Converse College

Psychology and Counseling Programs at Converse College

Converse College offers both a psychology major and a minor in psychology for undergrads. Unlike other colleges and universities that allow teaching assistants to teach classes, Converse only allows full-time faculty members to teach its psychology classes. It emphasizes the importance of research at the undergrad level, which prepares students for working on these projects and their dissertations at the graduate and doctoral levels. The college believes in the importance of interdisciplinary learning too, which helps students learn how different topics work together.

Psychology majors have the chance to learn both in and out of their classes. The college has a Psychology Book Club that asks students to read books and discuss their thoughts and opinions. This club often chooses popular books like The Girl on the Train or Room. Many students do internships with organizations and agencies like The Charles Lea Center, SAFE Homes or Children's Advocacy Center. Both majors in the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and those who declare a minor in psychology will take courses such as Human Sexuality and Intimate Relationships, Psychology in the Movies, Abnormal Psychology and Forensic Psychology.

The only graduate program that Converse College offers in the psychology and counseling field is a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) degree program. It features 63 credit hours of classes and fieldwork. Fifteen of the credits that students earn come from the fieldwork practicums that they do. They spend at least 500 hours working directly with clients in the field. The college also requires that students complete 50 hours of work with individual and 50 hours of work with groups. Converse College designed this program for full-time students to finish in two years and gives part-time students up to five years to complete their studies.

About Converse College

Converse College is one of the only women-only colleges in the United States. Established in 1889, the college offered opportunities for female students in South Carolina. Its enrollment expanded over the years to include women from states across the state and eventually students from throughout the United States and from other countries. The college now has an undergrad enrollment of more than 800 students. Its graduate programs are now coeducational and accept both males and females equally. Nearly 600 graduate students study at Converse College.

The college is home to 13 departments that include those dedicated to theater and dance, psychology, religion and philosophy, English and creative and professional writing and other fields of study. It also allows students to join one of more than 10 teams and participate in sports like volleyball, track and field, softball and basketball. Converse has one of the only equestrian competition teams in the state. Many students choose Converse because of its low class sizes and knowledgeable professors.

Ranking: Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the South

Converse College Accreditation Details

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) granted regional accreditation to Converse College, which gives the college the right to offer degree programs and to award degrees to graduating students. Regional accreditation also allows current and incoming students to both apply for federal financial aid and to use the aid that they receive. The college has accreditation from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) for its marriage and family therapy graduate program. Converse also has accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Converse College Application Requirements

Students applying to Converse College will find different applications available based on their status. The college offers applications for high school graduates, international students, adult learners and transfer students. High school students can use the Common Application or the college's own online application. The Common Application allows students to automatically fill in sections on multiple college applications in less time. Converse also requires an official high school transcript. Those applying to any of the performing arts programs will need to schedule an audition with the college too. The application for undergrads becomes available on September 1, and the college will notify students starting on May 1.

Converse College gives prospective marriage and family therapy students up to February 1 to complete their applications and submit all required information. They must use the online application system, answer all questions on that application and pay the $40 nonrefundable application fee. Graduates students will also need to supply an official college transcript. This transcript must show that the student maintained a grade point average of at least 2.0 and contain a list of all undergrad courses taken. Those transferring in graduate credits will need to submit a transcript and a graduate catalog that clearly describes the courses the student took. Other requirements include a personal statement and GRE test score. Converse requires that students do an interview with a faculty member from the marriage and family therapy department too.

Tuition and Financial aid

Undergrads at Converse College pay $18,340 per year. Room and board adds more than $10,000 to their annual costs, which brings the total cost up to more than $29,000 a year. Converse offers financial aid options for all incoming students and recommends that students use the FAFSA to see if they qualify for a financial aid package. The college has scholarships available that award students between $2,000 and $7,500 a year. These scholarships go to students with high test scores and grades. Both South Carolina residents and residents of other states can apply. Undergrads may qualify for federal direct loans, federal grants, grants from the South Carolina government, alternative loans and the college's own work-study program.

Graduate students enrolled in the marriage and family therapy program pay $456 per credit hour and a $50 technology fee that is due each semester. The average price that graduate students pay is around $11,000 a year. Converse offers assistantships for graduate students. Students receive a stipend that covers the cost of one class per semester in exchange for working on the campus for 20 hours a week. The college will accept federal direct graduate loans and unsubsidized student loans too. Some graduate students use external scholarships and/or alternative student loans to cover their remaining costs. Converse College bases financial aid packages around the individual needs of each student who applies.

More information about counseling degrees at Converse College can be found here.