Online Psychology Course PSY-108 - Introduction to Psychology

Yes! Southern New Hampshire University's Introduction to Psychology online course lets you explore the inner workings of the human mind and take advantage of all the benefits of an online class, including low tuition rates, 24/7 online access to coursework with no set class times and dedicated instructors with real-world experience.

Absolutely! Studying psychology online actually provides you with multiple advantages. First, at SNHU, our courses are flexible so you can fit your education into your lifestyle, following your own pace and setting a balance that feels right for you. SNHU also uses a variety of learning resources, including interactive tools, virtual labs and discussion forums, so you can learn course content in a real-life way.

Note: If your goal is to become a licensed counselor or psychologist, ensure that the program you take includes accredited in-person clinical components.

This depends on your desired area of study, professional aspirations and overall goals. However, a great place to start no matter where you want to go is an Introduction to Psychology online course. You'll learn foundational content, skills and a wide range of perspectives in the discipline, allowing you to explore what interests you. At SNHU, this foundational knowledge is paired with practical, real-world application and is taught by those experienced in the field – helping to prepare you for wherever your journey takes you.

There are a few steps you can take if you want to study psychology online. First, you can define your goals by asking yourself questions like:

• Are you interested in psychology for personal growth or a career?
• Do you want a degree or just foundational knowledge?
• Are you aiming for a clinical, research or business-oriented psychology career?

Second, you’ll want to choose your program. SNHU offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. And with a variety of concentrations available, you can choose to focus on areas such as industrial-organizational psychology, mental health or forensic psychology. Third, you can look at ways to get hands-on experience. You might consider volunteering at mental health organizations, participating in research studies, completing an internship or joining a relevant club.

As a social science, the more advanced study of psychology sometimes requires students to work with statistics and research as part of their program. So, there is some math involved, especially for research-related classes and topics. However, most introductory and foundational psychology classes online, like SNHU's PSY-108 course, don't require a lot of math and are not heavy in research and statistical analyses. While they do touch on some research methods, most of the course is about understanding the principles, history and different branches of psychology.

In addition to eventually becoming a psychologist or counselor, there are many other professional pathways that a degree in psychology can lead to, such as market research, sales, training and development, human resources or other fields where it's important to understand human behavior. It's also important to remember that to become a practicing psychologist or counselor in a clinical setting, further degrees and licensure may be required beyond a bachelor's or even a master's degree in psychology.

Want to dive a little deeper? You can learn more about jobs in psychology.

As with most areas of study, the number of years it takes to study psychology depends on your ultimate goal, where you choose to go to school, what kind of program you choose, how much previous college experience you have and a variety of other factors.

If you're looking to get a foundational understanding of the basic principles of psychology, SNHU's online psychology course takes just 8 weeks to complete. However, if you're looking for a full degree in psychology, SNHU offers both online and on-campus options. A traditional university program might take as long as 4 years. Or, if you're looking to complete it faster, there are many ways to pursue a shorter path. Depending on which college you choose, some online college degree programs may allow you to move faster through coursework and may speed up the time it takes to complete your degree. Additionally, if you transfer in any previously earned college credits, you can also dramatically decrease the time it takes to earn your degree.

For example, if you started fresh at SNHU and took two courses per 8-week term, you may be able to finish your bachelor's degree in just over 3 years. If you transfer in college credits or credits for work or life experience, you'll shave off even more time (and money). SNHU will accept up to 90 previously earned college credits toward a bachelor's degree. That's up to 75% of the total required credits. So, if you've tried college but haven't finished – even if you didn't major in psychology – you could be way ahead of the game already.

Remember, if your ultimate goal is to be a therapist, counselor or clinical psychologist that interacts with and treats patients in a clinical setting, you'll typically need more than a bachelor's degree. Professionals in these settings often have graduate degrees in psychology, plus additional state licenses and other certifications as required.

If you're not sure where you want to go or what you want to do with a degree in psychology, an SNHU admission counselor can help you understand the right path for your goals and how to make sure you get there as fast as possible.

There are several ways to help ensure your investment in a degree is a smart one. To start, make sure you're getting your degree from an accredited, respected university – such as SNHU. That way, you can feel more confident that your degree will be recognized by employers and other professionals as something that aligns with professional standards, as well as standards of academic rigor.

On top of that, look for an an affordable school with a low cost per credit and a generous transfer credit policy. For example, at SNHU the cost per credit for online undergraduate degrees is just $330 – some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. And SNHU will accept up to 90 previously earned college credits. Since a bachelor's degree is generally about 120 credits, that means you can transfer in up to 75% of a bachelor's degree, saving you time and money on the path to graduation.

If you're considering taking your next step, you can learn more about how a psychology degree can be worth your investment.

Psychologists and clinical psychologists are similar in that they have deep knowledge of the field and typically have advanced degrees in the discipline of psychology. However, there are some crucial differences between a psychologist and a clinical psychologist. In general, a clinical psychologist works with clients in a clinical setting (like outpatient clinics or practices, hospitals, community mental health centers, etc.). The position requires additional licensure beyond the academic degree. Typically, individuals able to work as a clinical psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist or counselor are required to obtain advanced degrees, state licenses and other certifications as required by the kind of work they want to do and where they want to do it.

Individuals trained in psychology (but who are not clinical psychologists) might work in a variety of non-clinical settings, including research facilities, colleges or universities, consulting firms, businesses and a variety of government settings.