Mississippi College

Studying Counseling and Psychology at MC

Mississippi College appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Most Affordable, Accredited Graduate Degrees in Psychology and Counseling in the South

Founded in 1914 by Dr. W.H. Weathersby, the Department of Counseling & Psychology infuses Baptist values into seven programs for Mississippi College Choctaws called to promote people's well-being. Undergrads can pursue the 34-credit Psychology B.A. major that has a foreign language requirement for the applied study of behavior. The 40-credit Psychology B.S. major takes a more STEM approach to analyzing brain chemistry effects for grad school prep. Both share courses like Psychological Statistics, Abnormal Psychology, Personality Theory, and Human Development with a 15:1 student-faculty ratio for professor interaction. Other bachelor's opportunities include volunteering with Mission Byram, pledging Psi Chi, joining Psychology Club events, interning at Hinds County Human Services, studying abroad from Spain to South Korea, and practicing in the Experimental Psych Lab.

At the graduate level, the Department directed by Dr. Jan Lemon in Lowrey Hall lets Mississippi College pick from three custom tracks toward LPC licensing. The Mental Health Counseling M.S. follows a 60-credit, CACREP-accredited curriculum with 900 internship hours to join behavioral healthcare teams. The Marriage & Family Counseling M.S. utilizes a relational model in 60 credits and 600 internship hours for helping human connections prosper. The School Counseling M.Ed. trains Class A educators in a 60-credit plan with 600 field hours to support child development in grades K-12. Those already holding a master's enter the School Counseling Ed.S. for 18 extra credits, such as Counselor Supervision and Organizing Human Services. The 72-credit, intensive Doctor of Professional Counseling (DPC) also opens clinical leadership doors in a hybrid online format.

About Mississippi College

Mississippi College was established as Hampstead Academy in 1826, the United States' 50th anniversary, on former Choctaw Indian land as the Southern state's earliest college. Coeducational from the start, the Academy graduated the nation's first woman in 1831. After the Civil War, it was granted to the Mississippi Baptist Convention to become the private, four-year Christian NAICU member of today. Endowed for $73.7 million, MC upholds "Truth and Virtue" to teach 5,070 Choctaws, including Psychology and Counseling majors, with 80 percent retention. Mississippi College occupies a historic, 80-acre campus surrounding Provine Chapel on Mount Salus in the Jackson Metro. Linked to 14,866 LinkedIn alumni, MC has trained Albert G. Brown, Bernard Ebbers, Ross Barnett, Shelly Fairchild, and more.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Mississippi College the 32nd best Southern school, 21st most veteran-friendly campus, and 12th top value. On Niche, MC is America's 302nd best psychology college, 192nd best small school, and 114th most conservative institution. Forbes crowned MC the 373rd top private university with "C" finances. In Washington Monthly, Mississippi College has the 60th best Ph.D. completion success, 107th most ROTC participation, and 259th top graduation rate. PayScale recognized MC for a mid-career median salary of $75,200 with 4.6 percent annual ROI. College Factual also named Mississippi the third best Baptist school with the 71st best psychology value.

Mississippi College Accreditation Details

In January 2012, Mississippi College had its Level V accreditation renewed without sanctions for another decade by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) under CEO Dr. Lee Royce. This regional body in Decatur is authorized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to review MC's over 80 baccalaureate and 50 graduate programs for quality assured. Online learning is approved by the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) for NC-SARA reciprocity. Three master's have Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) approval through October 2019. The M.Ed. in School Counseling also meets the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards.

Mississippi College Application Requirements

The Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 49 percent shows that the Psychology B.A./B.S. at Mississippi College has "selective" criteria. First-year Choctaws must have completed a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent homeschool curriculum. Freshmen need to score at least 18 on the ACT or 940 on the SAT with a minimum "B-" average. Transfers are considered with 12+ college credits attempted for a cumulative 2.0 GPA or greater. Counseling students must finish an accredited bachelor's in an appropriate human services field. The M.Ed. in School Counseling requests Praxis scores above 156 in Reading, 162 in Writing, and 150 in Math for Class A licensure. The two M.S. programs expect GRE scores between 146-150 for verbal and 140-145 for quantitative or better. The Doctor of Professional Counseling mandates current LPC credentialing and 2+ years of relevant experiences.

Mississippi College has rolling admission until 2-6 weeks before each semester start. The one exception is for international students who abide deadlines of October 30th for Spring, March 16th for Summer, and July 9th for Fall. Hopeful psychology and counseling students can file the MC Admission Application wholly online. If necessary, extra materials can be submitted via eScrip, at [email protected], or to Box 4026 in Clinton, MS 39058. Most programs expect the following:

• $25 application fees ($35 for graduate)

• Official copies of all academic records

• Entrance tests, i.e. SAT, ACT, and GRE

• Two or three letters of recommendation

• Résumés or portfolios of counseling works

• Current teacher/counselor licenses if applicable

• 800-word, APA-format career goals essays

Tuition and Financial Aid

Declaring the Psychology B.A./B.S. Major at Mississippi College costs $8,500 per semester full-time. Part-time study will bill $532 per credit. Budgets include the $405 registration fee, $58 technology fee, and $50 health services fee. Living at the Clinton campus adds $3,785 to $8,400 each term based on housing option. The annual cost of attendance is roughly $32,385 for resident or $24,825 for commuter undergrads. Graduate tuition for M.S. or M.Ed. in Counseling degrees is $609 per credit for $36,540 total. The Doctor of Professional Counseling charges more at $660 per credit for a $47,520 price tag.

According to the NCES College Navigator, 91 percent of full-time MC Choctaws share $40.9 million in annual aid packages worth $11,125 on average. Available institutional funds include the Opportunity Grant, Heritage Scholarship, Provine Scholarship, Hampstead Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, Christian Ministry Scholarship, and Hillman Award. Filing the FAFSA after October 1st via code 002415 could open the Need-Based Mississippi College Grant. Psychology B.A./B.S. students could earn Federal Pell or FSEOG Grants too. Hospitality State natives welcome the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant, Eminent Scholars Grant, and Healthcare Professions Loan/Scholarship. The Counseling Program's graduate assistantships for 10-20 hours weekly are limited. Mississippi College also accepts Direct or PLUS loans, GI Bill military benefits, and external scholarships from organizations like Psi Chi.

Learn more about Mississippi College at the Psychology & Counseling Department website.