Top 10 Best Colleges In California For Psychology

Top 10 Best Colleges In California For Psychology

10 Best Colleges In California For Psychology — Psychology is a career path that can be quite rewarding. It provides you with the opportunity to work in different fields. Graduates of psychology are well sought-after in healthcare, mental health organizations, educational setups, counseling, etc.

If you are keen on exploring and discovering how the human mind works — psychology might be the right path for you. With a career in psychology, you will gain knowledge of human behavior. You would also have the opportunity to directly impact people’s mental health. 

To become a psychologist, you need to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology from any recognized college or university. If you live in California or you are interested in attending a college in California for your psychology program — then you would find this article helpful.

California is a state in the United States. It is regarded as the 3rd largest state in the country. It has a thriving economy, good governance, and amazing culture. California has several quality colleges that offer top-notch programs including psychology. In this article, we bring you a list of the top best colleges in California for Psychology. 

Top 10 Best Colleges In California For Psychology

Here are the best colleges in California for Psychology;

  • California State Polytechnic University — Pomona 
  • National University 
  • California State University Long Beach
  • Alliant International University, San Diego
  • California State University — East Bay
  • San Francisco State University 
  • Azusa Pacific University College 
  • University of California — San Diego
  • University of California — Los Angeles 
  • University of Southern California 

1. California State Polytechnic University — Pomona 

California State Polytechnic University is among the top public institutions in California. It was established in 1938. It is located in San Luis Obispo. The institution has eight different colleges and each has departments under them. Under the college of social sciences, you would find the department of Psychology. The department of psychology strives to offer students well-detailed theoretical and practical knowledge, scientific literacy, and employable skills. 

The school offers a variety of psychology programs, some of which are; 

  1. For undergraduates; BA in Psychology and Minor in Psychology 
  2. For Post-graduate students; Major in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), MS in Psychology, etc.

 Website: www.cpp.edu

2. National University 

National University is a popular, non-profit private institution. The National University has been accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. The school offers several psychology programs which can be taken Online or offline. These programs are taught by highly-trained teachers whose main objective is ensuring the production of well-trained and excellent psychologists. 

Below are some of the psychology programs offered at the National University;

  1. Integrative Psychology 
  2. Psychology 
  3. Sports Psychology 
  4. Minor in Psychology 
  5. Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program, etc.

 National University also has several psychology-related master’s degrees and graduate programs. Students are not only taught theoretically but also allowed to practice, thus making them job-ready upon graduation. 

Website: www.nu.edu

3. California State University Long Beach

California State University is among the best colleges in California offering psychology programs. It is a well-known public school that admits students from several parts of the world, The school has been accredited by the WSCUC Commission. 

The department of psychology at the college is headed by award-winning professors. Students are taught by experienced and highly-trained lecturers who have successfully trained several psychologists in the Country. 

California State University offers several psychology programs for undergraduate and graduate students. There is also an excellent Minor in the Psychology program at the school. Graduate students can pursue any of these programs;

  1. MS in Industrial /Organizational (MSIO) Psychology 
  2. MA in Psychological Research (MAPR)
  3. MS in Psychology. 

 Website: www.csulb.edu

4. University of Southern California 

Next up on our list of the best colleges in California for Psychology is the University of Southern California. It is an excellent private research university. The school was founded in 1880. It offers top-notch psychology programs such as general psychology, Applied behavior Analysis (ABA), MS in Applied Psychology, Psychology Minor, etc. The University of Southern California is a great option to pursue your psychology studies.

Website: https://www.usc.edu/

5. California State University — East Bay

Another school on our list is the California State University — East Bay. It is located in Hayward, California. The school is open to students from around the world. The school offers several top-notch programs such as Economics, Political sciences, Psychology, etc.

The department of psychology at California State University — East Bay is an excellent choice for anyone interested in studying psychology in California. The department is headed by some renowned members of the psychology field. The lecturers are well-learned and highly trained to disseminate the best theoretical and practical knowledge to the students.

Some of the Undergraduate degree programs in Psychology at the school include;

  1. Option in Ergonomics and Human Factors
  2. BA in Psychology 
  3. BS in Psychology 
  4. Option in Organizational and Industrial Psychology 

Students can also enroll in the Minor of Psychology program. The institute has a different department for master’s degrees in Psychology. The department is called the Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY). Some of the graduate programs offered at the department include;

  1. MS in Special education 
  2. MS in Counselling 
  3. Major in Pupil Personnel Services (PPS)
  4. Major in Marriage and Family Therapy(MFT), etc.

Website: https://www.csueastbay.edu/

6. San Francisco State University 

San Francisco State University is an excellent university located in San Francisco. It has a welcoming environment, that is conducive to learning. The school admits students from all over the world. San Francisco State University has an amazing reputation for excellence. 

San Francisco State University has several top-notch programs. These programs are designed with comprehensive and recognized curricula, one of the programs is psychology. The department of psychology is one of the top departments in the school. The department is aimed at providing students with comprehensive psychology knowledge, developing their critical thinking skills, improving students’ communication skills, etc. There is also a study abroad program offered by the department. 

At the San Francisco State University, students interested in taking a graduate degree in Psychology can choose from any of these areas: School, Industrial/Organizational, and Clinical Psychology. While post-graduate students can enroll for MA in Psychology in any of the three areas below;

  1. Social Psychology 
  2. Mind, Brain, Behavior
  3. Developmental Psychology 

San Francisco State University also offers a Minor in Psychology for non-psychology major students. It is a good option for anyone interested in building a successful career as a psychologist. 

 Website: https://www.sfsu.edu/

7. Azusa Pacific University College 

Another school on this list is Azusa Pacific University College. It is located in San Dimas. The school has been fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The school is non-discriminative and accepts students from all around the world. 

Azusa Pacific University College offers students high-quality psychology education. The school has two psychology-related courses, which are quite affordable. The psychology programs at Azusa Pacific University College are; BA in Applied Psychology and MA in Psychology 

 Website: https://www.apu.edu/

8. University of California — San Diego

University of California — San Diego is a well-known public research institution. It was established in 1960. The school is located in San Diego and it is among the leading universities in the United States. University of California — San Diego is a good option for students interested in pursuing a degree in Psychology. There are top-notch undergraduate, Master, and Ph.D. psychology programs offered at the school.

 
Website: https://ucsd.edu/
 

9. University of California — Los Angeles 

University of California — Los Angeles is one of the top public institutions in Los Angeles. It is a popular research institute that has amazing records of producing outstanding professionals in different fields including psychology. The department of psychology at this school ensures to prepare students for successful careers in the field. The school utilizes a comprehensive curriculum, highly-trained teachers, and state-of-the-art learning resources. 

 Website: https://www.ucla.edu/

10. Alliant International University, San Diego

Alliant International University is a non-profit, private college in the United States. It is located in San Diego, California. Alliant International University is among the first private colleges in the United States to offer psychology programs to students. It is also one of the best colleges in California for Psychology.

Meanwhile, Alliant International University only offers graduate and post-graduate psychology programs. The programs are mainly designed for BA holders of psychology seeking to further advance their education. 

Most of the psychology programs offered at the school have been fully accredited by COAMFTE and APA. The school offers both online and in-person programs. Some of the in-person and online psychology programs offered at Alliant International University include;

  1. Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology 
  2. MA in Marital and Family therapy
  3. Certificate in Clinical Psychology, Doctoral Re-specialization (online)
  4. Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology 
  5. Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
  6. MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology (online)
  7. MA in Organizational Psychology 
  8. PsyD in Clinical Psychology, etc
  9. Certificate in LGBT Human Services and Mental health. 

 
Website: www.alliant.edu

 
Conclusion 

Above are the top best colleges in California for Psychology. These schools are great options for anyone interested in pursuing a psychology education in California. You can check their websites for more information, choose your ideal college, and begin your application. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

One of the top colleges in California is Stanford University 

The cost of studying psychology in California varies depending on the school. However, the average cost of studying psychology in California is $7,500 to $15,000.

Yes, colleges in California admit international students. 

References

https://best-universities.net/colleges/psychology-california/
https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/general-psychology/rankings/top-ranked/far-western-us/california/
https://yocket.com/blog/masters-in-psychology-usa
https://www.prepler.com/best-colleges-for-psychology/california

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