Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University was created, until the Morrill Act in 1890, as Oklahoma Territorial Agricultural & Mechanical College. During World War II, OSU was famously one of six colleges selected for the Navy Electronics Training Program. Today, Oklahoma State is a public, land-grant and sea-grant RU/H research institution.

Based on a 1,489-acre campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma State University has extension centers in Okmulgee, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. The entire OSU system enrolls more than 35,000 students yearly. According to the U.S. News, Oklahoma State is America's 149th best university and 79th top public school. In particular, OSU offers the 87th top clinical and 117th best psychology programs nationally.

Oklahoma State University Accreditation Details

Recently evaluated in 2015, Oklahoma State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCA). This regional agency accredits universities in the 19-state Midwestern region for the U.S. Department of Education. Notable specialized accreditations include the:

• American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (APA CoA)
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)

Oklahoma State University Application Requirements

Becoming an Oklahoma State Cowboy is moderately tough with the selective acceptance rate of 75 percent. For the B.A./B.S. in Psychology, freshmen must be graduating from a licensed high school or homeschool program. Finishing the 15-unit core with four years of English and three to four years of math is mandatory. Assured admission is offered to applicants with a minimum 3.0 GPA or class rank in the top 33.3 percentile. OSU prefers first-years scoring above 21 on the ACT and 980 on the SAT (reading and math). Undergraduate transfers must have attempted at least seven credits at a regionally accredited college with a 2.25 GPA.

Master's in counseling programs require applicants to hold a bachelor's from an accredited U.S. college or foreign equivalent. Holding a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 is required. Ph.D. programs accept either bachelor's or master's-level graduates with a GPA higher than 3.25. Major isn't predetermined, but satisfying prerequisites in introductory psychology, research methods, statistics, and abnormal psychology with a "B" or better is critical. Competitive candidates will have scored at least 294 on the GRE or 394 on the MAT. International scholars from non-English speaking countries must achieve a 550 TOEFL score or 6.5 IELTS score.

Oklahoma State University's application process opens July 1st and lasts until February 1st. During this time, interested students should submit the following:

• Completed online OSU application
• Non-refundable $40 application fee
• Official record of testing scores
• Copies of high school and college transcripts
• Two to three letters of reference
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Statement of professional goals
• Scores for English proficiency exams (if applicable)

Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time undergraduates from Oklahoma are charged $4,160 per semester. Non-resident students taking 12 to 18 undergraduate credits pay $11,221 each term. Part-time learners are billed $189 (in-state) or $635 (out-of-state) per credit. Mandatory expenses include the $5 student activity fee, $5 health services fee, and $17 technology fee per credit. Total estimated cost of attendance is $22,308 for Oklahomans and $35,508 for non-residents. At the graduate level, in-state residents pay $209 per credit. Out-of-state graduates must afford $825 per credit.

Approximately 89 percent of starting, full-time OSU students get assistance. The average financial aid package is worth $8,750. Institutional awards like the President's Leadership Scholarship, Regent's Distinguished Scholarship, Cowboy Covenant Scholarship, and Transfer Achievement Scholarship are numerous. In-state residents could receive the Oklahoma Promise Scholarship or Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant. Federally, there's the Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, and TEACH Grant available. Needy students taking 12+ credits could obtain the OSU Opportunity Grant too. Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards pay at least minimum wage for campus employment. Graduate assistantships can provide full or partial waivers. Learners could also wisely borrow Federal Stafford, Perkins, and Graduate PLUS loans that must be repaid.

Psychology and Counseling Degrees

In North Murray Hall, the College of Arts & Sciences houses six degrees in psychology and counseling to promote behavioral science. The student-faculty ratio of 20:1 means one-third of classes have under 20 students. Oklahoma State University offers several special opportunities such as the Psychology Diversified Students Program and Summer Science Academy for High School Students. Aspirant mental health professionals could pursue the:

Psychology B.A./B.S.

As Oklahoma State's second largest major, the Psychology B.A./B.S. program develops a fundamental grounding in psychological principles. The 50-credit major studies the cognitive, biological, social, developmental, cultural, and clinical aspects of human behavior. Students benefit research practicum, teaching assistantships, hands-on learning in the Psychology Museum and Resource Center (PMRC), and Psych Club meetings.

Counseling M.S.

Following CACREP guidelines, the Counseling M.S. program uses a practitioner model to prepare graduate students for licensed professional counselor positions in Oklahoma. The 60-credit program is delivered at OSU's Tulsa and Stillwater campuses with Community Counseling or School Counseling tracks. After the culminating, 600-hour internship, graduates achieve a 100 percent NBCC exam pass rate.

Marriage and Family Therapy M.S.

Admitting a small cohort of eight students yearly, the Marriage and Family Therapy M.S. at Oklahoma State develops the holistic counseling skills for fostering growth in relationships. The 60-credit program requires 500 contact hours, half of which are completed at the OSU Center for Family Services. For seven years, 100 percent of alumni have passed the LMFT exam.

Counseling Psychology Ph.D.

Devoted to multiculturalism and social justice, the APA-accredited Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Oklahoma State uses a scientist-practitioner model to prepare graduates for therapeutic intervention. The five-year, 129-credit program includes a qualifying exam, dissertation, four practicum placements, and a predoctoral internship. The Counseling Psychology Clinic also provides on-campus training in Stillwater.

Clinical Psychology Ph.D.

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program transforms OSU graduate students into scientific clinicians with the theory-based strategies to address mental health disorders. Four specializations are available for Clinical Child, Health, Pediatric, and Adult. Most complete the program's seminars, clinical practicum, dissertation, and APA-approved internship in six years with 100 percent tuition waivers.

Related: The 50 Best Doctoral Programs in Counseling Psychology

Experimental Psychology Ph.D.

Offering tracks for Cognitive, Comparative-Neurobiology, Developmental, and Social-Personality, the Experimental Psychology Ph.D. program sharpens research and quantitative reasoning skills for contributing to psychological science. The full-time, four-year program examines factors affecting behavior with master's thesis and dissertation research. Oklahoma State University has produced faculty at leading U.S. colleges like Kansas State and UMass.