Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey

One of the oldest public institutions of higher learning in the United States, Rutgers University is the official state university of New Jersey. With its flagship campus in New Brunswick, two other main campuses in Newark and Camden, and satellite locations in all 21 New Jersey counties, Rutgers is set to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2016. Rutgers is a public comprehensive research university with more than 67,000 students and 22,000 faculty and staff members across its many campuses and programs. In its 31 schools and colleges, students are encouraged to not only achieve their short-term goals, but to become lifelong learners and to serve the world around them through use of the diverse offering of programs and majors all built on a core foundation of the arts and sciences.

Rutgers University Accreditation Details

Rutgers is one of the 62 public research universities in the country to be a member of the Association of American Universities, and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). In addition, specific programs have additional accreditation, including through the American Psychological Association and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Rutgers Application Requirements

Prospective students applying to Rutgers while still in high school or within two years of completing high school course work but no other college as of yet must submit proof of high school coursework totaling at least 16 credit hours that include:

• four years of English
• three years of Mathematics that include Algebra I and II and Geometry
• two years of Science, with specific subjects needed for certain medical and engineering degrees

In addition, most degree programs require two years of a foreign language taken during high school. SAT or ACT scores must be submitted as well, and an essay is required with the application packet.

Transfer students seeking admission to Rutgers are considered to be those who have completed at least 12 credit hours of college coursework at another institution. In this case, transcripts of that college coursework are needed when applying and will be reviewed to determine eligibility for admission. A grade of C or better is generally considered acceptable on this coursework.

Prospective students applying for graduate programs are required to submit all transcripts from any and all college coursework taken at the undergraduate level, including coursework completed at Rutgers. In addition, students must take the appropriate graduate level entrance exam for their particular intended graduate degree and have the scores from these submitted as well. For the various graduate degrees and degree levels in psychology and counseling, general GRE scores are required.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Costs of attending Rutgers vary slightly among the three campuses and take into consideration factors such as whether the student will be a commuter or an on-campus resident and whether the student is an in-state resident of New Jersey or from out-of-state. Tuition for in-state residents for two full-time semesters averages the same $11,217 regardless of campus chosen, while the same two full-time semesters would cost the out of state student an average of $26, 107 in tuition.

Cost variances are seen in fees required at each of the three campuses and for room and board, with the additional fee totals ranging from a low of $2,380 for both in-state and out-of-state residents on the Newark campus to a high of $2,914 at New Brunswick, again regardless of resident status. Room and board costs vary from $11,710 for the year if living on-campus at Camden to a high of $12,841 for a year of living on-campus at Newark. This again is the same regardless of in-state or out-of-state resident status.

In an effort to make college affordable for all students admitted to Rutgers, financial aid is offered through a variety of sources, including grants, scholarships, and student loans. The average package offered students in academic year 2014-2015 was $17,400, including loans. Like most public universities and many private ones, the process for applying for financial aid involves completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This can be done online, and Rutgers should be specified as your school to receive the results.

Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees in Psychology and Counseling

The Department of Psychology at Rutgers is housed in the School of Arts and Sciences and offers degrees ranging in level from Bachelor to PhD in various psychology specialties, including school psychology and counseling. The undergraduate degree requires courses in general psychology, quantitative methods, and four other core courses, in addition to general education requirements for any four-year degree. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 minimum is required for all upper level coursework. The four core courses are chosen as one course each in the subdisciplines of Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Social Psychology.

Electives within the psychology degree are chosen to align with the student’s choice of specialty path within the discipline, such as a particular type of counseling. These advanced electives include a wide variety of specialty seminars and clinical studies.

Students seeking a graduate level degree in psychology will specialize even further and achieve the doctorate degree in one of the specific sub-disciplines listed above, as well as in school psychology, if preferred. Graduate students work closely with chosen members of the faculty in coursework that involves a heavy amount of research and experimentation, preparing graduates for careers in research in both academic and nonacademic settings. The graduate program in psychology is designed to take five full-time years to complete and is designed for those students who are serious about working full-time to complete this degree in that time frame.

If you’re serious about your educational goals and desires in the New Jersey area, consider applying and studying at one of the main campuses or satellite campuses around the state. With a rich and diverse history of providing a quality education at competitive rates for all who seek betterment through higher education, Rutgers University has stood the test of time and continues to offer equal opportunity for higher education to all who seek it.