Northeastern State University

Counseling and Psychology Degrees at Northeastern State University

Northeastern State University appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the South.

The Department of Psychology and Counseling at Northeastern State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Psychology that consists of 25 credit hours in core courses and 18 credit hours in electives. The Department also offers a CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Counseling degree. Students pursuing the 60-hour graduate degree may choose from three emphases, including school counseling, addiction counseling, and clinical mental health counseling. The master’s degree consists of 42 hours of core courses and 18 hours of specialization courses.

The B.S. in Psychology is one of NSU’s most popular majors, and graduates typically seek employment in the “helping fields” working as rehabilitation specialists and case managers in various agencies. Additionally, many graduates continue their education to pursue a graduate degree in psychology and/or counseling from NSU’s Graduate School. Students are required to take 25 credit hours in classes that study topics such as the psychology of personality, history and systems of psychology, abnormal psychology, physiological psychology, and psychological statistics. Other courses include an introduction to psychology, experimental psychology with laboratory material, and life-span development. Elective offers include applied psychology, childhood development, theories of learning, cognitive psychology, introduction to counseling, positive psychology, and psychology of adolescence.

The unique yet rigorous 60-credit-hour M.S. in Counseling prepares students for either further advanced study or for a counseling career. The program familiarizes students with the use of scientific principles and thought as applied to the practice of professional counseling. Students may choose one of three emphases, and they are required to complete a 600-clock-hour supervised internship experience. The M.S. in Counseling meets the educational requirements for becoming a Certified School Counselor (K-12), a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LADC), or a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oklahoma and a number of other states.

Upon graduation, students will possess expertise in professional orientation, research, career and lifestyle development, and social, family, and cultural issues. Students will also strengthen their knowledge of counseling techniques, methods, and theories as they relate to groups and individuals as well as assessment or appraisal techniques. Human growth and development and helping relationships are also covered throughout the program.

About Northeastern State University

Located on a 200-acre campus at the bottom of the Ozark Mountains in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Northeastern State University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River. The capital of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is in Tahlequah, and approximately 25 percent of NSU students identify as American Indian. The university offers a Cherokee language education major as well as a number of courses dedicated to Native American linguistics. Students may study Cherokee as a second language, and others are taught in Cherokee for those who speak it as a first language as well.

NSU offers more than 13 pre-professional programs, 18 graduate degrees, and 69 undergraduate degrees throughout its five colleges: Health & Science Professions, Optometry, Education, Liberal Arts, and Business & Technology. Students who are unable to attend classes on-campus due to family or work obligations may complete distance learning courses via video conferencing or the Internet.

Northeastern State University Accreditation Details

Northeastern State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and a number of its specific programs have earned specialized accreditation as well. The Master of Science in Counseling degree is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Those who are interested in becoming licensed professional counselors must prepare for licensure and/or certification, and be pursuing a degree that is CACREP-accredited. The CACREP reviews and evaluates educational programs and counseling majors to verify that they are meeting the national standards centered around eight different core areas: appraisal, research, professional issues, career development, group counseling, social foundations, helping relationships, and human growth.

Northeastern State University Application Requirements

Undergraduate students considering a B.S. in Psychology from Northeastern State University must complete an application and pay the $25 nonrefundable application fee. Undergraduates are also required to submit an official high school transcript showing at least seven semesters of coursework, ACT scores, grade point average (GPA), and current class rank. The official, final transcript must be mailed directly to NSU’s Office of Admissions. In general, Northeastern State University requires incoming first-time freshmen to have earned an ACT score of at least 20 and a minimum 2.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale.

Incoming graduate students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college and show evidence of an overall 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate work or a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. All master’s degree candidates must take the GMAT, GRE, or MAT exam prior to the end of the first semester of graduate studies provide proof of citizenship.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate Oklahoma residents taking 12 hours per semester, a full-time course load, can expect to pay $2,533 per semester for their degree, and out-of-state undergraduate students can expect to pay $5,608 per semester for their degree. In-state graduate students taking 12 hours per semester are charged $3,112 per semester, and out-of-state graduates are charged $6,469 for their degree. Prospective students should keep in mind that out-of-state tuition may vary as Northeastern State University may offer alternative tuition rates for residents of Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas.

Students interested in seeking financial aid must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Types of aid include grants, loans, and scholarships from private organizations, the federal government, the state of Oklahoma, and NSU. The school also recognizes Oklahoma’s Promise -- a program in which eighth-, ninth-, or 10th-grade students from families with a maximum yearly income of $55,000 may earn a scholarship to put toward their college education. In addition, Northeastern State University participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and offers military tuition assistance and other educational benefits to veterans, active servicemembers, and their dependents.