Online Bachelor’s in Psychology

What Should I Expect From an Online BS in Psychology?

Bachelor’s degree programs often require about 120 semester credits, though requirements vary by institution, academic calendar, and transfer-credit policies. Psychology courses typically cover topics such as personality and abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, experimental psychology, and applied psychology. You’ll also learn about the theory of psychology and gain skills in research.

BS in Psychology Degree Requirements

At many colleges, major-specific or major-related coursework makes up roughly one-third to one-half of an undergraduate degree. Because a bachelor’s degree is typically 120 semester credits, this often translates to 40–60 credits in the major or related coursework. For a bachelor’s degree in psychology, this typically includes foundational courses such as introductory psychology, research methods, and statistics, along with upper-level electives in areas like developmental, clinical, or social psychology.

Before you begin classes in the major, you may have to complete prerequisite courses, which might include classes like Introduction to Statistics, Introduction to Psychology, and Human Biology—fairly common general education requirements.

Psychology degree requirements may include classes on topics such as human growth and development; abnormal psychology; theories of personality; cognition; social psychology; psychology and social change; and psychology research methods and analysis. Because psychology is a field that relies heavily on research, you’ll likely take courses that teach students how to analyze research data. Those courses might be called Statistical Methods in Psychology or simply Statistics in Psychology.

In many programs, you select a concentration or specialization and take several classes in a sub-area of psychology, such as addictions or child and adolescent development. Some programs may allow you to take psychology electives in place of a concentration.

BS in Psychology Degree Concentrations

A bachelor’s degree in psychology can introduce students to major areas of psychological science, but it does not qualify graduates to practice as licensed psychologists. According to APA, becoming a psychologist typically requires graduate study, while undergraduate psychology programs help students build skills in research, critical thinking, communication, ethics, and career preparation.

Choosing a concentration can help students explore a specific area of interest, prepare for related entry-level roles, or clarify which graduate path they may want to pursue. Not every school offers the same concentrations, but common options may include:

• Clinical and Counseling Psychology: This concentration introduces students to mental and behavioral health topics, psychological theory, research methods, human development, and helping relationships. It may help students explore interests in assessment, intervention, counseling, wellness, or graduate study, but a bachelor’s degree alone does not qualify graduates to practice as licensed psychologists or counselors.
• Cognitive Psychology or Brain Science: This concentration focuses on how people perceive, learn, think, remember, use language, and process information. Courses may introduce students to cognition, neuroscience, perception, memory, emotion, and research methods used to study the mind and brain.
• Developmental Psychology: This concentration examines human growth and change across the lifespan, including cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and personality development. Students may study childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging, and the biological, cultural, and environmental factors that shape development.
• Educational Psychology: This concentration focuses on how people learn, develop, stay motivated, and interact in educational settings. Coursework may cover learning theory, child and adolescent development, assessment, motivation, and classroom or school-based applications.
• Forensic Psychology: This concentration examines how psychological science applies to legal, criminal justice, and public safety contexts. Courses may introduce topics such as assessment, criminal behavior, law and psychology, victimology, correctional settings, or ethics in forensic practice.
• Health Psychology: This concentration explores how psychological, behavioral, social, and biological factors influence health, illness and well-being. Coursework may cover stress, health behavior change, chronic illness, prevention, and the role of psychology in health care settings.
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology: This concentration applies psychology to workplace and organizational settings. Students may study employee behavior, motivation, leadership, personnel selection, training, organizational culture, and worker well-being.
• Research Methods, Experimental Psychology, or Psychological Science: This concentration emphasizes psychology as a scientific discipline. Students may focus on research design, statistics, data interpretation, ethics, laboratory methods, and how psychological evidence is used to understand behavior and mental processes.
• Social Psychology: This concentration examines how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are shaped by social interaction, groups, culture, and social environments. Topics may include attitudes, identity, prejudice, persuasion, relationships, and group behavior.
• Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: This concentration explores how psychological principles can support athletic performance, motivation, well-being, and mental skills development. Because the field overlaps with exercise science, some undergraduate pathways may be offered through psychology, kinesiology, or related departments.

Online vs. On-Campus Requirements

Course requirements for an online bachelor’s in psychology often mirror those of comparable on-campus programs, especially when both formats are offered by the same institution. However, requirements vary by school, program format, and degree plan, so students should review the curriculum carefully before enrolling.

Online courses may offer more scheduling flexibility than in-person classes, particularly when they include asynchronous components that allow students to view lectures or complete coursework outside scheduled class times. For students balancing work, caregiving, or other responsibilities, that flexibility may make it easier to complete a degree program.

Online psychology programs may also include synchronous class meetings, video conferencing, discussion boards, or other digital tools that allow students to interact with instructors and classmates. Some psychology programs, whether online or on campus, may require students to complete an internship or practicum, conduct a research project, or write a thesis.

Psychology Licensing Requirements

To work as a licensed psychologist in independent practice, most jurisdictions require a doctoral degree in psychology, although some allow master’s-level psychology practice under supervision. Additionally, you must have a license.

Every state sets its own licensing requirements, so the rules vary. States may also set different requirements depending on the psychologist’s specialty. Generally, states require applicants for licensure to have a doctoral degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Other requirements may include completing an internship to gain hands-on experience applying what they’ve learned in the classroom and having a year or two of supervised professional experience before licensure.

To receive a license, applicants must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) after their state licensing board approves them to take the exam. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) administers the EPPP.

Psychologists may also receive certification in their specialty, such as psychoanalysis, couple and family psychology, or behavioral and cognitive psychology. The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) conducts certification exams in 18 specialties.

Even after they obtain licensure, psychologists may need to complete continuing education courses to maintain their license. Continuing education rules vary by state.

While you can’t become a licensed psychologist with just an undergraduate psychology degree, there are many jobs you may get with a bachelor’s in psychology.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology?

A BS or BA in Psychology is a versatile undergraduate degree that can prepare graduates for entry-level roles in behavioral health, human services, business, research, marketing, and related fields. However, a bachelor’s degree in psychology alone does not qualify graduates to work as licensed psychologists, and many counseling or clinical roles require additional graduate education, supervised experience, licensure, or certification. APA notes that psychology career paths vary by education level, and O*NET identifies clinical and counseling psychologist roles as typically requiring graduate-level preparation.

What you can do with a bachelor’s degree in psychology will likely vary based on your personal interests. You may use a psychology bachelor’s degree to pursue roles that involve understanding human behavior, communication, research, data interpretation, training, or support services. Depending on your interests and experience, graduates may consider fields such as human resources, marketing, research assistance, psychiatric or behavioral health support, case management, or entry-level social services.

Some jobs you might get with a bachelor’s in psychology may require additional education and certification, but a BS in Psychology might be a good starting point for those jobs.

Bachelor’s in Psychology Jobs

Bachelor’s in psychology jobs to consider include:

Behavioral health technician or psychiatric technician: These workers support patients with mental health, emotional, or developmental conditions under the supervision of licensed professionals. Duties may include observing patients, reporting changes in behavior, and helping with treatment or daily care activities. Requirements vary by employer and state.

Case manager or social services assistant: Psychology graduates may pursue entry-level roles in human services, community programs, nonprofit organizations or social service agencies. These roles may involve helping clients access services, coordinating support, or assisting with program administration. Requirements vary by employer and population served.

Counseling-related support roles: Students interested in counseling may use a bachelor’s degree as a starting point for roles in behavioral health, substance use prevention, youth services, or community support. However, professional counseling licensure generally requires graduate education, and substance use counseling credentials vary by state.

Psychology research assistant: Graduates who enjoy research may work in academic, nonprofit, health care, or business settings, assisting with studies, literature reviews, data collection, or data analysis. This can be especially useful for students considering graduate study in psychology or a related field.

Human resources specialist: Psychology coursework in behavior, motivation, communication, and research may be useful in HR roles involving recruiting, employee relations, training, or workplace support. O*NET describes HR specialists as workers who recruit, screen, interview, or place employees and may perform other HR functions.

Market research or marketing specialist: Psychology graduates interested in consumer behavior, persuasion, research, or data analysis may consider marketing-related roles. O*NET notes that market research analysts and marketing specialists gather and analyze information to help organizations understand markets, customers, and advertising strategies.

Graduate School Options After a Bachelor’s in Psychology

A bachelor’s degree in psychology can be a strong foundation for graduate study, but the right next step depends on your career goal. If you want to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC), you will typically need a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field, along with state-required supervised experience and exams.

If your goal is to become a licensed psychologist, you should expect to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology, such as a PhD or PsyD, because psychologist licensure generally requires doctoral-level education.

A bachelor’s in psychology may also prepare students to pursue graduate study in related fields such as social work, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, applied behavior analysis, human resources, education, criminal justice, business, or law. These pathways have their own degree, licensure, and certification requirements, so students should review the requirements for the specific role and state where they plan to work.

If you’re looking at bachelor’s in psychology programs, you may have some questions about what to expect from a program and how the degree can prepare you for a future career. Here are some frequently asked questions about earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology.