Considering Psychology and Social Work at NCU?

North Central University is blessed to have Dr. Andrew Schuttinga, the Director of the School of Psychology and also the current interim Director for Social Work. In an interview with Dr. Schuttinga, he was able to explain why the College of Arts and Sciences is the center of a liberal arts education.

Dr. Schuttinga said, “We have such a broad reach and cover so many different topics, CAS is an essential part of NCU. Students need CAS to flourish as a professional, CAS courses, though required, are not just filler classes. They make students into a well-rounded individual for when they join the workforce.”

Dr. Schuttinga continued by sharing that the school of Psychology and Social Work is a key piece of NCU curriculum because of the general courses that every student takes like General Psychology and Sociology. Dr. Schuttinga explained, “It is a fun part to play because what we teach in psychology applies to everything, whether you are a freelance writer, a biologist, a youth pastor, or a marketing professional, you still have to understand and know people.”

CAS courses offer advantages to other majors and apply to many degree plans within NCU. Every student at NCU is required to take CAS courses in order to have a full liberal arts education. During their time in CAS general courses, students often find the major they wish to pursue.

Dr. Schuttinga wants students to know they will be challenged to think critically, study hard, write well, and be thorough and timely with their work to succeed.  “We want students to graduate knowing how psychology, social work, and what they are learning in other classes can integrate into their faith.” He believes that being a Christ-follower is a full-time commitment, saying, “Everything I do belongs to God.” Whether it’s teaching a class or mowing his lawn, he wants to glorify God and have his faith made known to others.

The School of Psychology just launched a new research suite of classes based on what graduate programs are looking for in applicants. A part of that suite will be a qualitative research methods course and a quantitative research methods course, an introduction to research, and a research symposium course for seniors. Dr. Schuttinga shared that CAS is working to expand the curriculum and wants students and prospective students to know about the growing science programs, like the biology department. At NCU you can get degrees in psychology, social work, and biology while being in a pentecostal university environment. 

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota provides a world-class, liberal arts education. The College of Arts and Sciences is the stepping stone to your future, refining your talent and taking you to the next level. Components you can expect to see as a CAS student include experiential learning, 1-on-1 experiences, hands-on work, and job placement/ opportunities. For more information regarding our programs: Education, Psychology, Social Work, Communication, English, Math, Biology, and American Sign Language (ASL), click here. 

Love Your Neighbor Initiative

Love Your Neighbor (LYN) is an Initiative based out of North Central University’s College of Arts and Sciences, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Love Your Neighbor website is a student-led, student-organized, and student-developed site designed to showcase student accomplishments, opportunities, and achievements within CAS. The development of students goes far beyond the classroom. NCU provides an urban environment in which experiential learning and faith coexist to shape students into real difference-makers. For more information on LYN click here.