Florida State University

Florida State University is a public research university located in Tallahassee, the state capital. It is consistently ranked as one of the best value public education universities in the nation by the likes of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and Forbes’ listings of best value colleges, generally coming in within the top 30 for both out-of-state and in-state residents. With strong programs across the arts and sciences and within the education field, Florida State offers a variety of degree programs in the various disciplines of psychology and various counseling specialties, including several interdisciplinary degree programs and ranging in levels from baccalaureate to doctoral.

Florida State University Accreditation Details

Florida State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees ranging from associates to doctoral and specialist certificates in various disciplines. In addition, several individual colleges and programs of study are accredited by the appropriate agencies that oversee the relevant subject matter or work being done, including select degree programs in psychology, accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), and select programs in counseling, accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Florida State University Application Requirements

The admissions process at Florida State is a holistic one, in which all parts of a student’s application and previous educational experience are considered. Students seeking to enter as freshmen are required to create an online profile and submit an online application, forward all high school or GED transcripts showing coursework taken as part of a college preparation track, and provide all tests scores from the SAT or ACT or both. Although not required, students are strongly encouraged to also provide an essay on an assigned topic chosen from several provided options. This essay is also considered when determining admission status. Although specific minimum scores are not provided, the average GPA of those recently accepted ranged from 3.9 to 4.3, with SAT scores of 1770 to 1980 on the old SAT and 1270 to 1400 on the new SAT, or a range of 26 to 31 on the ACT.

Graduate admissions are also considered from a holistic standpoint, with students required to provide all transcripts showing previous college coursework, including degrees earned, and test scores on such graduate exams as the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Students seeking admissions to graduate studies must meet the general criteria of the university and any specific criteria set forth by the department or program of study in question.

Tuition and Financial Aid

As a public, state university, Florida State is considered one of the more affordable options for higher education at a four-year institution. Undergraduate tuition for Florida residents is assessed at $215.55 per credit hour and $721.10 for out-of-state residents. At the graduate level, tuition is assessed at $479.32 per credit hour for in-state residents and $1,110.72 for out-of-state residents.

Financial aid is available to help offset the costs involved with higher education. The first step to determining the types of aid that may be available to each student is for that student to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, and specify Florida State as your school of choice. The financial aid office at the university can then determine the level of need and coordinate any aid that is awarded. Some of the types of typical student aid include grants, loans, and scholarships, including the University Freshman Scholarship that is considered for all incoming freshman, regardless of need.

Psychology and Counseling Degree Options

Florida State University offers several options for students wishing to pursue a degree in one of the various areas of psychology or counseling. The Department of Psychology, housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, offers an undergraduate degree in general psychology and several graduate degrees in different specialty areas of psychology. Students can choose to pursue a Masters of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis or a doctoral degree in one of five specialties that include Social, Cognitive, Developmental, and Clinical Psychology, and Neuroscience.

The undergraduate degree includes courses that cover the basics of each of these specialties, as well as general research methods and a course in psychology careers. The major-specific coursework involves completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours in addition to the prerequisite courses in general psychology, biology, and statistics. Graduate degrees require between 30 and 60 graduate level credit hours and a dissertation research project. In some cases, such as the Clinical Psychology program, an internship is also required prior to graduating.

In addition, Florida State offers graduate combined degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Counseling Psychology and School Psychology. These programs are coordinated through the College of Education. The Mental Health Counseling program leads to a combined Master of Science and Educational Science degree (MS/EdS). It involves 69 credit hours taken over five full semesters and combines coursework, internships, and practica. Students graduating from this program will be eligible for licensure as mental health counselors, both within the state of Florida and in other states.

The Counseling Psychology and School Psychology program leads to a combined doctoral (PhD) degree and prepares graduates to become licensed psychologists in the state of Florida. Like other doctoral degree programs, this one involves a research dissertation and an internship. Students may choose to concentrate more on either the counseling psychology or the school psychology, or they can choose equal, or dual, concentrations in each.

Careers in the various areas of psychology and counseling are expected to increase through the year 2020 and beyond, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov ), making a degree in one of these fields a wise choice for students either just entering college or considering continued education beyond undergraduate work. And for those students who are seriously considering pursuing a career in one of these fields, the programs at Florida State University are considered some of the strongest and most cost-friendly in the country.

See also: Top 25 Most Affordable, Accredited Graduate Degrees in Psychology and Counseling in the South