Catawba College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology along with a psychology minor, both built on a liberal arts foundation with hands-on lab and internship components. Catawba is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, located on a 276-acre wooded campus in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Catawba College was founded in 1851 in Newton, North Carolina, by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church, and moved to its current Salisbury campus in 1923. The college is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and today spans 276 wooded acres, including a 189-acre ecological preserve and a 300-acre wildlife refuge.
Accreditation Details
Catawba College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This institutional accreditation confirms that Catawba meets recognized standards for academic quality, curriculum review, and student support across its degree programs.
Application Requirements
First-year applicants must submit an application for admission, an official high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from a core subject teacher [VERIFY], and a 500 to 600-word essay [VERIFY]. Catawba’s Test Optional Policy allows students with a 3.25 GPA or higher [VERIFY] to apply without SAT or ACT scores, though scores may still be required for course placement after acceptance.
Transfer applicants with 24 or more college-level semester hours [VERIFY] and a 2.0 GPA or higher [VERIFY] generally qualify for admission based on college coursework. Transfer applicants with fewer than 24 semester hours must also submit high school transcripts [VERIFY].
Tuition and Financial Aid
Current undergraduate full-time tuition for 2025-2026 is $35,500 per year, inclusive of fees [VERIFY: confirm any separate per-credit rate before publishing]. Catawba reports providing approximately $32.3 million in institutional, federal, and state scholarships and grants for the 2023-2024 year. Students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for grants, scholarships, and student loans.
Psychology Programs at Catawba College
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Catawba gives students a foundation in the psychological perspective on human behavior, combining core coursework with laboratory requirements. Required courses include:
- Data Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences
- Experimental Psychology
- Child or Adolescent Psychology
- Psychology of Personality
- Abnormal Psychology
- Fundamentals of Neuroscience or Cognitive Processes
- Social Psychology
The program takes a general, broad-based approach rather than emphasizing one school of thought, reflecting Catawba’s liberal-arts approach to a psychology bachelor’s degree and giving students flexibility to align electives with graduate school preparation or direct entry into the workforce. Students may also pursue internships, practicums, and independent study for hands-on experience alongside coursework.
Psychology Minor
Students in other majors can add a psychology minor by completing general psychology plus 15 to 17 semester hours of psychology electives, with at least two courses at the 3000 level or above.
Catawba is one of several schools featured in our list of 50 Most Affordable Selective Small Colleges for a Psychology Degree, which compares tuition and program options at similar institutions.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.