Quick Highlights:
- Our #1 ranking college for a bachelor’s in child and adolescent psychology is Eastern Kentucky University, followed by Southern New Hampshire University.
- A degree in child and adolescent psychology leads to a fulfilling career helping youth.
- Technology impacts child development, and psychologists study these effects.
- Graduates work in social services, education, and further academic research.
One of the best child and adolescent psychology degrees is a ticket to a fulfilling and fruitful career.
It can be challenging to choose a career. How do you find a job that makes you feel accomplished and pays the bills? Well, how about child and adolescent psychology? People in this sector make impressive salaries, help our youth, and do well in the world. If you’re interested in this area of work, consider one of the 5 Best Bachelor’s in Child and Adolescent Psychology.
The field has centuries-old roots, but it’s still under constant innovation. Every day, we learn more about the psychology of children. They’re the most malleable humans on the planet. It takes meticulous research to understand how children develop and how to cater to them through our educational and social systems.
Children raised today sit behind iPads, televisions, and more technology than any generation before it. While research has shown that technology doesn’t necessarily have an adverse effect on children, it does modify our relationship with them and their connection to the world. It is the job of researchers in the child psychology field to find exactly how to cater to children in today’s changing environment.
What are the Best Child and Adolescent Psychology Degrees?
At CollegeRank, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@www.collegerank.net.
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University offers an excellent online bachelor’s in child & family studies program. This program grants the education and qualifications to work as a social worker, educator, or institutional worker. It can also serve as a qualification for master’s or doctoral programs in psychology or a similar field.
Some courses that students in this program take are Managerial Reports, Child Development: Conception-Eight Years, Management Information Systems, and Family Stress and Resilience. Students can also choose a Child Development Concentration, in which they would take Program Planning for Preschool Children, Early Childhood Literacy, and Research Analysis in Child and Family Studies.
Students must complete 120 credit hours to graduate from Eastern Kentucky University. Each credit hour costs $409, which is relatively affordable compared with most programs, especially with one of the program’s financial aid options. To gain admission to this program, students must submit official transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and the online application.
Southern New Hampshire University
If psychology is your goal, Southern New Hampshire University will take you there. The university offers an excellent Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development.
The school’s curriculum combines leading psychology courses taught by acclaimed faculty with internships and research opportunities. Take note that this program can be taken online or on campus.
Some classes that students take are Introduction to Psychology, Research II: Scientific Investigations, Abnormal Psychology, and Cognitive Psychology. Students supplement their psychology major with electives, including Public Speaking, Writing for Public Relations, Crimes Against Children, and Introduction to Ethics.
Class sizes at SNHU are notably small. Each class has between 15 and 20 people, meaning students receive personalized attention and the time to ask questions. Each credit costs $320, and more than 90% of SNHU students receive financial aid, making this child psychology program one of the more affordable options on this list.
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Psychology program. While the program doesn’t have a concentration in child and adolescent psychology, the Middle Tennessee State University does teach students the essential practices that every kind of psychologist uses. Students can enroll in this program on-campus or online.
Students must take nine core courses. Some of them are General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Basic Statistics for Behavioral Science. Besides these core classes, students must choose three electives.
Some available electives are Introduction to Psychological Testing, Child Psychology, Organizational Psychology, and Psychosexual Adjustment. The major is 38 total credits. Students fill the rest of their undergraduate degree with general education requirements.
Enrolled students receive several benefits from Middle Tennessee State University. One critical perk of being a student in this program is the availability of a free tutor both on-campus and online. Students in this program can also receive several types of financial aid and scholarships.
Liberty University
Do you hold Christianity close to your heart? But at the same time, you want to focus on psychology? While the two may not sound compatible, they indeed are: Liberty University offers an excellent Bachelor of Science program in psychology.
This program serves as an excellent preparatory option for aspiring psychologists and religious Christians alike.
This program has eight possible tracks for students: general, addictions and recovery, Christian counseling, criminal psychology, crisis counseling, developmental psychology, life coaching, and military resilience. Some courses in the developmental psychology track are Psychology of Childhood, Psychology of Adolescence, Gerontology, and Psychology of Adulthood. Students supplement these classes with Christian-focused and liberal arts courses.
Students need to complete 125 hours of coursework to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Besides classes, students also complete a three-credit internship to meet the program requirements. One notable aspect of Liberty University is its decision to freeze tuition rates five years ago. Thus, you won’t face unexpected tuition hikes during your stay in the program.
Baker College
Are you far more focused on psychology, and liberal arts classes may not mean too much to you? If so, consider Baker College’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology program.
While other programs’ psychology courses comprise between one-quarter and one-half of the total classes, students at Baker College fill 90 of their 120 credits with psychology courses.
Some classes that students take are Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Motivation and Emotion, Learning and Memory, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Students only take ten general education courses. Some of them are Cultural Diversity, Group Dynamics, Oral Communication, and College Composition.
This program caters to people who want to become psychologists. If you seek a future in education or social work, you will find greater benefits from other programs on this list. If you’re focused on psychology, though, there may not be a better program on this list. With 30 courses in psychology, Baker graduates arrive at doctoral programs in an excellent position to excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
This specialized field of psychology focuses on understanding the psychological development, behavior, and mental health of children and adolescents. In a bachelor’s degree program, you spend time studying different aspects such as cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development during childhood and adolescence. With this degree, you can pursue careers in counseling, education, research, or clinical psychology with a focus on younger populations.
A Bachelor’s in Child and Adolescent Psychology is worth it for the right person. If you’re passionate about understanding and working with young people, you can enjoy job opportunities in education, social services, and youth advocacy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in social and community service management are projected to grow 9% through 2032.
There are many different jobs you can get with a child and adolescent psychology degree. Some options include:
• Child life specialists
• Child welfare case workers
• Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
• Education consultants
• Kindergarten and elementary school teachers or psychologists
• Special education teachers
• Social workers
• Youth program coordinators
With a child and adolescent psychology degree, you can expect to make an average pay of $55,350/year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10% make $87,300/year, on average. Industries that pay the highest wages for this occupation include hospitals, local government, and ambulatory healthcare services.
Yes, there are scholarships available for students pursuing a degree in child psychology. Some specific scholarships for undergraduates include:
• Psi Chi Undergraduate Scholarships
• The Melanie Foundation Scholarship
Some classes that students take in these programs are Family Involvement with Young Children, Nutrition in the Life Cycle, Early Childhood Literacy, and Early Childhood Health Care. Many classes are psychology-focused, but courses also concentrate on practical methods in social work and education.
It takes four years, on average, to get a Bachelor’s in Child Psychology as a full-time student. Most programs require 120 credits, which means students must complete between 12 and 15 credits each semester to graduate within four years.
Yes. There are some math requirements in child psychology, especially in research and statistical analysis. Research methods in psychology often include statistical techniques to analyze data. But the level of mathematical proficiency required is usually not as extensive as in some other fields within psychology. Plan on taking statistics and college algebra.
Being a child psychologist can be rewarding, but like any profession, it comes with challenges. Some potential downsides include:
• Administrative Burden
• Dealing with Parents
• Emotional Labor and Stress
• Job Market Competition
• Limited Resources
• Workload
It’s important to weigh these factors against the rewards and personal fulfillment that come with helping children and families.
Related: