge of individual and group behaviors as well as their civic understanding.
• apply psychological principles to individual, social, and organizational issues.
• demonstrate strong interpersonal communication skills that include effective speaking and listening skills.
• interact and collaborate with others effectively.
• analyze personal issues and questions by applying psychological principles.
• demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues that frame the practice of psychology to individual, social and organizational issues.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the B.A. Psychology completion program requires an approved Associate’s degree or a minimum of 48 transferable semester credits. Acceptable transfer credits are outlined in the Transfer Credit Requirements guideline below. This program is designed to prepare applicants with the skills needed to apply the principles of psychology and human behavior in the workplace. The program is open to any person who meets entrance requirements as outlined below. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to successfully complete an undergraduate degree program.

Factors and materials to be considered for admission will include:

• Completed application and $50 application fee.
• Official transcripts from all institutions from which transfer credit is sought.
• Sufficient credits earned to meet the Transfer Credit Guidelines for admission. 
• International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency. Applicants of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology are encouraged to have their international transcripts reviewed and evaluated by a service affiliated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES http://www.naces.org/members.htm/) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc (AICES http://www.aice-eval.org/).
• International Applicants: Applicants for whom English is not the primary language, with the exception of applicants who have an associate’s degree or 48 transfer credits from an accredited US institution, must submit official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores with application.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $100 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures :  Transfer of Credit, Waiver of Courses, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Grading Scale, Grade Change Requests, Degree Completion, Degree Conferral, Minimum and Maximum Timeframe requirements, and Credit Hours per semester for Financial Aid.  Information on the Academic Success Program is located under Student Life.

Academic Development Plans

An Academic Development Plan (ADP) is initiated and created by the program in which the student is enrolled. When a student demonstrates deficiencies in competencies that interfere with academic performance, training competence, and/or professional behavior, the ADP is initiated. The completion of an ADP does not constitute disciplinary action, but failure to complete the plan may lead to disciplinary action.

Student Learning Assessment

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) is committed to offering the highest quality undergraduate completion program and graduate programs in applied professional disciplines. To meet TCSPP’s standard for academic quality, program learning outcomes are aligned with course learning outcomes and guide assessment. Data collected from the results of student assessment and the aggregation of these data will inform how students are progressing towards achieving program outcomes.  

All academic programs report annual assessments of student learning and other indicators of program effectiveness as part of the Academic Program Review process.

Philosophy

The B.A. Psychology completion program is designed to provide those who are continuing their education post Associates degree, already possess a Bachelor’s degree in a different concentration, or seek to transfer from another program of study in order to gain a basic foundation in psychology and research while deepening their ability to apply knowledge regarding principles of psychology to various settings. Students will be able to apply learned theories, concepts, and best practices absorbed from the various concentrations within the program including Business Psychology, Child/Adolescent, and International Psychology. The exclusively online program is designed to accommodate those who seek to complete their degree while effectively maintaining both their professional and personal commitments. This program provides a gateway to graduate programs in the field of psychology thereby further enhancing the student’s psychological knowledge.

Professional Guidelines

Students are expected to learn and to follow the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association, APA’s current Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct for Psychologists during and after their work at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, as well as the professional norms, standards, and guidelines relevant to the profession. A class in ethics is required, and student adherence to ethical codes is evaluated both formally and informally.

Capstone Course

The capstone course is designed to allow students the opportunity to integrate and apply learning from their undergraduate courses into a comprehensive presentation. The Capstone Course is an independent study project that consists of a formal research project, intended to demonstrate skill in research and critical thinking. The project is composed of a detailed research question and a literature review component. Students are encouraged to design projects that prepare them to achieve their next goal, whether academic or professional. While no actual data is generated or data analyzed, the project is intended to incorporate and expand upon the depth of knowledge gained from previous years of study, and the student’s personal educational and professional interest.