North Carolina Central University

See also: The Top 10 Online Master's Degrees in Student Affairs and College Counseling Founded in 1910, North Carolina Central University is ranked the South's 72nd best college and 24th top public school by the U.S. News. Named the 2016 HBCU of the Year, NCCU is also the 19th best Southeastern value in Washington Monthly.

North Carolina Central University Accreditation Details

Reaffirmed in 2009 for 10 years under President Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye, North Carolina Central has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This Level V approval without sanctions means that NCCU's baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral programs are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Through 2022, counseling degrees are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). School counseling courses also meet standards of the Council on Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP).

North Carolina Central University Application Requirements

Majoring in psychology or counseling at North Carolina Central will involve passing the "less selective" admission rate of 66 percent. Freshmen interested in the Psychology BA must finish a high school diploma or GED equivalent with evidence of leadership participation. Like other UNC campuses, having four units of English and math is prerequisite. Accepted undergrads present a mean secondary GPA of 3.2. On average, NCCU Eagles also score 960 on the New SAT and 19 on the ACT. Undergraduate psychology transfers need 24+ credits graded "C" or better and a minimum 2.0 GPA at regionally accredited institutions. The School of Graduate Studies will accept Psychology or Counseling MA applicants who have finished their four-year baccalaureate at a regionally accredited U.S. college. Foreign learners need certified transcripts, I-20 visas, and a minimum 79 TOEFL iBT exam score. Post-grad applicants should carry a 2.75 GPA overall or 3.0 GPA in the last 60 credits obtained. Psychology entrants must fulfill the prerequisite hours in statistics, social science, and natural science before acceptance. Post-grads should submit a combined GRE score above 285 too. North Carolina Central has established undergrad deadlines of July 1st for Fall, November 15th for Spring, and April 15th for Summer. Prospective master's students can only apply until the firm deadline of February 1st. Apply online using Eagle Apps and send the following materials:

• Payment for the $40 application fee
• Transcript requests for each school
• Official college entrance exam scores
• Proof of state residency if applicable
• At least two professional recommendations
• Typed, one-page admission essay

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time undergrads from North Carolina pay $6,132 annually at NCCU. Non-residents who pursue the Psychology BA full-time are charged $18,590 per year. Room and board is expected to add $9,636 annually with $1,500 budgeted for textbooks and $4,267 reserved for extra expenses. Total annual cost of attendance for undergrads is $21,535 (in-state) and $33,993 (out-of-state). Graduates from North Carolina taking 9+ credits pay $4,647 while non-residents afford $17,347 yearly. Online MA tuition charges $751 (in-state) and $2,656 (out-of-state) per credit. The NCES reports that 97 percent of beginning, full-time North Carolina Central students receive financial aid packages worth $9,481 on average. Psychology or counseling majors could obtain the Federal Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Stafford Loan, or Graduate PLUS Loan. Perhaps the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program will settle debts. Tar Heel State residents claim the UNC Need-Based Grant, North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship, Jagannathan Scholarship, and others. The NCCU Work-Study program pays at least $7.25/hour for campus employment. Institutional funds like the Burroughs Welcome Scholarship, Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship, NC Transfer Scholarship, Bailey Endowed Scholarship, and BRITE Scholarship are open.

Studying Psychology or Counseling at NCCU

Located in the Taylor Building, the School of Education at North Carolina Central offers three counselor education programs to 85 post-grads. The College of Behavioral & Social Sciences is led by Dean Debra O. Parker with two psychology degrees too. Thanks to the 16:1 student-faculty ratio, students interact frequently with diverse, PhD-level professors trained at Emory, Cornell, Penn State, UNC, and more. Majors also access cutting-edge facilities like the Ella Baker Community Training Lab, Biopsychosocial Research Lab, and Counseling Center. Mental health advocates should consider these five NCCU degrees: Psychology BA Retaining 76 percent of freshmen, NCCU's Psychology BA exposes undergrads to the basic concepts of modern psychological thought with a unique focus on cognitive and behavioral patterns in African-American communities. The 120-credit, four-year program is chaired by Sherry Eaton, EdD, with introductory courses like psychometric measurement, social psychology, learning theory, and Black psychology. Students could benefit from joining Active Minds, pledging Psi Chi, participating in the Nixon-Thorpe Psychology Club, and interning with Durham Center Access. Psychology MA Adhering to health services provisions of the North Carolina Practice Act, the Psychology MA trains NCCU post-grads to apply behavioral theories to address human matters as licensed psychological associates. Requiring a thesis, the 30-49 credit curriculum offers the General Psychology or Clinical Psychology concentration with rigorous overlapping courses like research methods, psychopathology, and human development. Coordinated by Vinston J. Goldman, PhD, the program also immerses majors in Graduate Student Association activities. Career Counseling MA As one of America's 10 CACREP-accredited programs of its kind, the Career Counseling MA has received the National Career Development Association Excellence Award for training post-grads to give vocational guidance in academic or business settings. The 48-credit program is accessible in Durham or online for courses in career assessment, consultative/referral processes, behavioral dynamics, and gender issues. Besides courses after 4pm on weekdays, students complete 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours adhering to ACA Ethics Code. Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA Fulfilling the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) qualifications in North Carolina, the Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA suits NCCU post-grads seeking the therapeutic intervention skills to treat emotional, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities from depression to paranoia. The 60-credit online or face-to-face degree follows CACREP 2009 standards with courses like trauma, substance abuse, group therapy, abnormal psychology, and multicultural diversity. Graduation requires a 600-hour clinical internship, comprehensive test, and portfolio defense before taking the NBCC exam. School Counseling MA Available on-site or online via Blackboard, the School Counseling MA meets the NC Department of Public Instruction guidelines for post-grads to become licensed practitioners in PreK-12 schools to promote the successful development of multicultural youth. The 51-credit program is coordinated by Peggy Whiting, EdD, with courses like child psychology, learning assessment, career development, and crisis intervention. North Carolina Central University's partners, such as Raleigh Charter High and York Elementary, help with the 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship requirement.