Ball State University

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Ball State

Ball State University is a public research university located in Muncie, Indiana, which is northeast of the capital Indianapolis. Small urban campus of 1,140 acres is attached to two satellite facilities in Fishers and Indianapolis. The university started out in 1876 as a private college, but changed in 1917 to a state university through the financial donation of local industrialists. Today, the university has over 21,000 enrolled students, which includes 16,600 undergraduates and 4,400 graduate students.

The university has students from almost every state as well as over 40 countries. Ball State University offers about 180 undergraduate degrees and 130 minor areas of study. They also offer a number of two-year degrees, 17 doctoral degrees and over 100 master's degrees. All of these degrees are available through the seven academic colleges. These include the Colleges of Business, Sciences, Health, Fine Arts, Communication, Architecture and Technology. The average campus class is approximately 32 students and the student to teacher ratio is 16 to one.

Ball State University boasts some very well-known alumni. The most famous include David Letterman, the former host of the Late Show, and Jim Davis, the creator of the Garfield comic strip. Additional alumni include John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's International pizza franchise, and Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Apple. The classic Hollywood actors Andy Devine and Joyce Anne DeWitt from the TV show Three's Company are also famous graduates.

Ball State University is known for its proactive commitment to environmental sustainability, which is one of the university's primary goals. All new building additions and renovations meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program standards. The school focuses on materials selection, energy and water efficiency and environmentally-friendly site selection. The university actually diverts over 20 percent of produced waste from landfills into local recycling programs. The university also invests in hybrid vehicles and shuttle buses.

Ball State University Accreditation Details

The university has been accredited by The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools' Higher Learning Commission since 1925. Ball State University is formally classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a high research activity university. The university is an active member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Ball State University Application Requirements

Students must arrange for their official GED (General Education Diploma), TASC (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) or high school transcripts to be sent to the university. To qualify for admission, students must have a high school GPA of at least 2.5. Alternatively, they must have the following GED scores: a Standard Average Score of at least 520 and writing and mathematics score of at least 500. Students who want to pursue a graduate certificate degree program will need to have a regionally accredited bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 2.75, or a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 for the latter half of the degree program.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The online undergraduate tuition rate for Indiana residents is $296 for one to 11 credit hours or a flat fee of $3,849 for 12 to 18 credit hours. Out-of-state residents will pay $492 for one to 11 credit hours and the same flat fee for 12 to 18 credit hours. However, out-of-state residents who take over 18 credit hours will only pay 296 per each credit. Online undergraduate students must pay a technology fee, which is $58 per semester for zero to three credit hours, $110 for four to six credit hours and $168 for over six credit hours. Online graduate students who are residents will pay $394 per credit hour and online out-of-state residents will pay $590 per credit hour. Graduate students who belong to the MBA program will pay an extra $500 per semester for zero to six credit hours and $1,000 per semester for over six credit hours. Graduate nursing students will pay a $138 program fee per semester. Ball State University participates in standard state and federal financial assistance programs. All distance education classes qualify for traditional on-campus financial aid programs. The university offers education benefits through employers and unique benefits for veterans. There are reduced tuition costs for select Ohio residents and for students who are over 60 years old.

Online Degrees Available

Ball State University offers undergraduate degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education and Registered Nursing.

Business Administration

There are many graduate-level degrees to choose from, such as master's degrees in journalism, nursing, community education, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), business administration (MBA), educational administration, special education and quantitative psychology. The MBA program helps students increase their systems and critical thinking skills. They learn about advanced business topics, managerial decision-making and executive communication techniques. Students can choose from five specializations: finance, entrepreneurship, health economics, sales management and operations management. The core classes that students take cover economic analysis, managerial finance, strategic management, quantitative methods, information systems and strategic accounting. Students learn about designing and controlling various business systems and processes. They are introduced to international topics in the fields of law, marketing, product strategies and supply chain management.

Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science, Nursing

The RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is part of a flexible program that helps working RNs quickly gain their degree. RNs can earn credits through taking Ball State University departmental exams, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams or military service equivalence credit transfers. The four-year RN to BS program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). It also approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing. These students take classes in science, so they learn about biochemistry, microbiology, physiology and human anatomy. They also learn about nursing topics, such as nursing statistics, human nutrition, community health and life span development.

Related Resource: 20 Most Affordable Top-ranked Schools for an Online Master's in Educational Psychology Degree

Ball State University is home to over 400 student clubs and organizations, which includes over 30 fraternities and sororities. Over 60 percent of students are involved in at least one organization. Ball State University's athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and the Mid-American Conference games.