Recently, Briercrest College and Seminary out in Caronport received provincial authorization for their BA Psychology program.

The institution applied to the Saskatchewan Higher Education Quality Assurance Board for recognition in 2014 and after an extensive review process, finally received approval. Don Taylor, dean of the college, says the process is a lot more than just a simple rubber stamp.

"It's a thorough examination of the program and the institution, to make sure that it is of university quality and university level."

All college-level institutions in the province, excepting the universities of Regina and Saskatchewan, have to go through this process to authorize their degrees. This is Briercrest's fourth provincially recognized program, along with its BA Humanities, BA History, and BA English degrees. Taylor says the bible college has a long reputation of high-quality accredited education, and that this authorization speaks to the overall quality of their academic programs.

The BA Psychology program is one of Briercrest's most popular and Taylor believes this is due to the versatility of careers open to those who study human psychology. Students often go on to pursue jobs from social work and counselling to management and politics. Taylor believes that Briercrest's context provides a unique opportunity for students to learn how their studies and spiritual lives can both build on each other.

"I think it's an important part of our intellectual history as Christians that we understand what it is to be a human being. You know, how we think and function in our world in healthy and beneficial ways."

This authorization will make it even easier for the psychology program's alumni to enter the competitive world of graduate-level education. Previous students can easily upgrade their degrees by taking a few additional classes.

Taylor hopes that this announcement will fill students with an even greater confidence in both their program and their future credentials.