Best Online Child Psychology Degrees 2021

Child Psychology Online Programs

Psychologists specialize in topics such as forensic psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, or rehabilitation psychology. Other professionals work solely with a specific age group, such as children.

Also known as developmental psychology, child psychology concerns the biological and social forces affecting children’s cognitive, social, and physical development. Child psychologists’ training and experience allow them to treat developmental disorders. Doing so promotes positive outcomes for children and their families.

Professionals need more than a child psychology bachelor’s degree to practice. State licensure requirements include a doctorate in psychology. A doctorate may take up to eight years, depending on the type of degree students earn. States also require supervised training and passing one or more exams.

Recent high school graduates and nontraditional learners interested in this career path should consider a child psychology degree online program at the bachelor’s level. A psychology degree exposes students to different psychology subfields while preparing them for graduate school.

Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Programs in Child Psychology

Accreditation for Child Psychology Degrees

Schools offering child psychology programs need two forms of accreditation. Six regional accrediting agencies use U.S. Department of Education standards to evaluate the United States’ postsecondary institutions. Please avoid colleges and universities without regional accreditation, as graduates may experience difficulty attaining employment or admission to another academic program.

Colleges and universities awarding online degrees also need national accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Online learners attending a DEAC-accredited school receive the same educational experience as their on-campus peers.

Private agencies and organizations confer programmatic accreditation on exemplary degree-granting programs. Although child psychology degrees at the bachelor’s level cannot attain programmatic accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), reputable doctoral programs must possess it. Many states’ licensure requirements include graduating from an APA-accredited doctorate in psychology program.

Child Psychology Specializations

Child psychology degrees allow students to customize their education in different ways, such as through electives, minors, and study abroad experiences. Another option involves specializations. Also known as concentrations or tracks, specializations feature in-depth coursework in a single psychology topic. Students choose a specialization after exploring different psychology subfields during their first and second years.

Not all colleges and universities offer the specializations below. Students earning a child psychology degree online without specializations achieve the same result through electives on a single topic. Degree-seekers work with an academic advisor to choose courses aligning with their education and professional goals.

Scholarships for Child Psychology Programs

Although students who take child psychology courses online save money on a degree, they may still need financial aid. Learners should first work with their school’s financial aid counselors to explore institutional grants and scholarships. Other options include researching and applying for private scholarship opportunities like those below.

Best Online Child Psychology Programs 2021