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An Applied Psychology degree is an excellent fit for students hoping to pursue counseling, teaching, research, graduate school, applied behavior analysis, business, and many other careers.

Applied Psychology students learn about how humans develop over time, how our brain functions, how we act in social situations, what affects our physical and mental health, how to assess and identify psychological disorders, and how to provide a variety of evidenced-based interventions to people in need.

Our program provides a strong core curriculum designed to meet American Psychological Association (APA) standards. It emphasizes how to apply knowledge and skills so you are highly prepared for a variety of careers. Core courses include Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Research Methods, Behavior Modification, Counseling, and Career Preparation.

This strong base is complemented with the flexibility to select from a diverse set of applied elective courses. Academic advisors help students design an in-depth and personalized course sequence that best prepares them for their chosen career. Courses are taught with an emphasis on engagement, critical thinking, applying knowledge to real-world situations, building strengths, and practicing the specific skills necessary for immediate employment or graduate school upon graduating with this degree.

Skills Based Focus

Allows students to identify personal strengths, apply knowledge to real-world situations, create and implement new ideas, and ultimately be prepared to immediately enter the workforce or continue on to graduate programs.

Applied Experience

Students participate in externships, advanced research courses, and/or community work to prepare themselves for exciting and rewarding careers in psychology or for additional coursework in graduate programs.

Opportunities to Further Enrich Academic Experience Include:

  • Service and professional development clubs (e.g., Psychology Club, Psi Chi Honors Society, Circle K)
  • Research projects with faculty
  • Teaching assistant for a class
  • Regional psychological conferences (e.g., Western Psychological Association).

Additionally, Oregon Tech provides valuable Master of Science degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis for interested Applied Psychology degree graduates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students love the Oregon Tech Applied Psychology Program because it includes fascinating courses, hands-on experiences through labs, internships/externships relevant to your desired career, study abroad opportunities, a psychology club and Psi Chi club, travel to regional psychology conferences to learn from experts in the field and present research, invested faculty with expertise in various areas of psychology, and supportive academic/career advising every term. 

Yes. There is a high demand for graduates with bachelor’s degrees in psychology. Our graduates get jobs at places such as community mental health centers, the Department of Human Services Child Welfare, the Department of Human Services Self-sufficiency, Probation and Parole, Head Start, Developmental Disabilities, non-profit organizations (like Friends of the Children, Integral Youth Services), schools, police departments, substance use treatment centers, and community colleges and universities (such as in the admissions program, human Resources, career services, or TRIO programs).      

While many undergraduate psychology programs are largely theoretical, the Oregon Tech Applied Psychology Program is focused on helping our students also acquire the specific skills they will need to secure and be successful in a job upon graduation. For this reason, we have many skills-based classes, such as Basic Counseling Techniques, Advanced Counseling Techniques, Behavior Modification I, Behavior Modification II, Abnormal Psychology I, Abnormal Psychology II, Motivational Interviewing, Sports Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Research Methods II. We also require 12 credits of applied experience (internships/externships) as part of our program to better prepare students for their careers. 

Yes. Applied Psychology students at Oregon Tech report that what they learn in their classes and through internships/externships helps them gain the insights and skills necessary to significantly improve the quality of their lives through enhanced empathy, communication, relationships, self-care, and the ability to break unhealthy habits and start healthy habits; and by being able to secure and succeed in a rewarding occupation where they can make a positive impact in people’s lives

Most likely yes. The Oregon Tech Applied Psychology Degree accepts 54 credits of electives to be transferred in toward the 180 credits you need to graduate. Any courses taken at community colleges or other universities that are the same as Oregon Tech classes can also be counted toward required courses. 

Yes. While you will not need to take extensive math classes, there are two math classes required, which include statistics. 

Internship opportunities at Oregon Tech are directed by Oregon Tech Faculty. They include the Oregon Tech Relationship Building Program where students serve as family mentors and provide behavioral parent training to parents who have had their children removed by DHS for maltreatment. They work to help parents improve their parenting skills and bond with their children so that their children can be returned to their care. In the Oregon Tech Well-Being Program students serve as well-being coaches and teach life skills to participants in the DHS self-sufficiency program. In the Applied Behavior Analysis Clinical students help children with autism and other developmental disabilities improve their functioning. In addition to internships, students can work with the externship coordinator to set up an externship with an organization in the students’ location where they can engage in hands-on activities under the supervision of an expert.    

Yes. Oregon Tech offers Masters degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Allied Health.   

Yes. All required courses for the Oregon Tech Applied Psychology Program are offered in person and online.

There are many fascinating psychology courses that students enjoy at Oregon Tech. These courses include content that is highly relevant to students’ personal lives and professional careers. They are applicable and hands-on. Some examples of such courses include Intro to Psychology, Social Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Human Sexuality, Biopsychology, Basic Counseling Techniques, Advanced Counseling Techniques, Behavior Modification, Abnormal Psychology, Motivational Interviewing, Sports Psychology, Positive Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Research Methods.  

 

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Program Options

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Bachelor of Science
Portland-Metro
Bachelor of Science
Online
Bachelor of Science

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Program Student Learning Outcomes
Projected Course Offerings (Two Year Schedules)

There are a Wide Variety of Job Options Available for our Applied Psychology Degree Graduates:

 

What can you do with a degree in Psychology?

See this article about rewarding careers

Career Options Include:

  • Qualified Mental Health Associate
  • Careers in Applied Behavior Analysis including Behavior Analyst and Registered Behavior Technician
  • DHS Child Welfare Caseworkers
  • Probation and Parole Officer
  • Rehabilitation Specialist
  • Career/School Counselor

Local Employers of Recent Psychology Graduates:

  • Klamath Basin Behavioral Health
  • Department of Human Services
  • Lutheran Community Services
  • Sky Lakes Medical Center
  • Klamath City or County School District
Klamath Falls
Corissa Weaver
Corissa Weaver
Alumni, Class of 2024
“My most significant learning experience has been to be open-minded to different courses, not just those within your degree. I have found that the courses I dreaded were actually fun, and I learned how they were incorporated into my degree.”
Program Curriculum

Featured Courses

Core curriculum includes:

Basic Counseling Techniques

Learn the essential theories and practice the skills necessary to provide effective counseling to those in need.

Social Psychology

Learn about the many counterintuitive phenomena which can influence human behavior due to different social forces.

Biopsychology

Learn about the biological basis for human behavior including the fascinating interaction between brain and body.

Behavior Modification

Learn about how to modify human and animal behavior through specialized applied behavior analysis techniques.

Field and Career Preparation

Explore the many careers, graduate programs, externships, and internships in psychology and complete the necessary steps to be prepared for your ideal career path.

Abnormal Psychology

Learn about the causes and prevalence of, assessment and diagnostic criteria for, and evidenced-based treatment for diverse psychological disorders.

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This is an exciting and life changing degree for anyone interested in the human mind, human behavior, social dynamics, and psychological interventions to affect positive change.