4 Best HBCU Psychology Programs of 2024
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2024Psychology degrees are in high demand, partly because there is an increasing need for mental health practitioners.However, like many academic disciplines, psychology, both as a medical and educational field, has historically given priority to white students. This is one of the reasons why 81% of U.S. psychologists are white, while only 5% are Black or African American, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) offer students the opportunity to study human behavior while focusing on the experiences of Black individuals, women, and people from multicultural backgrounds.Continue reading to discover the HBCU psychology program that is right for you.
Popular Online Psychology Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
What to Expect from a Psychology Program
Psychology is an academic, clinical, and scientific discipline that seeks to understand human behavior.
The psychology field is broad and encompasses many subspecialties, including but not limited to:
- Behavioral psychology
- Counseling psychology
- Clinical psychology
- Educational psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Industrial organizational psychology
You might assume that a psychology degree is most relevant for those aspiring to become licensed clinical psychologists. However, psychology graduates are highly sought after and have seen increasing success in various careers, including human resources, marketing and market research, education, and business.
The Best HBCU Psychology Programs
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$3,728
- Out-of-state$16,435
- In-State$4,740
- Out-of-state$17,694
- Retention Rate74%
- Acceptance Rate76%
- Students Enrolled7,953
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment61%
- AccreditationYes
- In-State$7,038
- Out-of-state$16,960
- In-State$5,160
- Out-of-state$11,376
- Retention Rate75%
- Acceptance Rate59%
- Students Enrolled5,200
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment69%
- AccreditationYes
- In-State$16,476
- Out-of-state$16,476
- In-State$11,653
- Out-of-state$11,653
- Retention Rate71%
- Acceptance Rate62%
- Students Enrolled1,866
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment14%
- AccreditationYes
Fort Valley State University
- Fort Valley, GA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$4,064
- Out-of-state$14,786
- In-State$4,344
- Out-of-state$16,128
- Retention Rate67%
- Acceptance Rate72%
- Students Enrolled2,923
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment58%
- AccreditationYes
How We Rank Schools
At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We want to help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.
Our rankings are grounded in a few guiding principles and use the latest statistical data available from trusted sources. Read our ranking methodology. We hope our approach helps you find the school that is best for you.
These rankings were compiled by our BestColleges Ranking Team and include sponsored results from our partners. We use publicly available provisional datasets from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to inform the data for these schools. All data is current as of the date this article was published. Program-specific information may vary. The standard cutoff for BestColleges program rankings is 56%, but the graduation rate cutoff for the top four HBCU psychology programs is 45% due to the availability of programs.
Why Attend an HBCU Psychology Program?
HBCUs provide a unique learning environment for student groups that have historically been barred from educational opportunities, namely Black students.
Today, HBCUs attract some 300,000 students each year, of which about 76% identify as Black.
A majority of four-year colleges in the U.S. have psychology departments that offer majors and minors in psychology and related fields. However, HBCU psychology programs provide a unique opportunity to study the discipline from diverse perspectives. Notably, HBCUs are more likely to feature Black experiences, women’s experiences, and multicultural and multi-gendered perspectives as a focus of the study.
Attending a psychology program at one of the best HBCUs for psychology also offers career and professional benefits. HBCUs can provide students with a supportive community and lead to opportunities for mentorship, access to a strong alumni network, and improved career prospects after graduation.
Additional Resources for Students in HBCU Psychology Programs
Psi Chi
Student organizations like Psi Chi not only bring students together around a joint interest but also provide important career development opportunities by broadening students’ social and professional networks. Psi Chi is an international honors society for psychology.
American Psychological Association Student Leadership Directory
The APA hosts a website with student leadership opportunities through the organization and with its partners. Gaining experience early on in your psychology education can help when you start your post-grad job search.
Association for Psychological Science Student Caucus
The Association for Psychological Science’s Student Caucus offers leadership opportunities, webinars, awards, grants, and more for psychology students. Take advantage of these opportunities to lighten the financial burden of paying for college while also gaining some necessary experience.
Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed on December 20, 2023.
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