Psychology Schools in South Carolina

South Carolina Licensure Requirements

The following guide to psychology schools in South Carolina, which features profiles of several undergraduate and graduate psychology programs, contains essential information on the many psychology programs offered in the state. South Carolina’s colleges and universities feature an eclectic mix of programs, with students able to concentrate in such areas of psychology as applied psychology, clinical psychology, and human factors. Some universities offer both undergraduate and graduate psychology students the opportunity to earn a psychology degree partially or entirely online, which can be an affordable and flexible alternative to a traditional psychology degree program.

Quick Facts

There are 30 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in South Carolina.¹
No schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.¹
30 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.¹
10 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.¹
2 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 2019.⁵

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

Top-Ranked Schools with Psychology Programs in South Carolina

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

Clemson University (#31)
University of South Carolina (#46)

*Institution-wide ranking.

Continue reading to learn more about a few of the undergraduate and graduate psychology programs offered at South Carolina’s universities.

Schools in South Carolina with Psychology Programs

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

The Citadel

The Citadel offers students who plan to pursue careers in the United States military the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology while training as cadets. Undergraduates are encouraged from the freshman year to engage in research with faculty members. Students generally complete an internship in the junior and senior year. Volunteerism is an important part of a Citadel student’s role; both students and faculty members volunteer on campus and in the local community. All students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Psychology Club, which holds regular meetings and hosts events such as cookouts and lectures throughout the academic year. Academically-eligible students may want to apply for membership to Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology students.

North Greensville University

North Greensville University awards the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. The program, which is Christian-based, prepares students to work in ministry-related fields as well as in secular fields. Psychology majors will take a combination of general college coursework and psychology courses to fulfill degree requirements. Students generally do not receive admittance to the psychology program until their sophomore year, after having completed a minimum of 30 credits at the university. Psychology majors will complete such core courses as Human Growth and Development, Psychology of Learning, Abnormal Psychology, and History and Systems of Psychology. Six elective courses are also required.

Traditional Graduate Programs

Clemson University

Clemson University awards the Master of Science (MS) in Applied Psychology to those who successfully complete the two-year, 45-credit graduate program. Graduate students may concentrate in human factors psychology or industrial and organizational psychology. The program requires students to complete a six-credit thesis and a six-credit internship to fulfill degree requirements. The program is competitive with approximately 150 applicants and a maximum of 12 students generally accepted each year. Accepted applicants begin the program in the fall semester. The majority of psychology graduate students receive an assistantship that includes a stipend and full tuition reimbursement in exchange for 20 hours of work each week.

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina at Aiken offers the Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology. The 51-credit graduate program encompasses such core courses as developmental psychology, psychopathology, social psychology, learning, and neuroscience. A thesis is mandatory. Graduate students must also successfully complete a practicum, logging a minimum of 700 hours of clinical experience. The program is designed to prepare graduates to pursue doctoral study or to work as a counselor or in a clinical setting. Assistantships are generally available, which provide a stipend in addition to a discount on tuition. Scholarships may also be available for eligible students.

Online Psychology Programs

Coker College

Coker College offers an online bachelor’s in psychology that prepares students for entry-level careers as well as for advanced study. Courses in this program are offered in 8-week terms, with two terms each spring and fall plus one summer session. The accelerated, year-round format can allow students to graduate in less time than is typical for traditional four-year programs. An optional concentration is offered in counseling, which can particularly prepare students interested in pursuing graduate study to earn the licensed counselor designation. Typical courses for students enrolled in the psychology program include Advanced Psychological Research, Abnormal Psychology, Human Development, and Forensic Psychology. All students complete a capstone in the senior year of study focusing on psychological research design.

Columbia College

Columbia College is home to an entirely online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program that offers tracks emphasizing either applied psychology, for those wishing to enter the workforce directly after graduation, or academic psychology, for those planning to pursue graduate study. Students may also complete an optional 33 credit-hour Sports Psychology emphasis. Students who complete the program graduate with a broad understanding of various subfields in psychology and the applications of psychological approaches to the modern workplace. Core psychology courses include Quantitative Research Methods; History and Systems of Psychology; Integrative Psychology; and Personality Theory.

EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in South Carolina

The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in South Carolina 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	Grad Prog.	Online Prog.	Nat’l Accred.*	Grad Rate**	EPPP Pass Rate⁶	# Taking⁶	College Factual Under- grad Rank⁷	US News Grad Rank⁸	Net Price
Anderson University	Yes	Yes	No	—	59%	—	—	—	—	$21,641
Benedict College	Yes	No	No	—	29%	—	—	—	—	$23,001
Charleston Southern University	Yes	No	No	—	42%	—	—	—	—	$17,013
Citadel Military College of South Carolina	Yes	Yes	No	CACREP, NASP	72%	—	—	—	—	$16,396
Claflin University	Yes	No	Bachelor’s	—	50%	—	—	—	—	$19,208
Clemson University	Yes	Yes	No	CACREP	83%	—	—	—	98^	$19,508
Coastal Carolina University	Yes	No	No	—	44%	—	—	—	—	$16,368
Coker College	Yes	No	Bachelor’s	—	35%	—	—	—	—	$18,060
College of Charleston	Yes	No	No	—	71%	—	—	—	—	$19,649
Columbia College	Yes	No	No	—	53%	—	—	—	—	$16,702
Columbia International University	Yes	Yes	No	CACREP	64%	—	—	—	—	$18,136
Converse College	Yes	No	No	—	56%	—	—	—	—	$19,058
Erskine College	Yes	No	No	—	61%	—	—	—	—	$35,268
Francis Marion University	Yes	Yes	No	NASP	39%	—	—	—	—	$11,796
Furman University	Yes	No	No	—	80%	—	—	—	—	$32,748
Lander University	Yes	No	No	—	43%	—	—	—	—	$14,929
Limestone College	Yes	No	Bachelor’s	—	35%	—	—	—	—	$23,881
Newberry College	Yes	No	Bachelor’s	—	51%	—	—	—	—	$19,683
North Greenville University	Yes	No	Bachelor’s	—	54%	—	—	—	—	$20,111
Presbyterian College	Yes	No	No	—	66%	—	—	182	—	$19,628
South Carolina State University	Yes	No	No	CACREP	34%	—	—	—	—	$20,878
Southern Wesleyan University	Yes	No	No	—	53%	—	—	—	—	$16,578
University of South Carolina-Aiken	Yes	Yes	No	—	40%	—	—	—	—	$15,048
University of South Carolina-Beaufort	Yes	No	No	—	32%	—	—	—	—	$16,685
University of South Carolina-Columbia (Clinical PhD)	Yes	Yes	No	APA, CACREP, NASP	77%	100%	10	—	112^	$20,181
University of South Carolina-Columbia (School PhD)	Yes	Yes	No	APA, CACREP, NASP	77%	80%	5	—	112^	$20,181
University of South Carolina-Upstate	Yes	No	No	—	46%	—	—	—	—	$15,528
Voorhees College	Yes	No	No	—	43%	—	—	—	—	$17,903
Winthrop University	Yes	Yes	No	CACREP, NASP	56%	—	—	—	—	$17,903
Wofford College	Yes	No	No	—	81%	—	—	—	—	$27,974

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

Schools with Psychology Degree Programs in South Carolina

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Clemson University
101 Calhoun Dr
105 Sikes Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
(864) 656-3311
http://www.clemson.edu/

Student Review: “This program had a wide range of options to get involved that included volunteer work and research credit hours. I found that most of the professors were more than willing to help you if you were struggling with the content or a homework assignment. What I liked most was the variety of class choices they offered, ranging from anything like abnormal psychology to human sexual behavior. Throughout getting my degree, I was able to engage in every aspect of the psychology department. My favorite involvement was through research in eating disorders, as it opened my eyes to an entirely new area of psychology and gave me hands-on experience that one cannot find in a classroom.” – Student at Clemson University

Student Review: “I found the psychology curriculum at Clemson University to be adequate and populated by good people, but not engaging or practical enough to propel me into a career in the field. I always felt that the department wasn’t a priority for the university. I did think the professors were good people and cared about the students, but I didn’t necessarily receive the best training to make practical use of my degree. Part of that was my fault, to be sure, but I was very impressionable then and if my interest was piqued and grabbed I feel I would have benefited more from the program.” – Student at Clemson University

Spartanburg Community College
107 Community College Dr
Spartanburg, SC 29303
(864) 592-4800
https://www.sccsc.edu/home/

Student Review: “I attend Spartanburg Community College and I found their psychology department to be very worthwhile. I attend class three days a week and a lot of extracurricular activities to expand my knowledge of psychology. My professors were very helpful when it comes to needing help and a better understanding of a particular area of psychology. The only thing I would change about my experience was that I would’ve attended class more often so I could expand my course hours and complete my classes sooner. I will soon transfer to a higher university in which I can further my education in psychology above and beyond what my community college offered.” – Student at Spartanburg Community College

University of South Carolina
516/518 Main St
Columbia, SC 29208
(803) 777-7000
https://sc.edu/

Student Review: “The psychology program at USC was very research-based and placed great emphasis on doing your own research. Therefore, my experience in the psychology program allowed me to grow into the field of psychology with confidence. At one point, we were asked to pair with a professor that interested you and conduct a psychological research study. This was helpful for me to get into a graduate study program. The psychology program at this university also allowed me to explore many areas of psychology which were not strictly related to my research interests. This broad experience aimed to diversify all the psychology students. This program also allowed us to learn from current graduate students who were teaching our introductory classes.” – Student at University of South Carolina

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