The psychology bachelor’s degree program at Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School opens the door to a wide variety of career and ministry pathways related to the psychology profession while helping to heal communities and restore souls. Check out how studying psychology at LBC | Capital can lead to a rewarding career with multiple opportunities.

LBC | Capital’s psychology programs deliver a biblically centered education that equips students to develop competency in the field, integrate their faith into their profession, nurture Christian virtue and develop a biblical worldview to serve Christ in the Church and society.

Throughout the programs, offered both in person and online, students grow into knowledgeable professionals with the communication, research and interpersonal skills many employers seek. Skills such as analyzing and responding to emotional, psychological and interpersonal concerns with empathy and understanding serve future practitioners in a variety of employment settings.

Additionally, students considering graduate school will have the enhanced foundational preparation that is necessary for earning advance degrees. Whether seeking entry-level employment in the mental health field or pursuing a master’s degree, the training embedded within LBC | Capital’s psychology programs empowers students to make an impact for the kingdom, regardless of where God calls them.

It’s also important to note that students can earn a degree in psychology at LBC | Capital in two ways: 1) on-campus in the traditional setting, with in-person 16-week courses; or 2) fully online through eight-week courses with high engagement with professors and fellow students.

On-campus students have the opportunity to live on campus, get involved in inter-collegiate athletics, be active within student activities and join in the important aspect of community worship and prayer.

For those who choose the online route to a psychology degree, the benefits are numerous. With eight-week courses taught by knowledgeable faculty members and subject matter experts who have experience in the field, students can continue to manage a full-time job, family responsibilities and serving commitments. Some students choose to take one or two courses per eight-week term, and while time management and organization skills are key, online courses are designed for busy, working adults so they can advance in their careers or ministries.

Additionally, a benefit of both the in-person and online psychology programs at LBC | Capital is the college’s unique 4+1 pathway, which allows students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in just five years total.

“Students in the psychology programs at Lancaster Bible College have the unique and beneficial opportunity to add a master’s degree onto their bachelor’s degree with just one more year of courses—regardless of if they are taking courses in person or online,” said LBC | Capital Psychology Program Director Melissa Boas. “Especially in a field where a master’s degree is often required to practice counseling or excel in other psychology-related fields, the 4+1 programs equip our students to make a difference in their communities right away.”

Online psychology students are welcome to apply for the 4+1 master’s program as long as they are willing and able to travel to LBC | Capital’s Lancaster, Pa., campus once a month for in-person residencies.

Master’s studies in the 4+1 program, or in a variety of online stand-alone master’s programs, center on topics such as Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Addictions Counseling, Marriage & Family Counseling and Professional School Counseling. LBC | Capital also prepares students by providing all the necessary courses to obtain licensures and certification requirements.

LBC | Capital undergraduate psychology students have interned in private practices, at church counseling centers, homeless ministries and the Salvation Army. Careers include working as a case manager, social services worker, career counselor, psychiatric aide or behavioral health technician.

Psychology student Cameron Tripp (’27) has also enrolled in the 4+1 program to earn his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Current on-campus psychology student Cameron Tripp (’27), who has also enrolled in the 4+1 program to earn his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, chose Lancaster Bible College because of the commitment to biblical integration in every program.

“I wanted an education that would (be a) firm biblical base for the things that I was learning,” Cameron said. “I wanted to please God in what I did too, so LBC seemed like the natural place to go because of their theology. Also, having wanted to go into the counseling field for a while now, I thought that it would be a good idea to have a biblical base for what I was learning about and how to care for people. I certainly think that I have made a good choice in attending LBC, and I would not go anywhere else.”

Regardless of whether students earn their psychology degree on campus or online, they will do the following throughout their education at LBC | Capital:

• Examine professional literature and research demonstrating competency to describe and critique from a biblical worldview.
• Evaluate counseling theory and methods while assimilating learned knowledge into direct practice.
• Develop skills to identify diagnostic categories and apply intervention strategies.
• Integrate professional ethics into the practical field setting.
• Practice interpersonal skills relative to effectiveness in the field of psychology.

Just a sample of psychology courses students may experience include: Group Psychotherapy, History and Systems of Psychology, Personality Theory, Psychopathology, Multicultural Psychology, Research Methods and Social Psychology, along with therapy labs, practicums, internships and capstone projects.