10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Child Psychology

The University of Southern Mississippi’s mission statement revolves around creating well-rounded graduates with a focus on ethics, equipped to tackle a changing, multicultural world. Their teachings focus on equipping students to succeed in various contexts, helping children, families, and couples, and working in differing settings, such as the education system, mental health practices, and social services. 

In this program, you’ll specialize in one of two emphasis areas:

• Family Sciences
• Child Development

A focus on Child Development is suited to students who want to pursue a career in the field of early childhood education, while a focus on Family Sciences is for those who want a career relating to social services, non-profits, or parent education. 

Whether a student is specializing in Family Sciences or Child Development, the tuition fees are the same. The average annual cost of tuition for Southern Mississippi’s child psychology program is $14,923, falling below the national average. However, the School of Child and Family Sciences offers 13 scholarships to prospective students every year.  

The university’s Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Sciences, Human Development & Family Studies is geared toward those working within Head Start agencies. These services are a combined public improvement effort from more than 1,700 private and not-for-profit agencies, which design community services for children and families. 

Tuition for the University of Alabama’s course runs at $385 per credit hour, with 120 credit hours required to pass the course. There’s also a $10-per-hour HES undergraduate fee that applies to the online programs. Professionals who have prior work experience can also apply for credits that count toward their degree. 

Students in this course will understand how children grow and develop from birth to eight years of age. They’ll understand the child-parent relationship, as well as the social, physical, emotional, and cognitive developmental stages that children go through. 

The University of Saint Joseph focuses on a rigorous professional education with a background that places heavy emphasis on ethical values, personal and professional integrity, and the need for responsibility toward fellow members of society. The university welcomes prospective applicants from all backgrounds, though the institution is grounded in its Catholic heritage, which is woven through its principles. 

To apply for this Connecticut program, students require a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher. Those who are accepted onto the course must maintain this GPA as a minimum throughout their studies.

To successfully complete the course, you’ll need to attain 39 credits; this is made up of a combination of:

• 3-credit modules
• 6 credits of supporting coursework,
• 6 additional credits from approved related courses

As part of your Child Study BA with The University of Saint Joseph, you’ll undertake two internships from a range of over 80 approved partner agencies. These might be with religious charities, juvenile and family courts, sexual health clinics, and more. 

Central Michigan University is a nationally-ranked institution with more than 50 locations across the states. Students can involve themselves in almost 400 clubs and societies, as well as participate in a volunteering program that could get them into helping places like New Orleans and Brazil. 

To pass the course, students will need to complete 120 credits, with the tuition cost per credit standing between $477 and $521, depending on specialization. These may consist of four distinct course types, including general education courses, core courses, concentration courses, and planned electives. 

The two subtypes of general education courses consist of university program courses–designed to give you a foundation in the following courses:

• Humanities
• Social sciences
• Natural sciences
• Global studies

It also includes competency requirements, focusing on skills in writing, speaking, math, and quantitative reasoning.

Those with less concrete academic foundations may find a place at Central Michigan University. While students are asked to possess a GPA of at least 2.0, the department will consider applicants with a GPA of between 1.50 and 1.99 for conditional admission. 

Drexel University comes within the top 100 universities according to national ranking. Some of the notable alumni from this institution include astronauts Christopher Ferguson and Paul W. Richards. Admissions criteria for this course are fairly stringent; applicants are expected to have a GPA of at least 2.5, with high school transcripts, and ACT/SAT scores from the past five years. 

Drexel’s tuition fees are above average compared to competing institutions, standing at $473 per credit. As far as overall costs go, it’s the most expensive course on our list of the best online bachelor’s in child psychology. 

However, compared to the on-campus cost per credit, this represents a saving of 52% on each credit. The program is also eligible for financial aid, with a range of special tuition rates also available for alumni, members of the armed forces, and members of some partner organizations. 

The course itself is broken down into four 10-week quarters each academic year, rather than two semesters. This allows students to take a larger number of courses over a shorter study period. The course consists of 180-quarter credits rather than the usual 120 credits, owing to the university’s system of using four quarters instead of two semesters. 

The University of North Florida ranks high for quality and value, often finding itself at the top of national lists by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and more. 

All applicants to the University of North Florida must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to be considered. In addition, there’s an application fee, and students will have to provide official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores. It’s also recommended that a letter of recommendation and personal statement be provided with the above materials.

The degree requires 120 credits for graduation and depending on your prior experience, these should be made up of a number of course types. These include

• prerequisites
• foundation modules
• experimental courses
• major requirements
• major electives
• free electives
• upper-level hours

This 120-credit course gifts students with knowledge and understanding of the developmental stages children go through during their early years. You’ll also learn about the influences of society on the development of individuals and families, and the interpersonal skills needed for effective relationships. Students will also learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to understand and promote stronger family connections.

Tuition fees for online-only courses taken at South Dakota State University stand at $354.75 per credit hour. For some students, it may be possible to qualify for financial aid. In other cases, scholarships are available, requiring a personal statement and letters of recommendation if you qualify to apply.

Whereas some programs look at the full spectrum of age, the BA in Child Psychology at Bay Path University focuses on all aspects of child development. By graduation, you’ll understand the significant milestones and stages of a child’s growth and development, the causes of childhood mental illness, behavioral analysis and interventions, and diagnostics. 

You’ll also engage with active projects and be given the opportunity to undertake an internship with a partner organization. This will prepare you to gain the professional skills needed to enter a role as a child psychologist, school counselor, social worker, or special education teacher, for example–though some roles will require further study. 

Tuition for the online course stands at $37,972, making it above the national average for this type of program. However, the university has a range of scholarships available, ranging from $12,000 to $20,000, including the “Pathways Award,” “Seize the Day Award,” “Dean’s Scholarship,” “Provost’s Scholarship,” and “1897 Founders Scholarship.” 

As an online learner at Penn State, you’ll be studying as part of the “Penn State World Campus.” Launched in 1998, this branch of the official university allows learners from around the world the ability to earn their degree solely online. The platform has been nurtured and developed well since its launch and there are now more than 150 programs to choose from. 

In 2024, Penn State’s online bachelor’s degree programs were recognized as one of the “Best Online Programs” according to the U.S. News & World Report. Thanks to investments in the platform, it’s one of the better online learning environments you’ll find today. 

The Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies looks at the full age spectrum for children, from birth to old age. It examines how this process can be influenced by society, families, and the communities we live in. The program also teaches on how to apply this thinking to create interventions that improve people’s well-being. 

Tuition rates for this university depend on the number of credits taken per course and the number taken per semester. As a course requiring 120 credits for graduation, the flat rate for tuition is $7,678 per semester (the cost per credit otherwise is $632).

The University of Nebraska established the world’s first undergraduate psychology laboratory and was one of the first institutions to award doctoral degrees. It’s no wonder that it is still seen as a leading teaching and research institution, with numerous grant-funded projects designed to help students in their studies. 

The Early Childhood Education in a Mobile Society program is broken down into 120 credit hours for online learners. At the end of the course, students must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 to graduate. Learning is split across 10 terms, consisting of a combination of core requirements, electives, and other modules, with most terms requiring 15 hours worth of study. 

The cost per credit is $435 per hour. Numerous scholarships are also available for students from different backgrounds.