Bachelor of Arts
BA in Liberal Studies, Psychology & Counseling
Help others heal.
Do you want to learn more about the mind, how it works, and how you can help others while also pursuing a meaningful career? Our Psychology & Counseling degree is well-suited for those interested in working in case management, advocacy, community organizing, human service delivery, social justice work within human services, or related policy work. All of these fields are deeply entrenched in the principle of doing good to help others, a rewarding and equitable ambition. Focus on these aspirations to develop your dedication into a gratifying career. This degree is offered by AU Seattle.
Program Overview
The goal of the Psychology and Counseling concentration is to prepare students for both graduate study in psychology or social work and/or work in the field, with the ultimate goal of working as case management, advocacy or counseling professionals. Students with interdisciplinary interests in areas such as art and psychology (or art therapy), drama and psychology (drama therapy), or writing and psychology, might also pursue this structured concentration. In addition, students with a BA degree might pursue this concentration if they are interested in working in case management, advocacy, community organizing, human service delivery, social justice work within human services, or related policy work. Viable employment options for students completing this area of concentration include work within nonprofit organizations that address such needs as homeless youth and/or adults, people with disabilities, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, or within city, county, or state (DSHS) human services departments.
Customization is Key
In the BA in Liberal Studies program, each study plan is based on the student’s past experience, current needs and interests, and future goals. Students work in close collaboration with faculty advisors, instructors, and other students to shape their studies. Students build on earlier college work and on competencies learned at home, and at work, through independent reading and volunteer activities.
Degree Requirements
The Liberal Studies Bachelor’s degree requires 180 quarter credits, including a minimum of 60 upper-division credits, and a maximum of 120 lower-division credits. Graduation requirements include:
- 7 liberal studies courses
- an internship, or other in-the-world learning experience of the student’s choosing
- at least 40 credits in the Psychology and Counseling concentration
- a senior capstone project
For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.
Example Coursework for Concentration Requirements
- Abnormal Psychology
- Health Psychology & Promotion
- Positive Psychology & Resilience
- Somatic Awareness: Engaging the Body
- Neuropsychology
- Biological Systems & Human Health
- Applied Mindfulness
- Creative Arts Healing
- Counseling Role
- Ethics in Professional Settings
- Psychology Field Experience
- Research Methods
- Applied Statistics
- Grief & Loss
- Attachment & Attunement
- Applied Statistics
- Embracing Neurodiversity
- Addictions
- Navigating Depression & Anxiety
- Trauma & Boundaries
- Healthy Relationships & Emotional Regulation
- Ecopsychology
- Family Sagas: Intergenerational Trauma
Sample Community-Based Learning Experiences
- Volunteer with families in need at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
- Service learning project at Lambert House, which serves gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth
- Counseling internship with a mental health agency
Sample Synthesis Projects
- Advocacy project working for human rights for those with mental illness
- Review of the research on the application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy to female adolescents with substance abuse problems
- Oral history project with family members examining the role of depression in three generations of women’s lives
Career Outlook
The goal of the Psychology and Counseling concentration is to prepare students for both graduate study in psychology or social work and/or work in the field, with the ultimate goal of working as case management, advocacy or counseling professionals.
Admissions / Cost / Aid
Admissions
How to Apply:
Antioch University Seattle offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies through a degree completion program. All applicants to the BA program must have completed at least 36 quarter or 24 semester units to be eligible for admission. A combined minimum of one full-time year of college credit is required; however, AUS will transfer up to the equivalent of three full-time years (80 semester units/135 quarter units if at least 15 credits are upper division).
- Complete the online admissions application.
- Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended to the Admissions Office. Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
- Submit a short essay (two-three pages; approximately 500 words) that addresses why you would like to finish your bachelor’s degree at Antioch University Seattle.
- International Students have additional admission requirements. See International Students page for details.
Application Deadlines:
| Quarter | Application Deadline* | Start Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March 15 | April 1 |
| Summer | June 15 | July 1 |
| Fall | September 15 | October 2 |
| Winter | December 15 | January 2 |
| *Complete applications received after the Deadline date may be considered if space is still available in that quarter or will be reviewed for the next available term. | ||
- College courses taken at a U.S. college or university (with a final grade of ‘C’ or better, or pass if taken as pass/no pass)
- College Board Advanced Placement exams (a score of 3 or higher)
- CLEP credit (a score of 50)
- International coursework (university, college, upper-secondary/gymnasium) that is assessed to be equivalent to college credit earned at a regionally accredited U.S. college/university (with a final grade of ‘C’ or better, or pass if taken as pass/no pass) by an external transcript evaluation agency.
Antioch University Seattle Admissions Office 2400 Third Avenue, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98121 [email protected] LEARN MORE ABOUT ADMISSION
Cost
| Per quarter unit | $535 |
| View the Cost of Attendance Components | |
Financial Aid
A majority of AUS students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUS. LEARN MORE ABOUT AID