Louisiana is home to many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that award psychology degrees. Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge runs a science-focused bachelor’s degree available on campus and fully online, Grambling State University houses its psychology major within a combined Department of Sociology and Psychology, and Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans offers a research-heavy program with three specialized tracks.
Together these schools offer students options that range from substance-abuse counseling preparation to neuroscience and pre-medical training, with most degrees requiring 120 total credit hours and a senior research or fieldwork component.
HBCU in Louisiana With Psychology Programs
Listed below are some of the popular HBCUs in Louisiana that offer psychology programs:
- Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge)
- Grambling State University (Grambling)
- Xavier University of Louisiana (New Orleans)
- Dillard University (New Orleans)
Southern University and A&M College
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The psychology degree at Southern University and A&M College sits inside the Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Science, and it leads to a Bachelor of Science awarded after a full 120 credit hours. Of that total, 45 semester hours come from psychology coursework, and 15 of those 45 hours are reserved for psychology electives that students select with an advisor.
Most students complete the degree across four academic years, following a semester-by-semester plan of study that moves from General Psychology in the sophomore year to History and Systems in the final term. The remaining 75 hours satisfy the university’s 60 hours of general education requirements plus the college’s social science, foreign language, and laboratory science obligations.
The department describes itself as the department of “Second Chances,” and its stated mission is to ready students to compete globally while addressing human needs at the local, national, and international level through research and service. That framing carries through the requirement that every major complete service learning and an African-American Experience elective.
The fully online version of the same Bachelor of Science, delivered through the Moodle learning management system, is also available. Online courses run in eight-week sessions, eight sessions per year, and ambitious students can move quickly by taking up to 21 semester credit hours in a single semester under the accelerated format.
The program qualifies graduates for roles in mental health facilities, government, and business, but not for licensure as a professional psychologist without graduate study. To add applied value at the undergraduate level, the department is an approved site for substance abuse and prevention coursework that can lead to certification in both areas.
Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in every required major course, and they finish the degree by passing a Departmental Comprehensive Examination along with the university’s Writing Proficiency requirement.
Courses and Curriculum
The Southern curriculum is built around a quantitative core. Students take both Elementary Statistics and Advanced Statistics before reaching Experimental Psychology, and Psychological Testing also requires statistics as a prerequisite. This sequencing means the major front-loads measurement and methods rather than saving them for the senior year.
Content courses then layer biological, clinical, and theoretical perspectives on top of that methods base. Physiological Psychology and a four-credit physiology laboratory elective cover the brain and body, Abnormal Psychology and Psychology of Learning address clinical and behavioral domains, and History and Systems closes the major with a survey of the discipline’s intellectual roots.
Fifteen elective credit hours give students room to specialize, and the department routes interested students toward its substance abuse and prevention sequence. Supporting requirements outside the major include Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Philosophy, a computer applications course, and a foreign language sequence.
Some of the core courses that you will take include:
- SPSY 201B General Psychology
- PSYC 274B Elementary Statistics
- PSYC 277B Advanced Statistics
- PSYC 360B Psychological Testing
- PSYC 377B Physiological Psychology
- PSYC 412B Experimental Psychology
- PSYC 468B Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC 488B History and Systems
Practical Experience
Hands-on training is formalized through PSYC 303B Field Experience, a required three-credit course taken in the junior year that places students in applied settings tied to the discipline. The major also mandates SVLR 400B Service Learning in the senior year, connecting classroom theory to community work in keeping with the department’s service mission.
For students who pursue the optional substance abuse and prevention track, the approved coursework can build toward state certification, giving graduates a credential they can use immediately after the bachelor’s degree.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply the scientific method to psychological questions through elementary and advanced statistics.
- Design and carry out experiments in a supervised laboratory setting.
- Interpret the biological basis of behavior using physiological psychology.
- Identify and describe patterns of abnormal behavior and their classification.
- Administer and interpret psychological tests and measurement tools.
- Trace the historical and theoretical systems that shaped modern psychology.
- Demonstrate writing competence through the university’s Writing Proficiency requirement.
Career Preparation & Outcomes
Southern positions the degree as a foundation for graduate school or entry-level work in mental health facilities, government agencies, and business settings, with the substance abuse and prevention certification offering a direct path into counseling-adjacent roles. The department’s comprehensive examination and writing requirements are meant to leave graduates ready for the academic demands of master’s and doctoral study.
Southern has reported a six-year graduation rate of about 30 percent.
Admissions Requirements
- Official ACT or SAT scores sent directly to Southern (ACT code 1610, SAT code 6663).
- High school transcript showing completion of the Louisiana Core Four curriculum.
- Minimum 2.0 cumulative high school GPA.
- In-state transcripts retrieved electronically through the Louisiana Department of Education; out-of-state applicants mail an official transcript.
- Non-refundable $25 application fee.
- International applicants demonstrate English proficiency through TOEFL or IELTS.
Application Deadlines
Southern’s regular freshman application is due August 1 for fall enrollment. The online Bachelor of Science in Psychology runs on a rolling basis through its eight-week session structure, so online applicants should coordinate start dates with an academic advisor rather than aiming for a single fixed cutoff.
Grambling State University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The psychology major at Grambling State University is a Bachelor of Arts housed in the Department of Sociology and Psychology within the College of Professional Studies. The full degree totals 120 credit hours, and the program requires a minimum of 39 semester hours in psychology specifically, which is several hours more than the discipline-specific requirement at some peer institutions.
The standard path runs four years, with the curriculum mapping 32 hours in the freshman year, 27 in the sophomore year, 30 in the junior year, and 31 in the senior year. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all major and minor courses for those credits to count toward the degree.
Because psychology shares a department with sociology, the curriculum integrates sociological context through the major. Students take Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, and a Rural Urban course alongside their psychology requirements, giving the degree a strong social-science flavor.
The department lists four objectives for its majors: preparing students for immediate employment or continued study, serving students in other instructional areas, applying research methodology to scientific investigation, and delivering community services through workshops, conferences, and program evaluation. Those goals shape a curriculum that balances employability with graduate-school readiness.
Grambling does not award a graduate psychology degree on its own, but students who want to continue can pursue a Master of Arts in Social Science with a concentration in psychology, which requires 30 graduate semester hours including thesis or elective options. This gives undergraduates a clear in-house route toward advanced study.
A distinctive structural element is the GET 300 Rising Junior Examination, a zero-credit checkpoint completed in the sophomore year that students must clear before advancing. The major also requires a two-course sequential foreign language sequence, reinforcing the Bachelor of Arts orientation of the degree.
Courses and Curriculum
Grambling’s psychology sequence builds steadily across the four years. The foundation begins with General Psychology and Developmental Psychology in the first two years, then expands in the junior year into Principles of Learning, Theories of Personality, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, and Physiology Psychology.
The statistics and methods work is split across two courses, Descriptive Statistics in the junior year and Inferential Statistics in the senior year, with Methods of Research and Experimental Psychology completing the empirical training. This two-semester statistics split lets students absorb quantitative reasoning gradually rather than in a single intensive course.
The senior year is research-intensive, combining Psychological Measurement, Experimental Psychology, History and Systems, Methods of Research, and Inferential Statistics with a sizable block of 16 elective hours. Electives must be approved by an advisor and the department head, keeping each student’s plan aligned with their goals.
Some of the core courses that you will take include:
- PSY 200 General Psychology
- PSY 202 Developmental Psychology
- PSY 302 Theories of Personality
- PSY 304 Abnormal Psychology
- PSY 305 Social Psychology
- PSY 327 Descriptive Statistics
- PSY 401 Experimental Psychology
- PSY 407 Methods of Research
Practical Experience
Grambling emphasizes scientific investigation, and its hands-on training is anchored in the research and methods sequence rather than a mandatory off-campus internship. Through PSY 401 Experimental Psychology and PSY 407 Methods of Research, students design studies, collect and analyze data, and apply both descriptive and inferential statistics to real questions.
The department further extends practical learning beyond the classroom through its stated commitment to community service, delivered via workshops, conferences, short courses, research projects, and program evaluation that students can take part in.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate command of psychological theory across learning, personality, and abnormal domains.
- Conduct scientific investigations using established research methodology.
- Analyze data with both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.
- Explain the physiological foundations of behavior and mental processes.
- Evaluate social and group influences on individual behavior.
- Design and interpret psychological measurements.
- Prepare for graduate study or immediate employment in related fields.
Career Preparation & Outcomes
The major’s first objective is preparing students for immediate employment, graduation, or continuing study, and its in-house Master of Arts in Social Science concentration gives graduates a structured path toward advanced credentials. The community-service component, built into workshops and program evaluation projects, helps students assemble practical experience that strengthens both job and graduate-school applications.
On the outcomes side, Grambling has reported a six-year graduation rate of roughly 37 percent, which placed it ahead of some of its in-state HBCU peers in the same comparison.
Admissions Requirements
- Minimum 2.5 cumulative high school GPA as determined by the high school.
- Completion of the Core 4 curriculum (19 credits): 4 English, 4 Math, 4 Social Studies, 4 Science, 2 Foreign Language, 1 elective.
- ACT or SAT scores accepted but not required under the test-optional policy.
- Official transcript mailed directly from each institution attended.
- Non-refundable $20 application fee (fee waivers are not offered).
- Students below the required Math or English placement level may enroll in one developmental course or take the Accuplacer Next Generation exam.
Application Deadlines
Grambling State accepts applications for fall, winter, spring, and summer entry, and the regular freshman application deadline for fall is June 1. Because the university processes applications across multiple terms, applicants who miss the fall window have additional entry points throughout the year.
Xavier University of Louisiana
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Psychological Science Track
The psychology program at Xavier University of Louisiana awards a Bachelor of Science and requires 120 total credit hours, of which a minimum of 36 hours are psychology courses drawn from five defined categories. The Psychological Science track is one of three options, alongside a Premedical track and a Neuroscience track, letting students align the same core degree with different post-graduation goals.
Students typically finish in four years, moving through a semester plan that begins with Introductory Psychology and culminates in a capstone course and Senior Comprehensives. Beyond the 36-hour major, the degree includes an 18-hour minor, 29 hours of free electives, and Xavier’s distinctive core curriculum spanning foundations, explorations, and engagements.
The Psychological Science track is built for students aiming at graduate school or careers that apply a psychology degree directly. The Premedical track serves those heading to medical school or health-field graduate training, while the Neuroscience track prepares students for neuroscience graduate study or professional health programs, so applicants should pick the track that matches their trajectory.
Xavier organizes the major into five course categories: Introduction and Basic Sciences, Basic Research, Applied Research and Clinical, Special and Advanced Topics, and a Capstone Experience. Each category carries its own minimum hour requirement, which forces breadth across theoretical and applied psychology.
The four foundational courses, 12 hours in total, must all be completed: Introductory Psychology, Research Methods, Psychological Statistics, and Advanced Research. These serve as gateways, since Advanced Research is the prerequisite for all 3000- and 4000-level psychology courses.
Xavier is also notable as the only Louisiana HBCU developing an APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral program, which signals the department’s research depth and gives undergraduates a visible graduate pathway and faculty actively engaged in scholarship on health disparities and culturally responsive practice.
Courses and Curriculum
The curriculum opens with a mandatory four-course methods and statistics foundation, then asks students to distribute their remaining hours across the research and clinical categories. A minimum of nine hours comes from Basic Research offerings such as Cognitive Psychology, Sensation and Perception, and Theories of Personality, and another nine hours from the Applied Research and Clinical category that includes Abnormal Psychology, Psychotherapies, and Forensic Psychology.
Special and Advanced Topics require at least three hours and feature courses that reflect the program’s cultural focus, including Black Psychology, Cultural Psychology, and the Psychology of Stereotyping and Prejudice. This category lets students engage directly with how identity and social context shape behavior.
The major closes with a three-hour Capstone Experience, PSYC 4996 Historical and Applied Perspectives in Psychology, plus a zero-hour Senior Comprehensives requirement. Together these ensure students synthesize the full arc of the degree before graduating.
Some of the core courses that you will take include:
- PSYC 1010 Introductory Psychology
- PSYC 2020 Research Methods
- PSYC 2511 Psychological Statistics
- PSYC 2512 Advanced Research
- PSYC 3030 Cognitive Psychology
- PSYC 3080 Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC 3041 Black Psychology
- PSYC 4996 Historical and Applied Perspectives in Psychology
Practical Experience
Applied training at Xavier runs through several routes within the Applied Research and Clinical category. Students can take PSYC 4398 and PSYC 4399 Fieldwork Practicum I and II to gain supervised experience in community and clinical settings, while PSYC 3200L Psychology Laboratory and PSYC 4011 through 4013 Independent Study options let students work closely with faculty on research.
With the department building an APA-accredited doctoral program and faculty studying health disparities, undergraduates have meaningful opportunities to join active research teams before they graduate.
Learning Outcomes
- Master subject matter across the breadth of the field of psychology.
- Demonstrate competence in written and oral communication.
- Apply research design and quantitative reasoning skills.
- Exhibit proficiency in critical thinking and analysis.
- Distinguish theoretical, applied, and clinical approaches within psychology.
- Examine the role of social identity and culture in human behavior.
- Integrate historical and applied perspectives through a capstone synthesis.
- Prepare for graduate study or bachelor’s-level careers in psychology and related fields.
Career Preparation & Outcomes
Graduates leave prepared for graduate study in psychology and related fields or for career opportunities at the bachelor’s level, with the three-track structure tailoring preparation toward applied work, medical school, or neuroscience. The department’s research orientation, its cultural-psychology coursework, and its developing doctoral program give students both academic rigor and a clear ladder to advanced training.
In terms of completion, Xavier has reported a six-year graduation rate of around 48 percent, with women in recent cohorts graduating at a slightly higher rate than men.
Admissions Requirements
- High school diploma or accepted GED, with a secondary school record showing a college-preparatory program.
- Test-optional admission; applicants who skip the ACT or SAT submit a written essay on why they want to attend Xavier.
- No separate scholarship application, since all students are automatically reviewed for merit-based awards.
- Application is free for all applicants, including international students.
- Letters of recommendation as part of the holistic review.
- Transfer applicants may bring up to 64 hours from community colleges and up to 90 hours from four-year institutions, with grades of C or better from regionally accredited schools.
Application Deadlines
Xavier uses rolling admissions with a preferred application deadline of March 1 for fall enrollment and September 1 for spring. December 1 is the preferred scholarship deadline, so applicants who want full merit-aid consideration should submit by then. The university does not offer early decision or early action.
Dillard University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The psychology degree at Dillard University is a Bachelor of Arts within the School of Social Sciences, and the standard major requires 120 credit hours to graduate. Students who choose the accelerated 3/2 option complete 138 credit hours, combining a Dillard bachelor’s degree with a master’s from Western Michigan University inside a five-year window.
For the 3/2 route, the credit hours are distributed as 41 hours of general education core, 51 hours of major requirements, 22 hours of additional coursework, and 24 hours completed at Western Michigan University. Of the 138 total, students complete 114 hours at Dillard and the remaining 24 at the host institution during the fifth year.
Dillard’s program is designed to give students a solid background in psychological science that supports either graduate study or direct entry into the job market. The major is research-forward, requiring students to develop and conduct an independent research thesis as a centerpiece of the degree.
Language study is a hallmark of the Dillard major. Students complete two years of world language, choosing between French and Spanish sequences that run from elementary through intermediate levels, reflecting the Bachelor of Arts framing of the program.
The curriculum embeds Dillard’s broader mission through required courses such as Survey of the African World or The Black Church in the U.S., along with world literature and macroeconomics. Students must also pass the Writing Proficiency Examination, supported by the ENG 111 and ENG 112 composition sequence.
Service is a graduation expectation rather than an option. Students earn 30 service-learning hours through the First Year Seminar courses and must complete 90 hours of pre-approved community service by the end of the junior year, coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs.
Courses and Curriculum
Dillard’s psychology major opens with Introduction to Psychology and Applications of Psychology, then moves quickly into the statistics and methods sequence with Advanced Statistical Methods in Psychology and Experimental Psychology. The Foundation of Statistics course in the additional coursework block supports this quantitative training.
The middle of the curriculum covers the core content domains: Psychology of Personality, Social and Organizational Dynamics, Psychological Tests and Measurements, Psychology of Motivation and Emotions, Psychology of Learning, and Physiological Psychology.
Developmental options let students choose among Human Development, Child Psychology, and Adolescent Psychology.
The major culminates in a two-part seminar and a research-and-fieldwork capstone. Psychology Seminar I and II frame the senior year, the Senior Comprehensive Examination must be passed to graduate, and the independent research thesis ties the academic training together.
Some of the core courses that you will take include:
- PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
- PSY 210 Advanced Statistical Methods in Psychology
- PSY 212 Experimental Psychology
- PSY 213 Psychology of Personality
- PSY 215 Social and Organizational Dynamics
- PSY 305 Psychological Tests and Measurements
- PSY 401 Physiological Psychology
- PSY 417 Field Placement
Practical Experience
Dillard builds direct applied experience into the degree through PSY 417 Field Placement, which requires completion of a community-based internship, and PSY 308 Practicum in Psychological Testing, where students apply assessment skills in a supervised setting. Beyond coursework, every psychology student develops and conducts an independent research thesis, giving graduates a substantial research project to present to prospective employers or graduate programs.
The mandatory 90 hours of community service further connect students to applied work in the New Orleans community before graduation.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills in both the scientific and applied areas of psychology.
- Show proficiency in writing, statistics, and research methods.
- Design and complete an independent research thesis.
- Apply psychological testing and measurement in a supervised practicum.
- Complete a community-based internship through field placement.
- Communicate in a second world language after two years of study.
- Prepare for the academic demands of graduate study in psychology.
Career Preparation & Outcomes
The degree is structured to prepare students for both the job market and graduate work, and the 3/2 partnership with Western Michigan University offers an unusually efficient path to a master’s in five total years.
The required thesis, field placement internship, and testing practicum give graduates concrete deliverables and applied hours that distinguish their applications. Among Louisiana’s HBCUs, Dillard has one of the stronger completion figures, with a six-year graduation rate reported at about 48 percent.
Admissions Requirements
- High school diploma (GED accepted) with a recommended college-preparatory program.
- 18 ACT composite or 960 SAT (Math plus Evidence-Based Reading and Writing).
- Test-optional applicants need a minimum 3.0 cumulative unweighted GPA.
- Applicants who do not meet the above must submit two letters of recommendation and a 3-5 paragraph personal statement.
- $40 application fee, with fee waivers available to qualified students.
- Electronic application accepted; the Common Application is not used.
Application Deadlines
Dillard uses rolling admissions but strongly encourages applicants to finish by the June 1 priority deadline for fall entry. The university accepts applications for fall, spring, and summer terms, and decisions are released on a rolling basis as files are completed.
Are HBCUs in Louisiana Accredited?
Yes, all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Louisiana are fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
How Many Credit Hours Do these Psychology Degrees Require?
Most programs require 120 total credit hours for the standard bachelor’s degree. However, the psychology-specific portion varies: Southern requires 45 hours, Grambling requires a minimum of 39 hours, Xavier requires a minimum of 36 hours, and Dillard’s major requirements run 51 hours. Dillard’s accelerated 3/2 option with Western Michigan University raises the total to 138 hours.
Which Louisiana HBCU Psychology Program is Best for Pre-Med or Neuroscience Students?
Xavier University of Louisiana is the strongest fit for those goals because its psychology degree offers three tracks: Psychological Science, Premedical, and Neuroscience. The Premedical track suits students heading to medical school or health-field graduate training, and the Neuroscience track prepares students for neuroscience graduate study or professional health programs.
How Much Does a Psychologist Make in Louisiana?
As of June 2026, the average salary for a psychologist in Louisiana is $133,385 per year. Top earning psychologists in Louisiana earn well over $170,000 per year.
What is the Fastest You Can Become a Licensed Psychologist in Louisiana?
The fastest path to becoming a licensed psychologist in Louisiana takes 7 to 8 years post-high school. This requires a 4-year bachelor’s degree, followed by a 4-to-5-year APA-accredited doctoral program (PhD or PsyD), which includes internships and two years of supervised practice.
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