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Online Associates in Psychology – The 10 Best Colleges

Written by College Cliffs Team At CollegeCliffs.com, our team, comprising seasoned educators and counselors, is committed to supporting students on their journey through graduate studies. Our advisors, holding advanced degrees in diverse fields, provide tailored guidance, current program details, and pragmatic tips on navigating application procedures.

Reviewed by Linda Weems I got started researching colleges and universities about 10 years ago while exploring a second career. While my second career ended up being exactly what I’m doing now, and I didn’t end up going to college, I try to put myself in your shoes every step of the way as I build out College Cliffs as a user-friendly resource for prospective students.

Updated: September 10, 2024, Reading time: 15 minutes

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The world of psychology is a wonderful field in which to build your career, especially if you’re passionate about gaining a deep understanding of human behavior and mental processes and applying this understanding to help individuals and groups live more fulfilling lives.

Aside from the satisfaction of being able to help others in their struggles, there are lucrative opportunities, even for entry-level careers in the field.

Online Associates in Psychology - fact

The US Labor Statistics data shows a positive outlook for social and human service assistants, one of the entry-level jobs in the psychology field. The job will have an average growth rate of 9% from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than the 3% average for all occupations.

The employment of psychiatric technicians and aides, another entry-level job in the field, is also estimated with the same 9% growth rate in the same period.

The Lowdown
Requiring a high school diploma, an Associate Psychology degree online programs are generally two-year degrees that provide students with a well-rounded education in essential, basic subjects such as social sciences, natural sciences, English, and mathematics, as well as a strong foundation in Psychology topics and a glimpse of the various specializations available in the field.

It also equips students with the practical skills needed to gain entry-level positions within the various branches of psychology, including social services, mental health support, and administrative roles.

Entry-level careers available for graduates of online Psychology associate programs include mental health technicians, psychiatric aides, teaching assistants, social services case aides, HR assistants, and research assistants. With their well-rounded foundational education, graduates can also venture into marketing/advertising, customer service, and sales positions.

Kickstart Your Psychology Career!

A great way to jump-start your psychology career is to earn an associate degree in Psychology. This two-year program is ideal to take, especially if you’re still unsure if the psychology field is really for you or if you’re not ready to fully commit to a four-year bachelor’s degree program in Psychology.

Through a traditional or online Psychology Associate Degree program, you can gain a solid foundation of psychology concepts and methodologies as well as General Education and skills development courses that allow you to start working and earning immediately upon completing the two-year program.

Alternatively, if you decide to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology after completing your associate’s program, the transition will be smooth, as you already possess a strong academic base to meet the challenges of higher education.

Methodology

There are various universities and colleges nationwide offering online Associate in Psychology degree programs.

To make your search more convenient and narrow your options, we’ve compiled a selection of well-established institutions that provide outstanding hybrid and Associate in Psychology online degree programs.

Our list includes schools selected based on specific criteria that ensure the quality and convenience of these online psychology programs for prospective students. These features include the following:

For details, please refer to our Methodology section.


10 Best Online Associate in Psychology Degrees

Liberty University

Liberty University - Online

Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University offers a 100% online Associate of Arts in Psychology degree program that equips students with foundational general education and psychology courses.

Among others, this program explores the psychological differences and similarities among different people as well as the factors that affect human experiences and perspectives, such as culture, ethnicity, gender, and race. The major courses in this program include the following:

Students of this online associate degree program can further customize their degree with the Christian Counseling Specialization, which is designed for students to lead others with biblically-based solutions.

A Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges- or SACSCOC-approved school, Liberty University is institutionally approved to award associate degrees, among other degree levels.

This AA in Psychology program requires students to complete 60 credit hours, all of which are transferable to the University’s Bachelor of Science in Psychology online program, and thus, students will save money and time at the Bachelor’s level.


Ashworth College

Ashworth College

Georgia-based Ashworth College offers an online associate degree in Psychology program that helps students build a comprehensive understanding of human personality and behavior. At the same time, students are also able to develop and boost transferable skills that are useful in any career, such as data analysis, public speaking, and writing skills.

The curriculum of this Associate degree program is composed of essential General Education courses and electives as well as foundational introductory courses in psychology. These courses include the following:

The accreditation of Ashworth College has received the approval of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, which is an accrediting body recognized by both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education.

The Ashworth College Central Network is the University’s career service platform where students obtain assistance in building their career right from the moment they’re enrolled in the Associate in Psychology degree program. Students are provided with detailed steps on how to build their resume, write thank you notes, and draft cover letters, among others.

The University also offers an online Bachelor in Psychology degree program, which makes it easy for Associate graduates to transition should they want to pursue further education.


Monroe Community College

SUNY Monroe Community College

Monroe Community College, a part of the State University of New York (SUNY), offers a 100% web-based Associate of Science in Psychology degree that opens doors to careers in various fields, including education, human services, not-for-profit, and human services.

The program is also designed to be equivalent to the first two years of a Bachelor’s program, thus essentially preparing students who want to pursue further studies after completing their Associate’s degree.

This Associate degree program is a four-semester program that requires students to complete a total of 62 credits toward graduation. The curriculum provides learners with a broad understanding of psychology, including its various branches, as well as research methods and statistics. Students also take SUNY general education courses such as humanities, social and natural sciences, and writing.

Both SUNY and Monroe Community College are Middle States Commission on Higher Education– or MSCHE-accredited.


Colorado Christian University

Colorado Christian University

The 100% online Associate of Science in Psychology degree program offered by Colorado Christian University is designed for adult students who need to juggle work and personal responsibilities while pursuing higher education. The class sizes under this program are small in order to encourage individualized learning, participation, and networking.

Students can complete this Associate degree program in two years or less, even without prior coursework. The curriculum requires students to complete 60 credit hours toward graduation, including 18 in Major Core courses and 30 in General Education courses.

Psychology Core courses include the following:

As a Christian university, students are also required to take a 3-credit-hour course on Biblical Studies, which is part of the General Education Core.

The Higher Learning Commission, or HLC, has granted regional accreditation to Colorado Christian University.

All the required 60 credit hours under this Associate in Psychology program may be applied if the graduate chooses to pursue further education through the University’s Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology.


Regent University

Regent-University

Based in Virginia, Regent University provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the human mind while preparing them for meaningful careers through its Associate of Science in Psychology degree program, which is available both online and on campus.

Students are required to complete at least 63 credit hours under this program toward graduation. Some of the core courses include the following:

As a leading Christian university in America, Regent University empowers students to strengthen their skills and knowledge while firmly grounding them in Christian values and principles. This Psychology program includes the study of how mental processes and behaviors influence people’s personal and spiritual development.

For students who want to pursue further education after completing their Associate degree program, the University also offers the following programs:

Regent University’s accreditation to award degrees at various levels is approved and endorsed by SACSCOC.


Crown College

Crown College

Minnesota-based Crown College is offering a 100% online Associate of Science in Psychology degree program that explores the inner workings of personality, memory, motivation, cognition, and concentration, among other aspects of the human brain.

In this program, students are equipped with the fundamentals of psychology that will prepare them for success in various fields such as social work, career counseling, correctional institutions, and even advertising, sales, and marketing.

This Associate degree program requires students to complete a total of 60 credits toward graduation, including 30 credits of General Education courses and 15 credits of Concentration courses such as:

As a Christ-centered university, Crown also includes a total of 9 credits of Christian Studies courses in its curriculum.

The Higher Learning Commission endorses and recognizes the institutional accreditation of Crown College.

The University also has an online Bachelor of Science in Psychology/Counseling program with optional accelerated degree programs toward the University’s Master of Arts in Counseling.


Front Range Community College

Front Range Community College

Based in Colorado, Front Range Community College offers two online programs for Associate in Psychology, namely:

Both the Associate degree programs require students to have a total of 60 credits in order to graduate within two years. Some of the courses common in both programs are the following:

The Community College is approved and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All of FRCC’s programs have also earned the nod of the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE), and the Colorado State Approving Agency for Veterans Education and Training.

FRCC is part of a statewide transfer articulation agreement wherein students who earned their AA or AS in Psychology degree at the Community College can transfer as a junior to various Colorado public universities offering four-year Bachelor programs. Make sure to contact the program advisor for updated information on the school’s transfer guide.


Houston Community College

Houston Community College

Houston Community College offers the Associate of Science in Psychology degree as one of its many online programs with a mission to deliver high-quality instruction and to support student success.

Some of the Psychology courses that students will take under this program are:

This Associate’s program also equips students with various marketable skills that enhance their career opportunities and employability. These skills include critical thinking skills, empirical and quantitative skills, communication skills, personal accountability, social responsibility, and teamwork.

Some of the Psychology courses under this program are designated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or THECB as “fully transferable” to other public universities and colleges in Texas.

The SACSCOC acknowledges the HCC’s accredited status to award associate and select bachelor degrees.


Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech Community College

With 19 campuses and 24 satellite locations across Indiana, Ivy Tech Community College also offers 100% online degree programs, including an Associate of Science in Psychology program, which can be completed in four semesters or two years.

To obtain the Associate’s degree, students need to earn a total of 60 credit hours, which include 29 credits of Psychology courses and 30 credits of General Education courses. The curriculum is essentially designed to provide students with a well-rounded understanding of human psychology and a solid foundation of general education skills and knowledge as preparation for bachelor’s degree programs.

Courses under this program include:

As a transferable degree, this AS in Psychology program allows for a smooth transition when students pursue a four-year Bachelor’s program after completing their Associate’s program. There are two ways to do so 

Ivy Tech Community College is HLC-accredited.


California Coast University

California Coast University

California Coast University offers a 100% online Associate of Science in Psychology degree program that students can start anytime. It comes with self-paced courses that students can work through with complete flexibility in their schedules, and thus, the program is ideal for working professionals.

This associate program requires students to complete a total of 60 credits toward graduation. There are 20 courses to complete, including 10 General Education courses that cover natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences, among others.

There are also 6 Core courses that students are required to take, namely:

Students can customize their Associate’s degree, as the curriculum also requires students to complete four out of the many Elective courses that the University is offering, including courses in business management and administration, criminal justice, healthcare, and marketing.

California Coast University’s accreditation is endorsed by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) of the State of California has also granted institutional approval to the University.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with an Associate in Psychology degree?

An Associate in Psychology degree can serve as your gateway to a variety of entry-level positions in many fields of psychology, including social services, mental health, or human resources.

Alternatively, the associate degree program is also used as a foundation for further education, considering that a degree at the Bachelor’s level or higher is generally required for many psychology-related careers, especially those requiring professional licenses.

How long does it take to complete an Associate in Psychology program?

An Associate in Psychology degree program is generally designed to be finished in two years or four semesters if you’re enrolled as a full-time student. However, various factors allow you to finish it sooner or later.

For example, part-time study options, which are available in some programs, may extend the duration. On the other hand, credit transfer policies where some of your previously owned college credits and even work experiences may count toward your degree will shorten the duration.

It’s important to check with the specific institution for program details and requirements.

Is it possible to transfer Associate in Psychology credits to a four-year university?

Yes, you can. Many universities and colleges accept transfer credits from accredited associate degree programs. Also, in certain cases, you may find that all the credits you earned in your Associate’s program are transferable toward your Bachelor’s degree, especially if you continue your higher education at the same institution.

Take note, however, that the transferability of credits can vary by institution and program. It’s advisable to research and communicate with your intended four-year school to ensure a smooth transfer process and to maximize credit transferability.

Summary Points

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