College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

35326-06-3_PG_ACA_IMG_UG-Social-Behavioral-Sciences_08-2023

Mission Statement

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students to become professionals, leaders, and change agents in their chosen fields and communities. We offer a variety of academic programs that support career paths that make a difference in response to human societal causes, issues, and needs. Program offerings focus on the knowledge required within these fields as well as ethics, decision making, communication, and critical thinking skills.

General Policies

Please refer to the individual program pages for program-specific policies and the Policy Information section for general Purdue Global policies.

Progression Requirements

Accelerated Master's Degree Options

If you are enrolled in a College of Social and Behavioral Sciences bachelor's degree program and wish to continue on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Master of Science in Education, Master of Science in Educational Psychology, Master of Science in Higher Education, Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Master of Science in Human Services, Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, Master of Science in Legal Studies, or Master of Science in Psychology, you may be eligible to complete one of the below accelerated master's degree options.

Eligible Degree Programs

Eligible degree programs include:

  • Bachelor of Science in Communication
  • Bachelor of Science in Corrections
  • Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
  • Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Administration
  • Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management
  • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy and Management
  • Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Management
  • Bachelor of Science in Fire Science
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Services
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Services in Youth/Family Services and Administration
  • Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services
  • Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Addictions
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Accelerated Master's Degree Qualifications

In order to qualify for an accelerated master's degree option, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Possess and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • Obtain a grade of “B” or above in each of the master's-level courses
  • Have open electives available in your degree plan for which up to four graduate courses may be taken
  • Have completed between 30 and 100 quarter credit hours in your bachelor's degree program including any credits received for prior learning
  • Submit an essay providing detailed career goals and associated reasons for enrolling in the appropriate master’s degree program

Please refer to the individual sections below for additional requirements.

Upon successful completion of the bachelor's degree program, you may apply for entry to the relevant Purdue Global master's degree program. If accepted, you will transfer in the graduate courses completed as part of your undergraduate program and matriculate into a shortened version of the master's degree program.

You should consult with your Student Advisor to ensure that you are eligible for an accelerated master's degree option and discuss any financial aid implications with the Student Finance Office.

You may be required to take additional courses to fulfill the requisite 180 credits necessary to complete a Purdue Global bachelor's degree.

Accelerated Master of Public Administration Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Public Administration, you may take the following graduate-level courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
PP500Public Administration and Management5
PP510Leadership in the Public Sector5
PP520Finance and the Administration of Public Funds5
PP530Human Resource Management in the Public Sector5
Accelerated Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, you may be eligible to take one of the following graduate-level courses in place of open electives. If you reside in a state which requires completion of a fieldwork course as part of your graduate program in order to apply for a state behavior analyst license, you should not pursue the accelerated option. See the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams policies for more information.

Code Title Credits
PS506Life Span Development5
PS515Learning and Behavior5
PS520Neuropsychology5
Accelerated Master of Science in Criminal Justice Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Criminal Justice, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level criminal justice courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
CJ501Criminological Theory5
CJ503Organizational Behavior5
CJ505Critical Issues in Criminal Justice5
CJ527Socially Responsible Leadership in Public Safety5
Accelerated Master of Science in Education Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Education, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level education courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
ED502Transforming Teaching Practice4
ED522Classroom Management5
IX540Research Methods5
Accelerated Master of Science in Educational Psychology Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Educational Psychology, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level psychology courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
PS505Testing, Measurement, and Assessment5
PS506Life Span Development5
PS515Learning and Behavior5
PS520Neuropsychology5
Accelerated Master of Science in Higher Education Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Higher Education, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level education courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
HE510Foundations of Higher Education5
HE520Higher Education Laws and Regulations5
IX540Research Methods5
Accelerated Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level homeland security courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
CJ509Comparative Criminal Justice Systems5
HM500Crisis and Emergency Management Fundamentals5
HM501Homeland Security Policies, Principles, Procedures, and Plans5
HM503Planning and Operations in Crisis and Emergency Management5
Accelerated Master of Science in Human Services Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Human Services, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level human services courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
HN501Foundations of Human Services5
HN502History, Multiculturalism, and Diversity in Human Services5
HN510Professional Ethics and Personal Values5
Accelerated Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level education courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
HE521Teaching Adult Learners5
IX510Instructional Design5
IX540Research Methods5
Accelerated Master of Science in Legal Studies Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Legal Studies, you may take the following graduate-level courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
LS500Legal Methods and Process5
LS501Ethics and the Professional5
LS502Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing5
LS503Jurisprudence and Legal History5
Accelerated Master of Science in Psychology Option

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Psychology, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level psychology courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
PS501Foundations of Professional Psychology5
PS502Ethics and Standards of Professional Psychology5
PS504Advanced Research Methods5
PS506Life Span Development5

If you are interested in continuing on to pursue a Purdue Global Master of Science in Psychology with a concentration in addictions, you may be eligible to take the following graduate-level psychology courses in place of open electives:

Code Title Credits
PS501Foundations of Professional Psychology5
PS504Advanced Research Methods5
PS506Life Span Development5
PS508Ethics for Addictions Professionals5

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams 

Certain state certification and licensure boards have specific educational requirements for programs to lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment in a recognized occupation. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Unless otherwise specified, Purdue Global's programs are not designed to meet any specific state’s licensure or certification requirements. Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.