Hobe Sound Bible College

HSBC Degrees for Counseling and Psychology Majors

Hobe Sound Bible College appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Small Colleges for a Counseling Degree.

Hobe Sound Bible College offers programs for pastors and other religious leaders as well as students who want to work in similar positions when they graduate. It offers an Associate of Arts in Counseling program that is suitable for students who want to learn more about helping others without committing themselves to four years of work. Students can finish this program in only two years and then transition into a bachelor's program.

The college has a general Bachelor of Arts in Counseling program and offers four minors that go along with that program. Students can minor in ministerial studies and learn how they can help their parishioners, but they also minor in the TESOL program and find out how to work with those who speak English as their second language. The college also offers minors in music for those who play an instrument or sing and intercultural studies for students who work with and around people from other countries and cultures. Students in the BA Counseling program can also select a minor in teacher education to get their teaching licenses.

Each program includes a general education core that is worth 45 credit hours and a counseling core that is worth 36 credit hours. Those required counseling classes include Assessment in Counseling, Introduction to Group Counseling, Human Sexuality in Counseling and Contemporary Issues in Counseling. The program features a counseling internship requirement too. Students will spend two semesters working for a local agency and assisting with the needs of individual clients. Hobe Sound Bible College may go on to find work in the psychology field or further their studies in a graduate program.

About Hobe Sound Bible College

Hobe Sound Bible College is a private college founded on the principles of the conservative holiness movement. Established in 1960 by a leader of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, it opened as the Hobe Sound Bible Institute. Like other schools of its type, it offered courses for pastors and others who wanted to work as religious leaders. Its founder worked with others to find a spot for the campus and to raise the funds needed to build its campus. Students from all across North America signed up for classes when the school opened its doors.

Though enrollment never grew as rapidly as it did at other colleges, Hobe Sound Bible College likes its low enrollment because it really helps students form the connections that they need while in college and after they graduate. The college is now one of the only in Florida that offers both Associate and Bachelor programs. Some students complete a two-year degree before enrolling in a bachelor's program, but other students complete just a two-year program and then work for their churches. Hobe Sound Bible College is also home to the Hobe Sound Christian Academy. This academy offers classes for students all the way up through high school. Education majors have the chance to work with those students as they finish their degrees.

Hobe Sound Bible College Accreditation Details

Though students should consider factors such as the courses available in specific majors and the cost of attending a college, they should also make sure that the university has accreditation. Hobe Sound Bible College has accreditation, which is important for two different reasons. It's important for transfer students because it lets them know that the credits they earned at the university are worth their weight. Accreditation also allows students to complete the FAFSA as they apply for financial aid. As this college only has national accreditation from the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) though, students may not have as many financial aid opportunities available to them. They may have problems transferring credits too.

Hobe Sound Bible College Application Requirements

Hobe Sound Bible College offers an interest form online for students who want to learn more about its campus and degree programs. Students can complete this form in just a few minutes, and they can fill it on a computer or a mobile device. The college will have an admissions counselor contact that student. This gives prospective students the chance to learn about financial aid and degree requirements before they apply.

Those who want to apply can download the application packet, which only takes a few seconds. This packet asks for a name, date of birth, social security number, home address and the name(s) of the student's parent(s). It also includes a section that asks the applicant whether he or she plans to live on the Hobe Sound campus or with parents and when the student wants to start classes. They will also answer a few other questions and agree to follow the college's code of conduct. Hobe Sound Bible College asks students to submit a statement of testimony and three reference forms. Those forms will list the names and contact information for one academic or professional reference, the student's pastor and one other individual.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Though Hobe Sound Bible College is a Christian college, it's more affordable than other religious schools. Tuition for undergrads starts at $325 per credit hour. Students taking between 12 and 18 credits in a semester will pay a flat rate of $2,775. If they take any credits above this amount, they'll pay $200 per credit hour for those credits only. Students also pay fees that can rise above $1,000 each year. Online students pay $175 in tuition and $25 in fees, which brings their tuition up to $200 per credit hour. The college also offers low prices for those who want to live on its campus. Students pay around $3,000 per semester for both room and board.

Each student who applies to the college will work with a financial aid counselor to decide which options are best for them. Salutatorians qualify for a $500 grant, while valedictorians qualify for a $1,000 grant. If at least one parent or guardian works for the church, students will qualify for a 10% discount on their total tuition. There are also at least three grant programs open to Florida college students and multiple loans as well. The college even has its own referral program. When a student enrolls in a counseling or any other program at Hobe Sound Bible College and lists the name of a current student on his or her application, the referring student will receive a $500 grant.