College of Western Idaho's Psychology Club is for anyone interested in psychology — not just psych majors! Join us to meet cool new people, network with professionals, build your resume, and grow personally. Club events are geared toward...
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Overview
Are you looking to have highly marketable skills for a wide range of job settings? Then studying psychology is an excellent choice for you. Majoring in psychology at CWI will enhance your ability to understand, assist, and collaborate with others; think scientifically and solve problems; communicate effectively; and become more self-aware. Our goal is to prepare you to be competitive for the workforce with an associate’s degree or to transfer to a four-year institution to achieve your bachelor’s degree.
The Psychology program is located at the Ada County Center, which means most Psychology classes are offered at this location. Psychology is not a program that can be taken fully online or at the Nampa Campus.
Mission
The mission of the Psychology program at the College of Western Idaho (CWI) is to stimulate thought and action informed by psychological science. Our goal is to provide students with challenging classes, inspiring teaching, and transformative educational opportunities that emphasize scientific thinking and opportunities to engage in the community. Students graduate transfer-ready with a greater understanding of the role psychology plays in informing lives and fostering career development.
Why This Program
An Associate of Arts in Psychology prepares students to pursue entry level jobs in a variety of fields or to transfer and achieve success in bachelor’s program. Psychology faculty at CWI are committed to providing meaningful learning and hands on experiences to student. Previous students have said:
“Take advantage of EVERY opportunity that comes your way. Whether through service learning in the community, leadership in PSYC honor society and club, trips to other colleges, or psychology conventions in the region...the possibilities are literally endless.” – CWI Psychology Graduate
“I loved being able to do a Service Learning project for my Development course. It was great being able to learn about something and then see it in action.” – CWI Psychology Graduate
“We had guest speakers in my Careers in Psychology class who would come in and talk to us about their jobs and I remember sitting in class, listening to each of them and, each time, I found myself thinking 'I'm in the right place. This is where I am supposed to be, I'm going to be happy in this field no matter what discipline I choose.'” – CWI Psychology Graduate
Opportunities include:
Hands-on training and experience through peer mentoring and community engagement
Development of scientific reading, writing, and research skills
Work study positions at CWI and in the community
Present at conferences
Psychology Club
Psi Beta Honor Society
What You Will Learn to Do
- Critical thinking
- Communication
- Information literacy
- Personal responsibility
- Data analysis
- Discipline specific knowledge and skills
Clubs
Additional Opportunities
In addition to learning in the classroom, the Psychology program provides students with opportunities such as:
- Presentations by guest speakers
- Networking with community agencies
- Participation in the College's annual Connections Project
- Psychology Club
- Community engagement
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Requirements and Costs
Degrees and Certificates
Explore the resources below for information, dates, and deadlines related to admissions, financial aid, registration, and next steps.
Dates & Deadlines for Credit Programs | Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 |
---|---|---|---|
Priority Registration Begins 1 | N/A | Apr 10 | Nov 13 (2023) |
Open Registration Begins | Feb 27 | Apr 17 | Nov 20 (2023) |
Financial Aid Priority Deadline | May 13 | Jul 29 | Dec 16 (2023) |
Admission Deadline 2 | May 27 | Aug 12 | Jan 6 |
Last Day to Register for Classes | Jun 2 | Aug 18 | Jan 12 |
Tuition and Fees Due | Jun 2 | Aug 18 | Jan 12 |
Classes Begin 3 | Jun 5 | Aug 21 | Jan 16 |
1 Priority registration is limited to continuing students. Students are assigned a registration time based on their cumulative credits earned. Students should check myCWI and their CWI email to learn their assigned registration time. Students may register online anytime on or after their assigned registration time.
2 The Admission Deadline for international students is earlier than the deadline for non-international students and is only available during the fall and spring semesters. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the international student admission deadlines.
3 Classes in shorter sessions (including 4-, 5-, and 8-week sessions) may begin before or after this date. Please refer to the specific class session sections beneath the full Academic Calendar for more information.
Advising
Navigating your way through college can be confusing, especially if you try to go it alone. CWI offers advising assistance to help in deciding which courses you need to take to reach your education and career goals. Visit Advising or contact One Stop Student Services for more information.
Connecting With Ideas
Connecting With Ideas (CWI 101) is the first semester student success course designed to help CWI students become engaged members of the academic community and cultivate habits for lifelong achievement and success. Each semester, students can select from a variety of themes. More information about next semesters CWI 101 themes
Transfer
Look beyond your degree at CWI and plan for continuing your education by working closely with CWI advising and representatives of your intended transfer school. Planning before you transfer can save you time and money. Visit Transfer Information for more information or contact One Stop Student Services.
Financial Aid Available
Did you know that as a student in this program you may be eligible for financial aid? Through grants, scholarships, and loans, more than 60 percent of first-time, full-time CWI students receive some form of financial assistance. To learn more about financial aid options and whether you may be eligible, visit Financial Aid.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for a full-time CWI student averages half the cost of a state university and a third of the cost of a private college. Tuition and fees vary based on program and residence. Visit Tuition and Fees for more information.
Career Info
When it comes time to find a job, it is important to remember that psychology training is adaptable to a variety of job settings.
Some of the most common entry level occupations (for associate and bachelor’s degrees) include: sales, social services, labor relations, business and marketing, management and administration, and real estate. Occupations at the professional level (masters and doctorate degrees) include: mental health professional, college professor, research scientist, statistician, and executive director.
If you visit http://cwidaho.myplan.com and click on the Careers tab, you can search the careers for which psychology relates (search using words like – psychology, counseling, helping, human relations, health, etc.). As you explore the MyPlan.com website, take the time to email CWI’s One Stop Student Services at onestop@cwi.edu and learn the access code that will allow you to complete Assessments of your interests, personality, values and skills. This will help you recognize some of the careers in the world of work that may be a good fit for you.
Locations
Instructors
Program Department Chair
Instructor(s)
Respectful Community
College of Western Idaho is committed to maintaining a Respectful Community by providing equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate in services, benefits, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, age, or any other legally protected status. More on Title IX
News and Blogs

Professor of Psychology, Heather Schoenherr, is recognized for the transformative and life-changing nature of her teaching.

Congratulations to four members of CWI’s Psi Beta Honor Society, who recently received the prestigious Emerging Researcher Award.

Speak Up! Ink Up!, a charity event hosted by 2022 College of Western Idaho graduate, Craig Petersen, raises nearly $11,500 for Idaho foster children.

Current and former College of Western Idaho Psychology students represented the College at the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual Convention April 7 – 9.

Congratulations to Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Social Sciences, Jana McCurdy, College of Western Idaho’s Faculty of Distinction for March 2022.

Psychology Research Bridge Program gives students a competitive edge for graduate school and job opportunities upon graduation.
Academic Transfer
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