University of Utah

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The University of Utah is the main public university in the state and one of the state's largest colleges too. Sometimes called the U of U, most refer to the university as simply Utah. When it opened in 1850, it went by the name of the University of the Desert and was so small that students actually attended classes in a number of local homes. Despite having the approval of Brigham Young, the college closed just three years later. It opened again in 1867 and eventually grew large enough that it built a campus of its own in Salt Lake City. Some of the buildings used by students today date back to 2002 and served as housing for Olympic athletes.

Utah is one of several green university campuses in the United States. It created its own sustainability program to reduce the amount of energy used and waste produced by its students, which included the installation of solar panels on many campus buildings. The university also ranks on both national and global lists produced by top organizations. Washington Monthly and ARWU ranked it within the top 50 of American colleges, and both Forbes and U.S. News & World Report listed it as one of the country's top public colleges. According to ARWU, Times and U.S. News & World Report, the University of Utah is also one of the world's top colleges.

University of Utah Accreditation Details

As the University of Utah has accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, you can rest assured that the credits you earn are valuable on other campuses if you decide to switch schools later or want to take classes on another campus. Regional accreditation is something that colleges look for among students applying for a graduate program too. Utah also has program accreditation for its programs in nursing, engineering, computer science, social work, business and other subjects. The 23 organizations that granted Utah program accreditation include:

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
  • Planning Accreditation Board
  • Teacher Education Accreditation Council
  • Liaison Committee on Medical Education
  • Council on Education for Public Health
  • Council on Social Work Education Office of Social work Accreditation
  • Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
  • Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.

University of Utah Application Requirements

Utah offers both traditional admissions and early admissions. With early admissions, you can apply for a spot in the freshmen class immediately after finishing your junior year of high school. All prospective freshmen must complete the online application, which asks them about any achievements or awards they earned, any community service or volunteer work they did, if they have any professional experiences and whether there are any special circumstances that might explain any poor grades they earned in school. If you apply for a spot in the Honors College, you must complete a separate essay section too. Utah also requires that you pay a $45 application fee, submit a high school transcript and submit your scores from either the ACT or SAT.

The University of Utah will only accept graduate students who maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher in college, which you'll need to show with an official transcript from your college. You'll also need to visit the department website of the program you want to enroll in, find the online application and submit that application online as well as pay the $55 application fee. In addition to an official transcript from each college you attended, you must also provide the university a score from an advanced standardized test like the GMAT or MCAT. Certain programs and departments will also ask for educational or professional letters of recommendation, essays or your resume.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Utah estimates its cost of attendance based on where students live, where they come from and the number of classes they take. As a full-time freshman who lives in Utah, you face tuition and fees of right around $7.800 a year. This allows you to take up to 26 credit hours of classes each year. The cost for non-residents increases to more than $24,000 a year. If you are a resident taking a full course load of graduate classes, you'll pay around $3,500 a semester or $7,000 a year. Non-resident graduate students face tuition and fees of more than $22,000 a year. Full-time graduate students must take at least nine credits every semester.

Filling out the FAFSA early in the spring before you start classes is the best way to find out what type of financial aid package the university will give you. Any grants or loans you qualify for will appear on your financial aid letter, but you can also apply for scholarships designed for those studying subjects like anthropology, medicine, business, music or engineering. Though the university offers less financial aid for graduate students, you can still apply for scholarships, loans and grants. Those enrolled part-time in the university can take out alternative or private loans too.

Online Degrees Available

While the University of Utah offers dozens of online classes, it also offers several online degree programs too. One of its more popular undergrad programs lets you earn a bachelor's degree in social work online. This is one of only eight online programs in the world with accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. After taking classes on social work as a profession, social work as an installation, biology and psychology, you'll take 51 credits of social work classes. These classes include social work practice, advanced social work statistics, community leadership in action and child welfare practice. Utah also requires that students take practicum and seminar classes too.

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

If you already have an undergrad business degree or a degree in a related field, you can enroll in the university's online MBA program. This program has a short residency component that requires students attend classes and information sessions on campus for three days in August, but you can complete all other requirements online. You take classes over the course of three shorter semesters each year. This accredited program features classes like marketing management, managing and leading, business strategy and business ethics. The University of Utah lets you take just two classes a semester and graduate in three years or less.