Help assess, intervene and manage trauma

Carlow’s trauma Psychology degree will give you a solid foundation in theory and research pertaining to crisis, abuse and trauma. You’ll focus on crisis assessment, intervention and management and study specific issues such as child abuse prevention and treatment, partner violence and the impact of trauma on individuals and families as well. 

Trauma Psychology degree curriculum

The Crisis and Trauma track will acquaint you with pre-professional-level trauma and crisis counselor training. In addition to the requirements for the psychology major, you must complete courses in crisis and trauma. You can complete an internship at a local facility or conduct field research. 

Graduate-level training is required before becoming a professional counselor.

Quick Facts

• Start helping others with local internship options
• Build a foundation for graduate-level studies 
• Collaborate with faculty on research

Alternate degree completion options

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process

Help people in social service and mental health settings

You will develop a scientific approach to the study of human behavior and experience in Carlow University’s psychology counseling degree program. The Psychology major with a concentration in counseling will give you the pre-professional knowledge and skills needed to help people in a variety of social service and mental health settings, such as therapeutic activities, rehabilitation, casework, child care and service coordination.

Counselors help people with personal, family, educational, mental health, substance abuse and career issues so that they can lead healthier and more productive lives.

Psychology counseling degree curriculum

This track will acquaint you with pre-professional-level counselor training. You will satisfy the regular requirements for the psychology major plus complete at least 12 credits in counseling. You can complete an internship at a local facility or conduct field research. 

Graduate-level training is required before becoming a professional counselor.

Quick facts

• Gain real-world career experience with an internship
• Collaborate with faculty on research
• Prepare for an in-demand career

Alternate Degree Placeholder Title

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process

Learn how children grow and evolve

You will develop a scientific approach to the study of human behavior and experience in Carlow University’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program. As a Child Development Psychology major, you will investigate the biological, behavioral, emotional, cognitive and social factors that shape how humans grow and change. This concentration is helpful if you wish to pursue employment or graduate training in developmental psychology, counseling and fields in which additional knowledge of children’s growth and development is helpful.

By the end of the program, you will be ready to enter training in social service and mental health programs in areas such as therapeutic activities, rehabilitation, casework, child care work and service coordination.

The program provides a foundation for graduate study in psychology and counseling but can be a path to other careers. You can go on to law school or graduate school or work in business, education or other fields.

BA Psychology curriculum

In the Child Development Psychology major you must satisfy the regular requirements for the major and complete at least 9 credits in human development. You can complete an internship at a local facility or conduct field research. 

Quick facts

• Dig deeper in the study of children’s growth
• Collaborate with faculty on research
• Gain real-world career experience with an internship

Alternate degree completion options

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process

Your gateway to careers in law, government and non-profits

With the Political Science major from Carlow University, you will explore questions about power: What it is, where does it come from, who exercises it, and how it is legitimized and challenged?

You will study governments, public policy and the political behavior of individuals and institutions. You will consider issues of control, freedom, gender and influence as you study and assess the manner in which power and authority have impacted the development and organization of societies, relations between and among nations, and the management of war and conflict. 

A degree  in Political Science provides you with a solid grasp of the American political system and other political systems within the context of global forces, international conflicts, social movements, ideological systems and diversity.

Political Science major curriculum

To complete a bachelor’s in political science, you will take courses in each of the four subfields of the discipline: American government, political theory, international relations and comparative politics; two courses in research methods; and a capstone project. Courses emphasize reflection, discussion, deliberation and intensive interactions between faculty members and students.

As a Political Science major you will complete foundational courses, a research methods sequence and 9 credits of elective courses in the discipline

Carlow’s political science program participates in the 3/3 BA/JD programs with the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University Schools of Law and the Early Assurance Program with the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and  International Affairs.

Quick Facts

• Study American politics, comparative politics and international relations
• Engage in discourse regarding the core political science concepts, organizations and models
• Employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine relevant issues

View Plan of Study

Alternate degree completion options

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process

Forge your own path. Become the person you are meant to be.

You can take the time to explore your personal and academic interests in an adaptable learning experience with a General Studies degree. Created with working people and students who have changed majors in mind, the major is grounded in the liberal arts.

As you adapt your studies to your interests and goals, you will gain a progressive depth of knowledge in a specialized area of study, becoming adept at integrative thinking and “thinking outside the box.”

General studies curriculum 

The General Studies major is student-directed, with the oversight of an advisor. You will choose a study focus and take a minimum of 12 credits in one discipline, but will be able to branch out further in your interests. For example, you could study the plays of Shakespeare in one course, economic theory in another and biblical interpretation in yet another.  

At the end of the program, you will develop a project that demonstrates integrative thinking and proficiency in chosen areas. 

Quick facts

• Adapt your learning experience to your personal interests
• Take advantage of a learning experience designed with curious people in mind
• Cultivate critical thinking and analytical skills 

Admission requirements and application process

Create an individualized course of study

If you’re creative and independent and you’re interested in an interdisciplinary approach to your studies and future career, Carlow’s Liberal Studies major is an ideal option for you. In this program, you will work with an advisor and engage with guided studies to create your own major, adapting your learning experience to your academic and professional goals. You will choose three minors in separate programs to cultivate in-depth knowledge in those areas of study.

The Liberal Studies major is also an excellent choice if you are interested in studying at the graduate level, especially if you have aspirations that require in-depth knowledge of more than one area.

Liberal Studies major curriculum

Two of your chosen minors must be in liberal arts programs, such as humanities, art or women’s studies; one may be in a professional studies program such as accounting, business management or human resources. You may also choose three liberal arts areas of study. At the end of the program, you will complete a thesis that reflects your program outcomes.

Quick facts

• Adapt your learning experience to suit your academic and professional interests
• Prepare yourself for graduate-level studies with an interdisciplinary education
• Cultivate analytical and critical thinking skills, which are highly sought after by employers

Admission requirements and application process

Understand why people break the law and the reasons for their behavior

With a bachelor’s in Criminology,  you will learn the nature of crime and the effectiveness and fairness of society’s efforts to prevent and control it.

You will engage in a cross-disciplinary approach to the study of crime, offenders and victims, as well as the agencies, laws, policies and processes of the criminal justice system. You will train to become an agent of change by developing critical thinking skills through problem-based learning in order to impact  the fields relevant to criminology professionals regardless of setting.

A psychology concentration is embedded within the program to ensure that you have the knowledge relevant to direct-practice professions in the field. This emphasis on psychology will help you develop an awareness of the critical role mental health plays in criminal behavior. 

Criminology major curriculum

Carlow University’s major in Criminology focuses on prevention and remediation strategies. Notable courses include Crime and Mental Health and Race, Class and Justice.

Quick facts

• Pair studies with additional minors in Pre-Law, Counseling, or Crisis and Trauma
• Enjoy flexible options for degree completion for non-traditional students and those outside of the region
• Benefit from internship opportunities

Alternate degree completion options

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process

Understand human behavior, attitudes and motivations

You will learn about human behavior and experience from a scientific perspective Carlow’s Psychology major. You will explore research methodology and critical analysis in a variety of fields of psychology, including clinical counseling and developmental, cognitive, social and experimental psychology. 

By the end of the Psychology degree program, you will be ready to enter training in social service and mental health programs in areas such as therapeutic activities, rehabilitation, casework, child care work and service coordination.

The bachelor’s in Psychology is a foundation for graduate study in psychology and counseling but can be a path to other careers. You can go on to law school or graduate school or work in business, education or other fields. 

Bachelor’s in Psychology curriculum

The bachelor’s in Psychology program offers three concentrations, counseling, crisis and trauma, and child development, in the fields of cognitive, biological and developmental psychology. Elective courses can be taken in crisis and trauma, human development, abnormal psychology and forensic psychology. You will have the opportunity to participate in an internship at a local facility or conduct field research.

Quick facts

• Participate in research lab studying working memory
• Participate in social psychology project using random acts of kindness 
• Collaborate with faculty on research

Alternate degree completion options

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

3-Year Degree

Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements and application process 

Help children reach their full potential

In Carlow’s Early Childhood Education degree program, you will focus on learning to nurture the dignity, worth and uniqueness of young children from birth to fourth grade. You will learn to create healthy environments and relationships where children can thrive and develop a love of learning. 

Rooted in constructivism, the program is guided by child development pedagogy and early learning standards, and advocates for best 21st-century learning practices. Students utilize the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s three core considerations when planning learning environments: child development and learning theory, individual appropriateness and cultural importance. The program is guided by the NAEYC’s Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators, Power to the Profession and the Pennsylvania Department of Education‛s Teacher Certification Competencies.

Carlow is one of the few private schools that accepts the following state-sponsored scholarship opportunities: TEACH Scholarship, Rising Stars and PASSHE

Early Childhood Education degree curriculum

You’ll take courses in advanced child development, play as learning, math and science for the developing child, and community support. The infant-toddler and curriculum methods courses include practicums, which are in addition to the student teaching requirement.

This program is also offered at our Greensburg and Cranberry campuses.

Quick Facts

• Explore STEM and learn programming, robotics, computational thinking and inquiry skills
• Network with educators through professional development opportunities and community fairs, and visit with community organizations that support learning  
• Engage in practicum and student teaching experiences in the Carlow Campus Laboratory School and Early Learning Center, and work with infants through fourth-graders

Admission requirements and application process

Note for all certification students: At the end of your sophomore year, you must officially apply to the education department through the coordinator of undergraduate programs. You must have 48 credits, have at least a 3.0 GPA, pass SKW 101, SKQ 101, a math course and a literature course, and pass the Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment (PAPA) or the CORE ETS Fundamental Skills Tests in reading, writing and math or meet equivalent course, ACT or SAT requirements.

Certification requirements: Carlow’s early childhood education program provides the necessary coursework required for Pre-K-4 teacher certification in Pennsylvania. Students must meet additional requirements and apply for certification after graduation.

Help children with special needs reach their full potential

The Early Childhood Education with Special Education Certification program at Carlow focuses on nurturing the dignity, worth and uniqueness of children with special needs from birth to fourth grade. You will learn to address the needs of children with a wide variety of mental, physical, social, emotional and behavioral disabilities in multiple settings.

Rooted in constructivism, the program is guided by child development pedagogy and early learning standards, and advocates for best 21st-century learning practices. Students utilize the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s three core considerations when planning learning environments: child development and learning theory, individual appropriateness and cultural importance. The program is guided by the NAEYC’s Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators, Power to the Profession and the Pennsylvania Department of Education‛s Teacher Certification Competencies.

You will take additional special education courses and participate in special education practicum experiences and student teaching placement with children with unique needs.

Curriculum for Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) with Special Education Certification

You will learn inclusive practices, differentiated instruction, instructional and assistive technologies, universal design theory, positive behavioral interventions and culturally responsive education practices for young children with special needs. Explicit multisensory-based structured literacy practices and recent neuroscience inform special education practices targeting reading and dyslexia. 

This program is also offered at our Greensburg and Cranberry campuses.

Quick Facts

• Gain experience with multiple diagnostic tools
• Employ special education strategies and assessments in multiple practicum placements
• Participate in special education practicums and student teaching experiences 
• Learn from dyslexia specialist instructors
• Gain early intervention experience

Admission requirements and application process

Note for all certification students: At the end of your sophomore year, you must officially apply to the education department through the coordinator of undergraduate programs. You must have 48 credits, have at least a 3.0 GPA, pass SKW 101, SKQ 101, a math course and a literature course, and pass the Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment (PAPA) or the CORE ETS Fundamental Skills Tests in reading, writing and math.  

Certification requirements: Carlow’s Early Childhood Education with Special Education Certification program provides the necessary coursework required for Pre-K-4 teacher and special education certification in Pennsylvania. You must meet additional requirements and apply for certification after graduation. You must complete a degree program; score a 4 or higher on both Pennsylvania Department of Education 430 evaluation forms; and pass the PECT Pre-K-4 exam.