Friends University

Founded in 1898, Friends University is a non-denominational private Christian college in Wichita, Kansas. The school operates with a friendly but independent relationship with the Society of Friends’ evangelical branch. Friends University grants a number of degrees through a Graduate School (GRAD), the College of Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS) and the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education (CBASE).

Friends University Accreditation Details

Friends University is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It is also accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Additionally, the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Friends University Application Requirements

Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Friends University must complete the online application and send all official transcripts directly to the school. Graduate students must also submit a completed online application, pay the $50 application fee and send a letter of recommendation

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree from Friends University can expect to pay $13,575 per semester or $27,150 per year, which breaks down to $905 per credit hour. Those who wish to pursue a Master of Science in Family Therapy degree must complete 60 credit hours at $576 per credit hour for an annual tuition of $34,560.

Traditional undergraduate students pursuing a degree from the College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education are eligible for institutional scholarships, state aid, federal aid and scholarships from outside sources. Students in pursuing a graduate degree are also eligible for some types of federal aid as well as scholarships from outside sources. In general, to be eligible for financial aid, students must demonstrate financial need and be enrolled at least half-time while maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Students are encouraged to contact the school’s Financial Aid Office for more information.

Psychology and Counseling Degrees Available

Friends University offers three degrees in the fields of psychology and counseling: a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Master of Science in Family Therapy and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree which is offered through the College of Adult and Professional Studies. Each degree is designed to prepare students for successful and rewarding careers helping people of all ages, races and backgrounds.

Read: Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the Midwest

The 124-credit-hour Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree program is a practice-oriented degree designed to prepare students for graduate school or to work in the helping professions. In order to give students a broader base of application and study, psychology courses are combined with human service and sociology courses. In addition to coursework in the classroom, students are required to spend two semesters in field experiences to help them begin networking with other professionals and to prepare them for the workforce. This also serves as a strong experience foundation for graduate school. Students must complete 29 credit hours in topics such as abnormal psychology, social psychology, applied psychology, psychology of personality and human growth and development. In addition, students must complete three credit hours in general education courses and select an area of concentration such as psychology, human services or industrial psychology.

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology offers three areas of emphasis that allow students to focus on a particular area of interest within the program. Students are prepared to work for social service agencies and learn how to work with family intervention, families and counseling for all populations and age groups. Graduates will be able to demonstrate and understand the use of major research methods in psychology such as interpretation, data analysis and design. They will also develop an understanding of the major historical trends, research findings and theoretical approaches in psychology. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to apply the major psychological theoretical approaches to reality-based organizational, educational, emotional, motivational, social and personal issues.

Friends University also offers a Master of Science in Family Therapy degree. Students may take advantage of the opportunity to study this profession with on-campus classes in Kansas City or Wichita, which means plenty of exciting internships in these two large metropolitan areas. The field of marriage and family therapy is ideal for students who take value in helping others discover positive change during relationship and personal struggles. A family therapy degree from Friends University prepares students with the interpersonal, multicultural, clinical and theoretical competencies for eventual licensure and practice as a mental health professional in the field of marriage and family therapy.

The M.S. in Family Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Each year, students within this degree program provide more than 10,000 collective hours of relational services to families, couples and individuals. Via a comprehensive yet diverse curriculum, the MSFT program trains graduate students in the context of a systemic and relational perspective while producing ethically sound clinicians who have demonstrated competence in interpersonal, clinical, theoretical and multicultural domains. The core curriculum includes 36 credit hours, and students are expected to complete 16 credit hours in clinical training requirements and eight credit hours in elective courses.

Finally, Friends University offers a psychology program through its College of Adult and Professional Studies. This practice-oriented degree is designed to help adults continue onto graduate school or prepare them for careers in the fields of counseling and psychology. Classes are offered online and in the evenings so adult learners can maintain their family, work and other responsibilities. Adult students are given a broader base of application and study as the psychology courses are combined with human services and sociology courses. In addition to classroom and online studies, students are also required to spend two semesters in field experiences.

The adult learning psychology program at Friends University consists of 29 credit hours of core requirements, three credit hours of general education courses and one area of concentration such as psychology, human services or industrial psychology. To earn the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree on this track, adult learners must complete 124 total credit hours, 44 of which are in the major. Upon graduation with a psychology degree from Friends University, students are prepared for careers as clinical psychologists, career counselors, group counselors, marketing specialists, human resources specialists, health educator psychologists, social psychologists or school counselors.