Nyack College

Nyack College was established in 1882 as the Missionary Training Institute by Canadian C&MA founder Albert Benjamin Simpson and his wife, Margaret. By 1944, the Institute was registered with the New York State Education Department to confer Bachelor of Arts degrees. Now endowed for $11.9 million, Nyack operates as a private, nonprofit master's-level Christian CCCU member. Nyack College enrolls 1,553 undergrad and 1,241 post-grad Warriors at three major campuses in Rockland County, Manhattan, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The U.S. News ranked Nyack within America's top 10 most diverse institutions. The Wall Street Journal included Nyack College within the best 20 schools for campus environment nationwide. On Niche, Nyack is also the country's 96th best religious studies university and 74th most conservative college.

Nyack College Accreditation Details

Renewed in 2015 under president Michael G. Scales, Nyack College holds 10-year regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). This agency is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit all Nyack's 41 bachelor's and 10 master's majors at the Rockland, Manhattan, or online campuses. The Alliance Graduate School of Counseling maintains programmatic approval from the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy (COAMFTE). Please note that Nyack withdrew from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP).

Nyack College Application Requirements

Despite its "less selective" classification for 100 percent acceptance in Fall 2016, Nyack College has certain admission criteria to meet. Freshmen entering the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology need a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Credits are available for ambitious scholars going beyond the NYS Regents curriculum for AP Psychology scores above 3. Admitted B.A. majors have a median GPA of 2.81 in high school. On average, Nyack undergrads present an SAT score of 980 and ACT score of 19. Transfers can bypass standardized tests with 15+ credits from regionally accredited colleges and minimum "C-" grades.

Graduate cohorts pursuing the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy must prove the completion of a four-year bachelor's. Nyack's AGSC only accepts foreign transcripts via World Education Services with a minimum TOEFL pBT score of 550. Hopeful post-grads must register for the mandatory MMPI-2 and MCMI-IV tests. Although your major is moot, students must meet prerequisites in general psychology, abnormal psychology, counseling theories, and developmental psychology or family studies. Preference is given for a cumulative GPA above 2.75 in the last 60 baccalaureate credits. Admitted master's applicants typically score at least 153 (verbal) and 150 (quantitative) on the GRE exam.

Nyack College has established rolling admission with a final deadline of August 30th for Fall start dates. Prospective psychology and counseling majors will submit their signed application online for a $25 processing fee ($30 for post-grads). Extra materials could be mailed to 1 South Blvd. in Nyack, NY 10960 or emailed to [email protected] if necessary. The following documents are required for entry:

• High school or college transcript requests

• One pastoral and one faculty recommendation

• Official college entrance exam reports

• Typed, two-page Christian experience statement

• Answers to the "Calling to Counsel" questions

• English proficiency proof and F1 visa if applicable

Tuition and Financial Aid

Traditional full-time B.A. tuition in Rockland or New York City costs $25,000 per year. Nyack requires paying a $350 technology fee and $150 health services fee. Online bachelor's courses are charged $620 per credit. Living on-campus adds $9,450 for room and board. Total annual cost of attendance for undergrads is $34,950 full-time. The Alliance Graduate School of Counseling currently bills $585 per credit. M.A. students won't escape the $350 technology fee. Post-grads seeking the AGSC Apts in Rockland County will pay $1,450 per month.

According to the NCES, 92 percent of full-time Nyack Warriors share $20.24 million in yearly financial assistance for a median amount of $14,175 each. Psychology or counseling majors could claim institutional funds like the Nyack Scholars Grant, Dean's List Scholarship, C&MA Undergraduate Grant, Service Grant, Ministerial Dependent Grant, Young Life Leadership Grant, or Summer Camp Staff Grant. Regional programs, including the Laura Chappell PA Grant and Margaret Loris OH Grant, are available. New Yorkers often receive the Tuition Assistance Program, Part-Time TAP, or NYS Military Service Recognition Scholarship. The NYS Child Welfare Loan Forgiveness option could erase Perkins and Stafford loans. Financially needy undergrads might earn the Pell Grant or Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

Related link:Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the Northeast

Psychology and Counseling Degrees at Nyack

The College of Arts & Sciences has partnered with the Alliance Graduate School of Counseling to provide three degrees to Nyack College Warriors called into human services since 1999. Self-proclaimed the East Coast's fastest-growing Christian counseling college, Nyack advocates for the whole-person approach envisioned by Helen Harris Perlman. Also aligned to ACA Code of Ethics, Nyack's courses have a low 12:1 student-professor ratio for personalized attention to each therapist's own psychospiritual needs. Learn to nurture healthy minds with these three Nyack programs:

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Chaired by Dr. Agnia Assur in Betty Knopp Hall, Nyack's Bachelor of Arts in Psychology integrates Biblical theology into the study of psychological facts on behavior for application in mental health fields. At the Rockland campus, the 42-credit major features courses like addictions theory, human sexuality, family counseling, and clinical intervention. Majors might also review journals on EBSCO Host, join Students Against Hunger, intern with MHA of Westchester, study abroad in Israel, log into online courses, tutor in the Nyack Writing Center, and attend the Long Island Psychology Conference.

Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling

Available at the high-tech Manhattan campus or online, the Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling is directed by Antoinette Gines-Rivera, PhD, for Nyack post-grads to attain the sound therapeutic methods for ethically addressing human strife. Qualified for NYS licensure, the 63-credit, Biblical-based curriculum admits cohorts of up to 24 students for evening courses from human development theory to trauma intervention and play therapy. Other opportunities include taking the Global Service Learning course to Honduras, sitting for the NCE Exam, and completing the 700+ practicum hours at Manhattan Psychiatric Center.

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy

Reporting a 100 percent MFT exam pass rate in 2014, the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is a two-year, faith-focused graduate degree for Christian specialists seeking to heal relationships in a distinctly urban context through preventative enrichment. Led by Dr. Andrew Mercurio, the 61-credit curriculum satisfies COAMFTE criteria for psycho-educational prevention in three specializations: Play Therapy, Sex Therapy, and Medical Family Therapy. The Rockland Campus of Nyack College also lets evening post-grad cohorts complete 400-hour internships in settings like VCS, take Gottman Institute training, and gain AAMFT membership.