BA in Liberal Studies, Psychology & Counseling

Help others heal.

Do you want to learn more about the mind, how it works, and how you can help others while also pursuing a meaningful career? Our Psychology & Counseling degree is well-suited for those interested in working in case management, advocacy, community organizing, human service delivery, social justice work within human services, or related policy work. All of these fields are deeply entrenched in the principle of doing good to help others, a rewarding and equitable ambition. Focus on these aspirations to develop your dedication into a gratifying career. This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The goal of the Psychology and Counseling concentration is to prepare students for both graduate study in psychology or social work and/or work in the field, with the ultimate goal of working as case management, advocacy or counseling professionals. Students with interdisciplinary interests in areas such as art and psychology (or art therapy), drama and psychology (drama therapy), or writing and psychology, might also pursue this structured concentration. In addition, students with a BA degree might pursue this concentration if they are interested in working in case management, advocacy, community organizing, human service delivery, social justice work within human services, or related policy work. Viable employment options for students completing this area of concentration include work within nonprofit organizations that address such needs as homeless youth and/or adults, people with disabilities, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, or within city, county, or state (DSHS) human services departments.

Customization is Key

In the BA in Liberal Studies program, each study plan is based on the student’s past experience, current needs and interests, and future goals. Students work in close collaboration with faculty advisors, instructors, and other students to shape their studies. Students build on earlier college work and on competencies learned at home, and at work, through independent reading and volunteer activities.

Degree Requirements

The Liberal Studies Bachelor’s degree requires 180 quarter credits, including a minimum of 60 upper-division credits, and a maximum of 120 lower-division credits. A minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter credits must be completed with Antioch University. Graduation requirements include:

• 7 liberal studies courses
• an internship, or other in-the-world learning experience of the student’s choosing
• at least 40 credits in the Psychology and Counseling concentration
• a senior capstone project

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Example Coursework for Concentration Requirements

• Abnormal Psychology
• Health Psychology & Promotion
• Positive Psychology & Resilience
• Somatic Awareness: Engaging the Body
• Neuropsychology
• Biological Systems & Human Health
• Applied Mindfulness
• Creative Arts Healing
• Counseling Role
• Ethics in Professional Settings
• Psychology Field Experience
• Research Methods
• Applied Statistics
• Grief & Loss
• Attachment & Attunement
• Applied Statistics
• Embracing Neurodiversity
• Addictions
• Navigating Depression & Anxiety
• Trauma & Boundaries 
• Healthy Relationships & Emotional Regulation
• Ecopsychology
• Family Sagas: Intergenerational Trauma

Sample Community-Based Learning Experiences

• Volunteer with families in need at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• Service learning project at Lambert House, which serves gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth
• Counseling internship with a mental health agency

Sample Synthesis Projects

• Advocacy project working for human rights for those with mental illness
• Review of the research on the application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy to female adolescents with substance abuse problems
• Oral history project with family members examining the role of depression in three generations of women’s lives

Career Outlook

The goal of the Psychology and Counseling concentration is to prepare students for both graduate study in psychology or social work and/or work in the field, with the ultimate goal of working as case management, advocacy or counseling professionals.