Psychology, BA

Program Details

The online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at CU Denver has a strong focus on psychological principles and research methods. Students will explore issues in the humanities, social sciences, and life sciences and learn how to approach them from a psychological perspective.

CU Denver’s online BA in Psychology program focuses on experimental psychology, biopsychology, animal behavior, developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, personality, industrial/organizational psychology and abnormal psychology. Additionally, you will be exposed to various research methods and inferential statistics.

A degree in psychology is beneficial to students who are interested in a career in psychology as well as those interested in other fields. Graduates with a BA in Psychology are able to develop a working knowledge of psychological areas, apply psychological content and skill to meet professional goals, apply ethical standards to science, and professional practice, effectively write, speak and interact with others, and engage in science-based reasoning to interpret behaviors and solve problems. These skills are interchangeable and valuable in any industry, not just psychology.

Additionally, many BA in Psychology graduates go on to study psychology or another field in graduate degree work. Whether you’re interested in pursuing graduate level study in psychology or another area of study including social work, education, law, criminal justice, medicine and health science, among others, a BA in Psychology can help you build a solid foundation to pursue your graduate education.

Timeline

The BA in Psychology requires a minimum of 37 credit hours in psychology, including the following:

• 6 required core courses (PSYC 1000, 1005, 2090, 2220, 3090 and 4511)
• 2 Group A electives (including PSYC 3222 and/or PSYC 4144)
• 3 Group B electives (including PSYC 3205, 3215 and/or 4415)
• 1 additional upper-division psychology elective (any group)
• 1 integrative course

Minimum of 16 upper-division credit hours in PSYC courses taken from CU Denver faculty. No more than 56 credit hours in psychology can count towards graduation. For transfer students, we require at least 16 upper-division credit hours taught by CU Online faculty.

One of the main benefits of an exclusively online education is flexibility. You can take as many classes as fit into your schedule and complete the program at your speed. Though you can complete many of our undergraduate degrees in four years by taking a full course load, you also have the option to take fewer credits and complete the program over more time.

Admissions

Admission requirements and deadlines vary based on the program. In addition, you will have different requirements depending on if you are a first-time student, a transfer student or an international student. 

Learn more about the admissions process by filling out the form above or contacting an Enrollment Navigator today.

Career Outlook

One of the main benefits of earning a BA in Psychology is the variety of industries and careers available after graduation. Those who hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology can find entry-level jobs in areas including marketing, case management, sales, advertising, teaching, labor relations, writing and criminal justice, among others.

However, if you’re interested in working in a psychology-related field, you might be wondering about the potential of finding a job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of psychologists is projected to grow 14% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations.

While you can find a job working in research or as a psychiatric technician, the vast majority of psychology-related jobs require a Master’s or Doctorate degree. If you’re thinking about pursuing a graduate-level education, you can look forward to careers working directly in mental health and behavioral sciences. You could pursue careers in school psychology, counseling and health.

Here are some of the top career opportunities that you could expect after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology along with average median salaries:

Courses

Courses at CU Denver are offered three times a year — fall, spring and summer. Not all courses are available every semester. For most programs, courses last 15-weeks, plus one week for finals. This is a big commitment, but we believe the extra time you spend dedicated to your studies pays off!