2023 Best Online Certificates in Psychology

Colorado State University - Fort Collins (CSU) is a large, public university with a 90% acceptance rate and a 72% graduation rate. CSU hosts an online Applied Positive Psychology Graduate Certificate, which requires 12 credit hours. Students learn how to study human strengths and virtues and develop a balanced perspective on human functioning.

CSU uses Canvas to connect students to their classes, which are entirely online and asynchronous. Courses include Positive Education, Positive Sport Psychology, and Psychology of Calling and Meaningful Work, among others. Graduates may work as school counselors, meditation teachers, corporate wellness program coordinators, health psychologists, and human resource generalists.

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is a private institution that offers an online Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology, which consists of four courses and takes about six months to complete. This online certificate program prepares students to explore key research themes, apply that research by practicing strategies that influence well-being, and investigate applications of positive psychology in varied professional settings. UPenn has a 6% acceptance rate, making it highly competitive, and a 97% graduation rate.

At UPenn, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online and mostly taught in an asynchronous formatunless the instructor schedules a few synchronous sessions. Courses may include Character, Grit, & Research Methods, Applications & Interventions, and Resilience Skills. Graduates work in business, education, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector.

The University of Utah (UofU) is a large, public institution with a 95% acceptance rate and a 71% graduation rate. UofU offers an online Applied Positive Psychology Undergraduate Certificate, which requires 20 credit hours. This online certificate program prepares students to practice realistic optimism and changing behavior, skills for relationships like forgiveness and reconciliation, and skills for professionals, including assertiveness training, meditation, and coping skills.

At UofU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is fully online. The required courses for this program are Change using Positive Psychology, Enhancing Happiness & Life Satisfaction, and Quality Intimate Relationships, along with electives the student may choose. Graduates may work as health & wellness coaches, positive psychology coaches, and consultants.

The University of Missouri (UM) is a large, public institution that offers an online Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology, which requires 15 credit hours, and online students can potentially graduate in less than two years. UM empowers students to build thriving individuals, families, communities and organizations. UM has an acceptance rate of 77% and a graduation rate of 70%.

At UM, students use the learning management system Canvas to access their coursework, which is 100% online and asynchronous. Courses include Positive Psychology, Meaning in Work, Community & Stewardship, and more. Graduates may work as life and career coaches, teachers, organizational consultants, and managers.

Liberty University (LU) is a large, private university that focuses on ‘training champions for Christ’. LU offers an online Executive Certificate in Psychology, which requires 21 credit hours and takes 1.5 years to complete. This program provides students with the knowledge and skills to apply psychological research to practical individual and social problems, as well as preparing them to evaluate research literature in psychology.

At LU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is fully online and asynchronous. Courses in this program include Teaching of Psychology, Psychological Research & Biblical Worldview, and Theories & Research in Social Psychology. Graduates may work in government, private, or nonprofit organizations in healthcare or higher education. LU has a 99% acceptance rate and a 36% graduation rate.

Liberty University is not an LGBT-friendly institution. Students must sign an honor code that expressly forbids LGBT relationships.

The University of North Dakota (UND) is a public institution with an 89% acceptance rate and a 52% graduation rate. UND offers an online Forensic Psychology Certificate, which requires 9 credit hours and takes about 1 year to complete. This program provides students with knowledge of psychological concepts and theories, and an understanding of the legal system, as well as the analytical, statistical, and evaluation skills necessary in forensic settings.

At UND, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is 100% online. Courses include Psychology and Law, Abnormal Psychology, and Advanced Social Psychology. Graduates may work in case management, criminal corrections, mental health, social work, and substance abuse.

The University of Maine at Machias (UMM) is a public institution with a 100% acceptance rate and a 36% graduation rate. UMM offers an online High School Psychology Teacher Preparation Certificate, which requires 28 credit hours.

At UMM, students use Brightspace to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Research Methods & Design, Statistics for the Social Sciences, and Physiological Psychology. This program is for working high school teachers who want to teach psychology more effectively, based on guidelines developed by the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives.

North Arizona University (NAU) is a large, Hispanic-Serving Institution that offers an online Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Human Development and Learning. This program, which requires 18 credit hours, provides students with an in-depth understanding of human behavior, the learning process, basic statistics, and applying their knowledge in the assessment of learning. NAU has a 78% acceptance rate and a 60% graduation rate.

At NAU, students use Canvas to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Human Development, Personality Adjustment, and Development Perspectives Of Human Diversity. Students can complete this online certificate either on its own or as part of a graduate program in a relevant field.

Regent University Online (RU) is a private, Christian university that provides education through a Christian worldview. At RU, students can earn an online Undergraduate Certificate in Psychology, which requires 12 credit hours. This program teaches students to analyze human nature, motivation, and spiritual struggles, examine theoretical perspectives related to physical, cognitive, and social development, and understand the interface between Christian theology and psychology.

At RU, students use the Blackboard software to access their fully online classes, which include Philosophical Foundations, Developmental Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology. This certificate program appeals to students who do not want to pursue a full degree but desire to enhance their knowledge about how the human mind functions. RU has an acceptance rate of 41% and a graduation rate of 49%.

Regent University is not an LGBT-friendly institution. The Student Handbook prohibits LGBT relationships.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU) is a public institution with an 89% acceptance rate and a 75% graduation rate. WCU offers an online Graduate Certificate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, which requires 12 credit hours. Students graduate with the knowledge and skills to select and train employees; understand leadership, group, and organizational behavior; and influence workplace motivation and attitudes.

At WCU, students use Brightspace to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Organizational Psychology, Advanced Industrial Psychology, and Ethics & Professional Skills in Organizational Practice. Graduates of this certificate often advance their careers in management or human resources.

Park University (PU) is a private institution with open admissions and a 30% graduation rate. Their online Industrial and Organizational Psychology Undergraduate Certificate requires 15 semester hours, which can be completed in about two years, including an internship. Students learn to recruit, retain, and train employees; develop organizational leadership; make workplaces safer; and analyze how to develop organizations in order to improve their employee satisfaction.

At PU, students use Canvas to access their coursework, which is online and asynchronous. Courses include Research Methods in Psychology, Statistics for Social Sciences, and Industrial & Organizational Psychology. Graduates of this program work within organizations to reduce stress and retain employees.

Thomas Edison State University (TESU) is a public institution that offers an online Undergraduate Certificate in Psychology. This program requires 18 credit hours and prepares students to apply psychological theories, principles, and research to their psychology practice. TESU’s acceptance rate is 100%, and the graduation rate is 48%.

At TESU, students use the digital platform Moodle to access their coursework, which is entirely online and asynchronous, meaning students can work at their own pace. Courses include Developmental Psychology, History & Systems of Psychology, and Organizational Theory. Graduates may work in organizations, the education system, or private practices.

Alternatively, TESU also offers both an online Graduate Certificate in Geropsychology and an online Graduate Certificate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

National University (NU) is a private, Hispanic-Serving institution with a 55% acceptance rate and a 36% graduation rate. NU offers an online Post Master's Certificate in Psychology, which requires 18 credit hours and takes about a year to complete. This program allows you to specialize in an area of emphasis, such as gerontology, gender and sexual fluidity, trauma and disaster, and more.

At NU, students use Blackboard to access their online coursework, which is 100% online and may be synchronous or asynchronous, depending on the course. Core courses include Theories of Personality, Positive Psychology, and Human Communication-Interviewing Skills. Graduates pursue careers in research and education, including schools, hospitals, clinics, business, and research centers.

NU offers two similar online certificates as well, including a Graduate Certificate in Trauma Studies and a Certificate in Life Coaching.

Upper Iowa University (UIU) is a private institution with a 65% acceptance rate and a 50% graduation rate. UIU offers an online Undergraduate Certificate in Psychology, which requires 18 credit hours. The Certificate in Psychology offers students the opportunity to gain experience in their area of interest.

At UIU, students use Brightspace to access the certificate's curriculum, which is entirely online and synchronous through Skype or Zoom. Some of the classes are Issues & Ethics in the Helping Professions, General Psychology, and Social Gerontology. The school's site claims that 96% of graduates find a job within just one year of graduation.

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a public institution with an acceptance rate of 91% for new students, and agraduation rate of 57%. FHSU hosts several online psychology certificates, including a Certificate in Case Management, a Foundations of Public Mental Health Certificate, and a Juvenile Justice Youth Development Certificate Program. These are all taught by faculty in the College of Health and Behaviorial Sciences at FHSU.

At FHSU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is almost entirely online. Students can work through the course material virtually anywhere and at their own pace. The psychology certificates have a range of required online classes but are likely to include Abnormal Psychology as well as Child and Developmental Psychology. For the case management certificate and the foundational of public mental health certificate, students must complete apprenticeships. Each online psychology certificate is a total of 12 credit hours.

Michigan State University (MSU) is a large, public university that offers a Graduate Certificate in Educational Psychology, which requires nine credit hours. Students learn developmental mechanisms, the impact of motivation, and the practices that underlie psychological processes. MSU has an 83% acceptance rate and an 82% graduation rate — both of which are higher than average.

At MSU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Psychology of Learning in School & Other Settings, Psychological Development: Learner Differences and Commonalities, and Developing Positive Attitudes toward Learning. This program falls under the PhD program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology. However, being a student of the program is not a requirement.

PennWest California (PWC) is a public institution with a 97% acceptance rate and a 50% graduation rate. PWC offers an online Graduate Certificate in Board Certified Behavior Analyst Preparation, which requires 21 credit hours. Students learn to assess individual performance, evaluate the social validity of interventions, facilitate comprehensive functional behavior assessment, monitor behavior intervention plans based on data, and advocate for educational policy that addresses disciplinary practices.

At PWC, students use two learning management systems, Brightspace and Blackboard, to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Professional Ethical Practical Behavior Analyses, ABA Supervision and Assessments, and Foundations of Measure/Experimental Design. Graduates of this program may work with individuals who have exceptionalities to address behavioral and instructional needs as part of large corporations or other settings to improve worker productivity.

Alternatively, PennWest California also offers an online Post-Bachelor's Certificate in Sport Psychology.

Minnesota State University at Mankato (MSU) is a public institution with an acceptance rate of 69% and a graduation rate of 55%. MSU offers an online Graduate Certificate in General Psychology, which requires 18 credit hours. Students can finish this certificate program online in just one year. It is designed for psychology teachers at the high school level who desire to further their knowledge and/or meet postsecondary faculty qualifications.

At MSU, students use the digital learning platform Brightspace to access their coursework, which is 100% online. Some of these virtual courses include Cognitive Psychology, Behavior Neuroscience, and Human Memory. This certificate program also requires a capstone course.

The University of Western States (UWS) is a private, health science-focused institution with a 94% acceptance rate and a 44% graduation rate. UWS offers an online Applied Sport Psychology Graduate Certificate, which requires 29 credit hours and takes about a year to finish. This program teaches students to evaluate the predominant theories within sport and performance psychology and design activities and ethical interventions that lead to improved performance and satisfaction.

At UWS, students use Canvas to access their coursework, which is almost entirely online. Courses include Ethics & Professional Identity, Sport Psychology, and Psychological Preparation & Mental Skills Training, along with several elective courses. This program meets the AASP’s Certified Mental Performance Consultant coursework requirements.

Mary Baldwin University (MBU) is a private, women-only institution that is connected to the Presbyterian Church. MBU offers an online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Psychology. Requiring 12-17 credit hours, this program prepares students who hold majors other than psychology to successfully pursue a master’s or doctorate in psychology.

At MBU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online and asynchronous. Courses may include Survival Skills for the PBCP student, Experimental Psychology, and Behavioral Statistics, along with a thesis, independent research, or internship. Programs are customized with a psychology faculty advisor to provide students with a solid foundation in psychological theories.

Texas A&M University - Commerce (TAMUC) is a public, Hispanic-Serving Institution that offers an onlineTeaching Psychology Graduate Certificate requiring 18 credit hours and one year to complete. Students gain an understanding of personality and abnormal psychology, psychological development across the lifespan, cognitive neuroscience, and introductory statistics. TAMUC has a 73% acceptance rate and a 64% graduation rate.

At TAMUC, students use Tk20, a learning management system created by TAMU, to access their coursework. Online students take courses, such as Developmental Psychology and Social/Cultural Bases of Behavior, in preparation to teach undergraduate psychology courses.

Missouri University of Science and Technology (MUST) is a public institution with an 85% acceptance rate and a 70% graduation rate. MUST offers an online Graduate Certificate in Applied Workplace Psychology, which requires 12 credit hours that students can complete in one year. This program prepares students to enroll in the industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology master’s program, but enrollment is not required.

At MUST, students use the digital learning platform Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online. Courses include Introduction to I-O Psychology, Advanced Group Dynamics, and Performance Management. Graduates of this certificate program may continue a master’s degree without taking the GRE/GMAT.

MUST also offers an online Human Factors Psychology Certificate, which students are welcome to pursue as an alternative.

The University of Denver (UD) is a private institution that offers an online Specialized Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Coaching, which requires 16 credit hours. Students of the program learn to navigate complex environments; teach technical, tactical, physical, and mental skills; and motivate athletes in a leadership role. They may also choose to work with a Mental Skills Consultant while enrolled in an optional Practicum in Coaching.

At UD, students use the popular software Canvas to access their online coursework, which is asynchronous. Students may take on either a part- or full-time schedule. Courses include Psychology of Athletic Performance, Motor Learning & Sport Pedagogy, and Sociocultural Aspects of Sports Coaching. UD specializes in the psychological and sociological aspects of sport and athletic performance.

Saint Joseph’s University - New York (SJNY) is a private, Roman Catholic institution that offers an online Industrial Organizational Psychology Certificate requiring 21 credit hours. This program provides students with the skills to develop specialized expertise when it comes to applying psychological concepts to workplace environments. Graduates often work in human resources, employee testing and selection, training and development, and policy development.

At SJNY, students use the Canvas digital platform to access their coursework remotely. These can complete classes — like Cognitive Processes, Social Psychology, and Human Resources Management — at an asynchronous pace. SJNY has an acceptance rate of 83% and a graduate rate of 77%.

California State University - Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is a public, Hispanic-Serving Institution. CSUDH has an acceptance rate of 90% and a graduation rate of 65%. CSUDH offers an online Sports and Fitness Psychology Certificate, which requires a total of 15 credit hours. This program teaches students how to develop optimal performance, create effective teams, and enhance their physical and mental well-being.

At CSUDH, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is 100% online and asynchronous. However, students may sometimes utilize Zoom and Microsoft Teams to speak with instructors and other students, as required. Courses include Sport Psychology, Psychology of Coaching & Team-Building, and Contemporary Issues in Sports and Fitness. This program is aimed at athletes, trainers, coaches, fitness instructors, and other health professionals who want to perform their job more effectively or expand their current skill set.

Emporia State University (ESU) is a public institution with an 88% acceptance rate and a 50% graduation rate. ESU offers an online Psychology of Learning Graduate Certificate, which requires 18 credit hours. Students develop the skills to motivate students of all ages, apply appropriate learning concepts, and manage classrooms effectively.

At ESU, students use Canvas in order to access their coursework, which is all completely virtual. Courses include Theories of Learning, Psychology of the Adult Learner, and Response to Intervention in School Psychology. Completing this certificate program meets the coursework requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Capella University (CU) is a private institution that offers an online Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Theory in Mental Health Services, which requires 20 credit hours. Students learn the theories of psychotherapy, explore issues affecting diverse populations, and examine some of the counseling profession’s ethical and legal issues. They may also tailor this graduate certificate in counseling to meet their personal goals and desired experiences. CU’s acceptance rate is 100%, and the graduation rate is16%.

At CU, students use Blackboard to access their fully online coursework, which they can complete at their own pace. Online classes include Theories of Psychotherapy, Counseling & Advocacy with Diverse Populations, and Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors. Completion of this certificate program may be applied toward Capella’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Western New Mexico University (WNMU) is a public, Hispanic-Serving Institution that offers an online Graduate Certificate in Psychology, which requires 18 credit hours. This graduate certificate qualifies graduates to teach at the lower-division college level. All graduate certificates are offered through the Interdisciplinary Studies Department. WNMU has an open admissions policy and holds a 35% graduation rate.

All students have free choice of courses, which allows them to create their own unique program. WNMU’s certificate program empowers students to become successful, ethical professionals. Information about this certificate program is very limited on the university's website, but prospective students can contact an admissions counselor at WNMU for more information.