Sarah Branch was the first student to graduate from the online
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology Flight Path
program from East Carolina University® in 2024. This historic achievement marked not only the start of a new pathway to education but also Branch’s completion of her undergraduate education, which she began in 2019.
Learn more about Branch’s educational journey and why she chose ECU’s online BA in Psychology program.
Prioritizing Family
Branch was almost finished with her college degree from ECU when she was blessed with the birth of her son, Wyatt, and had to stop attending classes. To be closer to family, she moved back home to Shelby, North Carolina. She was a new mother, but not yet a college graduate.
“I was disappointed for a long time. You grow up being told you graduate, and then you have a career, and you have this specific timeline,” she said. “Obviously, my son is a blessing, and he came at the perfect time, but it wasn’t in our timeline.”
Right after having her son, 25-year-old Branch decided that life’s timeline mattered more than education’s timeline. Her son would only be this age once, and she wanted to stay home with him. She decided to go back to school when the time felt right.
Completing Her Degree at ECU
In 2024, Branch decided it was the moment to finish what she started. She’d been checking ECU’s website to see if her degree program was offered online. She was thrilled to find that ECU’s BA in Psychology, a Flight Path program, was fully online and accepting applications. Better yet, the program was designed specifically to fit the needs of working adults.
Branch is one of hundreds of adult learners who chose to continue their education by enrolling in Flight Path programs across the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. These programs ensure that working adults can successfully balance their education with life, family, and career commitments.
The Benefits of Flexibility
Courses in the BA in Psychology program are offered asynchronously, meaning students can complete coursework on their own schedules without set class times.
The added flexibility was crucial for Branch, who, in addition to being a mother to a toddler, was a full-time caregiver for her grandmother, who recently moved into her home. She was able to get her work done while her son napped and after her family had eaten dinner.
At first, she was nervous that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with her coursework.
“I was out for three years, so I didn’t remember what it was like when I was at ECU the first time,” she said. “But the online outline was super simple, and the professors were easy to get a hold of.”
Branch was just nine credit hours short and was able to complete all the requirements to graduate in December 2024.
Looking to the Future
Branch recently welcomed her second child and intends to stay home until they go off to school. After that, she wants to use her psychology degree to become a
school counselor
. This profession has a deep, personal meaning. She said her mother passed away when she was 5, and she wants to be part of the support system for children who are going through times of loss or struggle.
Branch is thrilled that she found an educational pathway where she didn’t have to compromise her family obligations.
“Once I took my much-needed time off to spend with my family and sweet baby boy, I found that my program had finally been put online,” Branch said. “This gave me the chance to finish what I started and to not only make others, along with myself, proud, but to make my mom proud too. I know she would have wanted me to finish.”
Find Your Path at ECU
Sarah Branch’s story highlights the importance of accessible, flexible education pathways, such as the
programs offered at ECU Online
.
The online
BA in Psychology
program is designed for working professionals and can prepare you with the transferable skills for various roles in fields that require an understanding of human behavior, such as marketing, counseling, and human resources. You can learn about
information processing
, human memory, managing high-stress situations, and critical thinking—all competencies that build effective professionals and leaders.
Learn more about the BA in Psychology at ECU Online and discover how you can advance your career.
