Named after founder Ovid Butler, Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855, the university offers more than 60 major fields of study, 19 graduate programs and eight pre-professional programs across six colleges in the arts, liberal arts and sciences, pharmacy and health sciences, business, education and communication. Located just a few miles from downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, Butler has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,300 students. The school’s Irwin Library was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the famous architect who also designed the original World Trade Center towers.
Butler University Accreditation Details
Butler University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Master of Science in School Counseling degree is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Butler University Application Requirements
Undergraduate students seeking a B.A. in Psychology must complete either the Common Application or an application directly from Butler University. Students must submit an official high school transcript, ACT and/or SAT scores and an essay, personal statement or writing sample. One or two letters of recommendation and a resume are optional. In order to apply to the M.S. in School Counseling program, students must submit a completed application and participate in a personal interview. Students must also submit official applications from all previously attended institutions as well as two letters of recommendation. If an applicant has an undergraduate GPA of 2.9 or below, he or she must submit either a Miller Analogy Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.
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Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate students pursuing a degree in psychology will pay $38,900 per year in tuition costs, excluding fees, books, supplies, room and board. Graduate students will pay $560 per credit hour for the M.S. in School Counseling degree from Butler University’s College of Education. Butler University offers a number of financial aid options to help students pay for their education. The school’s financial aid counselors work with families to assist them in receiving federal funding like direct loans and grants. Students may also qualify for scholarships based on their athletic, activity or academic qualifications, and work-study employment opportunities are also available. In order to determine eligibility, Butler University requires students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In addition, Butler University recognizes veterans and active military members. The school participates in the Yellow Ribbon program and offers military tuition assistance for eligible students and their dependents.
Psychology and Counseling Degrees Available
Butler University offers a number of psychology and counseling degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students majoring in psychology at the undergraduate level are awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree. The program emphasizes the basic principles of emotion, cognition and behavior as established by scientific principles. Psychology majors intensively study the methods and content of psychology in order to prepare for professional pursuits or graduate study. The skills and knowledge students acquire help them to pursue careers in fields such as health administration, sales, public relations, human resources, management, counseling, social work and psychology. Every student who wishes to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology should begin the program their freshman year and work closely with his or her departmental advisor.
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The curriculum of the undergraduate psychology major encompasses both the sciences and interdisciplinary liberal arts. Students are required to take 39 credit hours in the major, including coursework in the psychology of personality, cognitive processes, social psychology, lifespan developmental psychology, biological bases of behavior and learning. The full major consists of 120 credit hours, and students fulfill the rest of these required hours through general education classes and electives. Optional electives cover topics such as gender, sexuality, industrial/organizational psychology, careers in psychology, psychological testing, and abnormal psychology. Students must also choose from an introduction to psychology, psychological inquiry or behavioral science as a prerequisite for nearly every upper-level course. Students must also complete five seminar courses, each of which examines a major theme or issue within the designated field.
Butler University also offers a Master of Science in School Counseling degree. Graduates are prepared to work as educators, using a mental health perspective to counsel K-12 students for emotional and social needs and to help guide these students in making sound academic choices that prepare them for college and employment. This degree is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and meets national standards, including those by the American School Counseling Association. In addition, the M.S. in School Counseling was recognized as one of the best graduate degree programs in psychology and counseling.
The 48-credit-hour program operates on a three-year cycle, and new students are admitted every fall. The degree includes on-site pre-practicum, practicum and internship experience, and it is designed in collaboration with educational agencies, schools and universities. The curriculum is structured around the performances, dispositions and knowledge of school counseling professionals, focusing on the P-12 developmental needs of students. Students will study fundamental counseling theory and techniques, human development over the lifespan and professional, legal and ethical issues in counseling. During the second year, topics such as assisting grieving children and families, a practicum in counseling and the administration of counseling and guidance services are addressed. Students taking summer classes will investigate group procedures, career and life-planning, consultation in counseling and appraisal theory and technique. In order to complete the degree, students must take three credit hours of approved electives.
Butler University also offers a fast-track option for students interested in earning the M.S. in School Counseling in less than three years. This option is suited for students who are not working full-time and is limited to 10 members of each 24-member class. The fast-track option may reduce the standard length of the three-year program by at least one semester, and it involves taking four courses in the summer following the first year and nine hours of courses, including an internship, in the second semester of the second year.
After graduating with an M.S. in School Counseling, students may be eligible to sit for the Indiana Professional Standards Board’s initial practitioner license. Students must complete the 48-hour degree as well as meet other exit requirements. Neither a teaching license or nor teaching experience is required for obtaining a school counselor license in Indiana.