The M.S. in Counseling Psychology at CSUB ranked No. 8

Program recognized for low tuition rates and quality education by Psychology Degree Guide

By California State University, Bakersfield

March 9^th, 2021

The counseling psychology program at California State University, Bakersfield received the No.8 ranking on the Best Counseling Psychology (CPSY) 2021 Master’s Degree Programs list on psychologydegreeguide.org.

“Finding the top schools offering the highest quality counseling psychology programs for graduate students required looking beyond just the cost of a degree,” Jason Samarin, founder and CEO of Psychology Degree Guide said. “Our team of data experts spent several months identifying and researching the hundreds of counseling psychology degree programs at the master's level to find which schools truly excel when it comes to academics, curriculum, affordability and student support.”

Psychologydegreeguide.org ranked the top 20 master’s in counseling in psychology programs in 2021.

As its website states, “The M.S. in Counseling Psychology degree from California State University, Bakersfield is a good option for students looking for low tuition rates without sacrificing education quality.”

“For many years this program has served Bakersfield and surrounding communities by training high quality therapists. We are extremely pleased to be among the quality counseling psychology programs ranked by psychologydegreeguide.org. This honor reflects the care and hard work of the faculty and our outstanding students,” said Dr. William Kelly, associate professor, coordinator for M.S. in Counseling Psychology.

The ranking methodology weighed metrics designed to determine appeal to prospective students, including student-to-faculty ratios, research expenditures and enrollment rates for accepted students, as well as factoring in acceptance rates, graduation rates, tuition costs, mid-career salary information and other data points.

The 2021 rankings use the most recent data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics as provided through their Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and College Navigator platforms, as well as information provided on the universities' websites, among other sources.

The M.S. in Counseling Psychology at CSUB is designed to meet the state of California educational requirements for becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC).

The curriculum includes courses in counseling skills, psychological testing and diagnosing mental disorders. Therapy courses in child, couples, family, group and individual courses are also offered. Graduate students gain valuable, hands-on experience in CSUB’s state-of-the-art University Counselor Training Clinic, which provides low-cost counseling to the community.

The coursework is relevant for students interested in non-profit, public and private work settings, including prisons, mental health clinics, foster homes, hospitals and schools.

Students are required to complete 60 semester units in the CPSY program and pass a comprehensive examination in order to graduate.

For more information regarding the M.S. Program in Counseling Psychology and required courses, visit the website. For more information regarding the 2021 Master’s Programs list, visit https://psychologydegreeguide.org/.