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Psychology Schools in Alaska

Choosing a psychology program that is right for your career goals can be a daunting process. The following guide to psychology schools in Alaska is designed to provide you with essential information to make that decision process easier. Alaska’s colleges and universities allow students to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in such specialized areas as clinical psychology. In addition to your on-campus options, you may want to consider an online program that offers the flexibility of completing a psychology degree entirely online at your convenience.

Quick Facts

  • There are 3 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Alaska.1
  • No schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
  • 3 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
  • 3 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
  • No schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
  • No schools ranked in the Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018.3
  • No schools ranked in PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs.4
  • No schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2019.4

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.

Read below to learn more about the psychology programs offered in Alaska and online, including profiles of popular programs at Alaska’s top universities.

Schools in Alaska with Psychology Programs

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

University of Alaska at Anchorage

The University of Alaska at Anchorage offers a Bachelor of Science in Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. The BS is recommended for students who are planning research careers in psychology, including graduate school. Students on either degree plan may select an optional concentration in Behavior Analysis. A minor in Children’s Mental Health is also available to pair with the major in psychology. The bachelor’s program offers high-quality training in behavior and mental processes to prepare students for graduate school and for the working world. Courses in the major include Abnormal Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Statistics for Psychology, and Research Methods in Psychology. The Department of Psychology at the University of Alaska at Anchorage is the largest center for scientific study in psychology in the state of Alaska.

Alaska Pacific University

Alaska Pacific University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling Psychology. The program prides itself on being unique from other psychology programs in the United States in part because of its eclectic offering of courses. Students may take such courses as ecopsychology, therapeutic mindfulness, psychotherapeutic uses of the wilderness, and creativity and self-expression. Junior psychology majors complete a practicum to gain hands-on, real-world experience at partner facilities including the McLaughlin Youth Center, Alaska Psychiatric Center, and the Alaska Zoo. The psychology program is designed to help students gain competency in six specific areas: activism and leadership, creative expression, critical thinking, knowledge of discipline, professionalism, and self-understanding.

Traditional Graduate Programs

The University of Alaska at Anchorage

The University of Alaska at Anchorage features a two-year, 48-credit graduate program leading to the Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology. Graduate students may opt to follow the thesis track or the non-thesis track. All students are required to take a full range of psychology courses in such topics as ethics and professional practice, group therapy, family therapy, community-based intervention skills, and cultural issues in psychotherapy. Courses are combined with research and clinical experience. Students spend three semesters gaining clinical experience in the campus lab and in a community facility. Full-time graduate students may be eligible for one of five assistantships, which includes a stipend, health insurance, and tuition reimbursement for up to nine credits.

Alaska Pacific University

Alaska Pacific University offers a Master of Science (MS) in Counseling Psychology that is ideal for working professionals who need a flexible course schedule. Graduates will be prepared to apply for the Licensed Professional Counselor credential in Alaska. The major courses of study include
Social and Cultural Foundations of Psychology, Advanced Abnormal Psychology, and Substance Abuse Assessment and Treatment. Graduates of the program have gone on to become chemical dependency counselors, child and family counselors, and mental health clinicians. Others go on to complete a doctoral program. APU also offers a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Counseling Psychology comprising 62 credits.

Online Psychology Programs

University of Alaska at Fairbanks

The University of Alaska at Fairbanks awards the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology to students who successfully complete the 120 credit online undergraduate program. The program is designed to prepare students to continue on to graduate work in psychology. In addition to general college course requirements, psychology majors will undertake study in such areas as personality, psychology of women across cultures, social psychology, drugs and drug dependence, and sensation and perception. The program emphasizes cross-cultural knowledge, particularly in the practice of psychology and in the contexts of social justice and diverse perspectives. The degree is designed to be completed in four years of study with full-time attendance.

EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Alaska

The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Alaska on a variety of factors. Clicking on the arrows in the top row allows you to sort the table. In addition to factors such as focus areas offered and tuition costs, accreditation is an important consideration when researching psychology programs. Depending on the type of program and the ultimate career path you are considering, accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) can make it easier to become licensed in your desired area of practice. For more information on these accreditations, see our overview of accreditation for psychology programs. You should also ensure that the program you are considering will meet the licensure requirements in the state where you wish to practice. The Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), a licensing exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), is required in most US states in order to qualify for psychologist licensure. The EPPP results shown below are provided are for the exam period from February 1, 2015 to March 21, 2017.6 Only results from APA-accredited or ASPPB-designated doctoral programs with at least four test-takers during the exam period are included.6

SchoolBA/BS ProgramGraduate ProgramOnline Psych ProgramNational Accred.*Grad Rate**EPPP Pass Rate6Number Taking6College Factual Under-
grad Rank7
US News Grad Rank8Net Price
Alaska Pacific UniversityYesYesNo53%$17,866
University of Alaska AnchorageYesYesNoAPA24%60%$12,543
University of Alaska FairbanksYesNoBachelor’sAPA30%$9,010

Schools marked with a caret (^) in US News Best Graduate Psychology Programs ranked in a tie with other programs in their respective positions.
*See our guide to psychology program accreditation for more information on these accrediting bodies.
**The graduation rate is for first-time, full-time undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students who began studies in Fall 2012 and is calculated based on the percentage of students earning their degree or certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion.1

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2018 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2017.
4. PsychologyDegree411 Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2019/subject-ranking/psychology
6. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/2017_Doctoral_Report.pdf
7. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
8. US News & World Report Best Graduate Psychology Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings