Union University

Union University Counseling and Psychology Degree Offerings

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

Union University (UU) offers an undergraduate major or minor in psychology. The psychology program at UU is grounded in Christian principles that promote empathy and person-centered practices. Faculty brings a diverse 40 years of experience as private practice therapists, community health practitioners, and school psychologists to the classroom for a robust learning environment centered in real-world experiences. The psychology program prepares participants to earn graduate degrees in counseling, psychology, social work, education, or physical therapy. Graduates of the program find work as school psychologists, clinical psychologists, child and adolescent therapists, probation officers, counselors, research technicians, family service coordinators, attorneys, social workers, chaplains, and university residence life employees.

UU’s psychology major program requires 33 credit-hours. These consist of 15 credit-hours of core classes and 18 hours of electives. The minor option requires 21 credit-hours. Core psychology courses include Introduction to Psychology, Statistics for Behavioral Sciences, Abnormal Psychology, Advanced General Psychology, and Experimental Psychology. A range of electives allows students to tailor the program to their areas of interest. Some elective offerings are Adolescent Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Theories of Personality, Sport Psychology, and Contemporary Issues in the Family. Interdisciplinary choices like Issues in Psychology and Religion or Physiological Psychology make the psychology minor a productive choice for students who wish to have a multi-dimensional understanding of their field.

There are two opportunities for UU psychology students to participate in student organizations within their field. The first is the Psychology Club, a group that offers information about graduate programs and job opportunities in counseling and psychology. The organization encourages interaction and networking between psychology students and promotes current psychological writings and journals. The second opportunity is the Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology. Psi Chi is open to students who have completed 3 semesters with at least 9 psychology credit-hours. Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA to receive membership.

About Union University

Union University is a private, liberal arts university in Jackson, Tennessee. The institution maintains a close affiliation with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and an association with the Southern Baptist Convention. While the school welcomes students from all faith backgrounds, the Baptist faith tradition is an important part of student life both inside and outside the classroom. UU maintains university branches in Germantown and Hendersonville and currently has an enrollment of 4,259 students. The school traces its roots back to some of the oldest universities in the Southeast. UU is made up of a conglomeration of several older schools including the Union University of Murfreesboro, the Southwestern Baptist University, the Jackson Male Academy, and Hall-Moody Junior College of Martin, Tennessee.

While Union University’s main campus primarily offers undergraduate degrees, the Hendersonville and Germantown centers facilitate continuing adult education and graduate degrees in education, Christian studies, business, and nursing. Offered degrees include Master of Education and Doctor of Education.

Union University Accreditation Details

Union University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is a regional accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. UU was first accredited in 1948 and was most recently reaffirmed in 2017. The next accreditation review of the university is scheduled for 2027.

Union University maintains an affiliation with the Tennessee Association for Counseling and Development.

Union University Application Requirements

Undergraduate applicants to UU must have a degree from an accredited high school and have completed 20 units of core subjects. These subject prerequisites are four units of English, three units of mathematics, three units of social sciences, three units of natural sciences, and two units of foreign language or fine arts. Applicants must submit an online application with the $35 non-refundable application fee. Students who apply by an early deadline may have the fee waived. After completing the application, they must send official copies of high school transcripts and official ACT or SAT test scores to the UU admissions office. Accepted students must have a 2.5 high school GPA and a score of 22 on the ACT or 1100 on the SAT. If applicants only meet one of those criteria, they may still be accepted on an unconditional basis if they graduated in the top 50% of their class.

Students who do not meet the minimum academic requirements may still be accepted on a conditional basis. These applicants may request deeper evaluations of their test scores and transcripts. They may also submit recommendations from teachers, church leaders, or employers. Conditionally accepted students will be required to meet minimum GPA requirements during their first semesters at UU. They may also be admitted to the Keystone Program, a support system to ensure academic success for these students.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition for Union University is $15,775 per semester for full-time students completing between 12-16 credit-hours. Part-time students will pay $1,015 per credit-hour while students enrolled in 17 or more hours will pay $1,015 per hour in addition to the regular full-time tuition. Fees include a $530 General Student Fee, a $530 Registration Fee, and a one-time $150 Orientation Fee. Housing costs total $3,950 per semester and meal plans range from $440-1,745.

Students are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) by the deadline to determine their eligibility for government-funded grants and loans. UU offers scholarships based on academic achievement and test scores. These will automatically be awarded based on a student’s submitted application materials. Amounts awarded range from $6,500-11,500. This scholarship is awarded annually, and the student’s current collegiate academic performance will be considered for continuing eligibility. Other UU scholarships include an Alumni Legacy Scholarship, a Church Endowed Scholarship, and a First Generation Scholarship. These will be awarded based on a variety of eligibility criteria, and students must submit separate materials to be considered. Finally, some students may qualify for tuition waivers based on financial need.

For more information about Union University’s psychology program, visit their academic program page.