Founded in 1890, Washington State University (WSU) ranks among the Evergreen State's largest public college systems. The WSU community includes five physical campuses located throughout Washington state. Situated in the state's southeastern region, the WSU Pullman campus is the oldest and largest in the system.
Other campuses include:
- WSU Spokane, which serves as the system's health sciences campus
- WSU Tri-Cities, located along the Columbia River
- WSU Vancouver, which serves the Portland, Oregon metro area
- WSU Everett, in the suburbs of Seattle
WSU also operates a fully accredited online school branded as the system's Global Campus. As of the fall 2023 semester, WSU had a total enrollment of 26,490 students, including 34.1% students of color and 5.4% international students. Undergraduates make up about 83% of the total student body.
WSU's 2,300-plus instructors include 11 National Academy members and five professors in the top 1% of the world's most-cited academics. On the whole, WSU has a 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Enrollees can choose from more than 200 fields of study, many of which take advantage of the school's multiple world-class research facilities. In 2022, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) tracked an 81% retention rate among full-time first-year students. NCES data also reported a six-year graduation rate of 59%. According to the school, graduates with bachelor's degrees have average mid-career salaries of more than $110,000 per year.
Popular Online Counseling Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Washington State University Accreditation Details
WSU has been continuously accredited for more than a century and currently holds accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). NWCCU will conduct its next review of WSU in 2024.
In addition to institutional accreditation, WSU holds 54 specialized endorsements from programmatic accreditors. These specialized accreditations include recognition from such prestigious bodies as:
- ABET
- American Psychological Association
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Washington Professional Educator Standards Board
WSU has participated in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) tuition reciprocity compact since 1999. The WUE extends tuition breaks to residents of regional states attending WSU and other public colleges in Washington.
Washington State University is a National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) member. This status indicates that the school's online programs meet elevated academic quality assurance standards, opening access to WSU's Global Campus beyond Washington state.
Washington State University Admission Requirements
According to NCES data, WSU's admission rate at the beginning of the 2022 academic year was 83.1%. This relatively high acceptance rate reflects the school's size, as WSU has thousands of slots for incoming students. In 2022, WSU admitted more than 16,100 new learners.
WSU's undergraduate admission requirements align with Washington Student Achievement Council standards. These include a GPA of at least 2.0 and full completion of the state's academic distribution requirements for college-bound students. Key academic distribution requirements include the following:
- Four English credits
- Three math, social science, and science credits
- Two world languages credits
- One arts credit
Each undergraduate applicant must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. WSU maintains a test-free policy, meaning SAT/ACT scores are not required. First-year students must apply by May 1 to receive consideration for the upcoming fall semester.
Mandatory application materials include high school transcripts and a $70 application fee. Specific programs may require additional documents or application items.
Graduate school admissions are jointly handled by WSU's graduate dean and the college or department to which you plan to apply.
Tuition and Financial Aid
WSU's tuition varies slightly by campus. The following rates apply to undergraduates at WSU Pullman for the 2023-2024 academic year:
- Washington state resident: $5,777
- Out-of-state resident: $13,815
- Mandatory fees: $721 for in-state and out-of-state students
Graduate students at WSU Pullman paid the following rates for the 2023-2024 academic year:
- Washington state resident: $6,627
- Out-of-state resident: $14,210
- Mandatory fees: $573 for in-state and out-of-state students
WSU Global Campus (online) students faced the following fees for the 2023-2024 school year:
- Washington state resident, undergraduate: $5,674
- Out-of-state resident, undergraduate: $6,326
- Graduate: $6,524
Students in some programs pay different rates. Special tuition rates apply to learners in WSU's MBA, nursing, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine programs. Military service personnel and veterans pay in-state tuition rates to attend WSU, regardless of residency status.
WSU features more than 700 scholarship programs, which provided nearly $180 million in financial aid during the 2020-2021 school year. The school also participates in federal and state-level financial aid programs, which offer grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.
Three-quarters of WSU students received some form of financial aid in 2020-2021, with only 31% of enrolled learners paying the school's full official tuition amount.
Online Counseling and Related Degrees Available
Counseling-related programs offered through WSU's Global Campus include a bachelor of science in psychology. Students can lay the academic foundations for specialized counseling education and future professional licensure by earning this degree.
According to WSU, the online BS in psychology has consistently ranked among the top 25 fully online degree programs in the United States. The following section provides an in-depth profile for prospective learners researching education options.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The WSU Global Campus BS in psychology covers 120 credits, including 35 semester hours in required major coursework. Of those credits, students must earn a total of 40 credits at the 300-400 level, with at least 15 credits covering psychology. Full-time students can normally complete the program in four academic years.
WSU's 100% online programs use asynchronous models with pre-recorded lectures. Online BS in psychology students can self-schedule their learning.
Required Courses
Psychology majors must complete a 14-credit sequence of core coursework. These courses span the 100-300 levels, and include:
- PSYCH 105: Introductory Psychology
- PSYCH 210: Psychology as a Science
- PSYCH 311: Statistics in Psychology
- PSYCH 312: Research Methods in Psychology
Enrollees must also meet WSU's University Writing Portfolio requirements. For online BS in psychology students, these requirements are covered by PSYCH 312 plus at least one of four writing-related electives at the 300-400 level.
Focus Areas
You can choose from three concentrations, which WSU calls "focus areas." These study paths apply psychology electives to targeted topics, helping you build a specialization.
Options include:
- Clinical psychology and counseling
- Neuroscience and cognition
- Social and motivational
The clinical psychology and counseling track includes coursework in:
- Addiction
- Behavioral disorders in children and adolescents
- Developmental psychology
- Gender psychology
- Health psychology
You can also supplement your focus area coursework with psychology electives in areas like psychological testing methods, forensic psychology, and work-related stress factors.
Information for Transfer Students
WSU's transfer policies strive to provide a smooth and seamless path to enrollment. If you hope to start at the university in the spring semester, you must submit your transfer request by Nov. 15. If you hope to start in the fall semester, you must apply by Aug. 7.
All transfer students work with admissions counselors. WSU considers all transfer credit coursework on an individual basis. Transfer students must also meet WSU's admission standards for the program they wish to join.
Online Learning and Student Outcomes
The WSU Global Campus has enjoyed strong growth during the 2020s, sparked by a 23.2% surge in online enrollment in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The trend continued into 2021, when the WSU Global Campus student body grew by another 1.2% to reach nearly 4,100 undergraduate and graduate learners.
According to NCES data, 60% of 2014-2015 WSU cohorts had been awarded an academic credential as of August 31, 2022. In 2021-2022, WSU awarded 466 bachelor's degrees in psychology, along with seven master's degrees and 12 doctorates.