Psychology Schools in Arkansas
The following guide to psychology schools in Arkansas will provide you with key information that will help you in choosing the best psychology program and school for your academic and career goals. Many colleges and universities in Arkansas afford undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to study general psychology or to specialize in a specific area, such as clinical psychology. If you need a more flexible schedule for your coursework, you may wish to consider an online psychology program.
Quick Facts
- There are 21 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Arkansas.1
- 1 school offers an associate’s degree in psychology.1
- 20 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
- 6 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
- 1 school 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 2019.5
For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Psychology Programs in Arkansas
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- University of Arkansas (#59)
*Institution-wide ranking.
Read further to learn more about several specific psychology programs offered in Arkansas, including profiles of several popular programs at the state’s leading universities.
Schools in Arkansas with Psychology Programs
Traditional Undergraduate Programs
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock allows students to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology upon successful completion of the four-year, 124-credit undergraduate program. The undergraduate program provides the necessary foundation for students to enter a master’s degree program. Students must complete general college requirements in addition to 34 credits in psychology courses, including such required courses as psychology and the human experience, research methods, and statistics and methods. Psychology majors are also encouraged to complete an internship, an independent study, and a practicum during their studies. All psychology students are welcome to join the on-campus chapter of Psi Chi if eligibility requirements are met, as well as the Psychology Club.
Harding University
Psychology majors at Harding University must complete 128 credits in general college requirements and psychology courses to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. The undergraduate program prepares students to continue on to graduate study. Students will receive an education that focuses on both academics and spirituality at Harding University and may opt to take an elective course on psychology and Christianity. All courses, however, are infused with spirituality to provide students with a Christian education. All of the full-time psychology professors at Harding University are licensed by the Arkansas State Boards. Psychology majors may be eligible to join the campus chapter of the national psychology honor society, Psi Chi.
Traditional Graduate Programs
University of Central Arkansas
The University of Central Arkansas allows students to earn a Master of Science (MS) in one of several areas of psychology, including school psychology, community counseling, and counseling psychology. The master’s program, which prepares students for both doctoral work and a career in psychology, offers students numerous avenues for gaining real-world experience, including by working with real clients at The Psychology and Counseling Training Clinic. Graduate students are encouraged to attend the annual Arkansas Symposium for Psychology Students and to join such on-campus organizations as the UCA Psychological Society, Counseling and Psychology Students (CAPS), and the Psi Chi International Honor Society.
Arkansas Tech University
Arkansas Tech University confers the Master of Science (MS) in Psychology to students who successfully complete the 30-credit graduate program. Graduate students must complete four required courses in advanced principles of psychology I and II, advanced statistics, and research design in addition to 18 credits from such electives as social psychology, psychopathology, and cognitive psychology. Students who complete a thesis must also present an oral defense of the research. Successful applicants to the program must have completed a minimum of 18 undergraduate credits in psychology, must have maintained an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0, and must submit GRE scores.
Online Psychology Programs
Ecclesia College
Ecclesia College is home to an online Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Counseling that requires 120 credit hours to complete, 42 credit hours of which are dedicated to major courses. Core requirements for the degree include such courses as Counseling Theory, Counseling Skills, Crisis Counseling, and Marriage and Family Counseling. Students must also take 21 credit hours of religion courses and meet a semester-based service learning requirement. Ecclesia College is a trans-denominational private institution that seeks to develop effective leaders while emphasizing Bible-based education and life-long learning. To be admitted, students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or above and a minimum ACT score of 19. Prospective students must also provide at least one reference.
John Brown University
John Brown University offers an online bachelor’s degree in psychology with five start dates per year, which allows students flexible admissions as well as flexible class schedules year-round. Students pursuing the psychology major will complete 39 credit hours of psychology courses, including Theories of Counseling, Developmental Psychology, Psychological Testing, and Theories of Learning. An integrated capstone in the form of a psychology seminar is also included in the curriculum. Online students may pick complementary minors that can be completed fully online; online minors offered include Leadership, Communications, and Politics and Ethics. A minor typically requires 12 credit hours of designated courses. In addition to generous transfer credit policies, John Brown University will also evaluate credit by examination with CLEP and DSST exams as well as certain types of credit for prior professional learning.
EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Arkansas
The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Arkansas 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
| School | BA/BS Program | Graduate Program | Online Psych Program | National Accred.* | Grad Rate** | EPPP Pass Rate6 | Number Taking6 | College Factual Under- grad Rank7 | US News Grad Rank8 | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State University | Yes | Yes | No | CACREP, NASP | 48% | — | — | — | — | $13,459 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Yes | Yes | No | — | 41% | — | — | — | — | $11,674 |
| Central Baptist College | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | — | 34% | — | — | — | — | $16,517 |
| Ecclesia College | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | — | 20% | — | — | — | — | $19,451 |
| Harding University | Yes | No | No | CACREP | 67% | — | — | — | — | $19,580 |
| Henderson State University | Yes | Yes | No | CACREP | 35% | — | — | — | — | $17,451 |
| Hendrix College | Yes | No | No | — | 71% | — | — | — | — | $22,732 |
| John Brown University | Yes | No | Bachelor’s | — | 66% | — | — | — | — | $22,390 |
| Lyon College | Yes | No | No | — | 49% | — | — | — | — | $15,176 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Yes | No | No | — | 64% | — | — | — | — | $18,679 |
| Philander Smith College | Yes | No | No | — | 41% | — | — | — | — | $13,694 |
| Southern Arkansas University | Yes | No | No | — | 41% | — | — | — | — | $13,203 |
| University of Arkansas | Yes | Yes | No | APA, CACREP | 66% | 100% | 7 | — | 90^ | $15,781 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Yes | No | No | CACREP | 39% | — | — | — | — | $13,256 |
| University of Arkansas at Monticello | Yes | No | No | — | 26% | — | — | — | — | $10,867 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | Yes | No | No | — | 29% | — | — | — | — | $10,465 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Yes | No | No | — | 32% | — | — | — | — | $10,739 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Yes | Yes | No | APA, NASP | 41% | — | — | — | — | $14,241 |
| University of the Ozarks | Yes | No | No | — | 50% | — | — | — | — | $17,208 |
| Williams Baptist College | Yes | No | No | — | 38% | — | — | — | — | $17,051 |
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