This school appears in our ranking: 15 Best Universities for Master's Degree in Equine Studies 2018.
Meredith Manor International Equestrian College is located in West Virginia near the border with Ohio. Students may enter the school's riding programs at any level of expertise, and the college admits everyone from beginning riders to experienced professionals. When students enter a program, a teacher will evaluate their riding expertise to determine the appropriate classes. Students have come to the program at a variety of ages and the college shares that students have ranged in age from 17 to 63-years-old. Students who own a horse may bring their animal with them to the program and may ride the horse exclusively or share the horse with other students during their time in the program. The college also offers the choice between riding programs and an Equine Science program that students who aren't interested in working directly with horses can enter.
Meredith Manor International Equestrian College Accreditation Details
As a career college, Meredith Manor International Equestrian College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education. The college was first accredited in 1987 and has maintained accreditation since that initial accreditation date. The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education is a non-profit and private organization in the United States that is designed to accredit post-secondary institutions that offer vocational and non-collegiate curriculums. Schools accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education may be approved to award items like certificates and Occupational Associates Degrees. The accrediting agency has been recognized by the United States Department of Education and has been recognized continuously by the federal government each time grants of recognition have been awarded.
Meredith Manor International Equestrian College Application Requirements
Meredith Manor International Equestrian College has several admission requirements that help ensure a student is in good condition physically and mentally to begin the program. Applicants must be at least 16-years-old, have a high school diploma from an accredited high school or possess a GED, and pass a fitness test. The school requires that students possess appropriate physical strength, agility, hearing and sight and coordination. Applicants will need to take a fitness test to verify these traits before taking a fitness test. Poor scholarship may result in the student's placement on probation Students with disabilities may apply to the school and are encouraged to contact the Director of the school's programs to discuss the feasibility and qualifications of attending the program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition fees at Meredith Manor vary based on the program in which a student enrolls. The length of each program also varies, and the room & board costs also depend on the length of time a student attends their program. Programs vary in length from 12 to 36 weeks, and tuition varies between $7,725 to $28,026. Room and board costs vary between $1,377 and $4,131. Various programs also have other costs associated with specific courses taken like $1,778 for Riding, $546 for Theory, $822 for Showing, and $1,098 for Farrier Working Case Study. Students may also need to pay laboratory fees when they take Breeding Class and Teaching III, as well as purchase a leatherworking toolkit and pay a Leather Working class lab fee.
Meredith Manor is an accredited school, which means students are eligible for federal financial aid. The application process requires the FAFSA, which may be completed online, as well as a Parent Loan Data Sheet submitted to Meredith Manor for students who will be applying for parent loans. A week after the deadline for submission of the student's FAFSA form, the school will send a letter to the student with the amount of financial aid awarded, if any. Students may also need to submit a FAFSA Verification Worksheet and will be contacted by the school if the form is necessary. Students may also qualify for financial support from the Post-9/11 GI Bill if they served in the military after the 10th of September 2001 and were honorably discharged after serving for at least 90 days or are still on active duty.
Online Degrees Available
There are two programs at Meredith Manor International Equestrian College that lead to a mastery of equine science and work including the Equine Science Master Program and the Riding Master Program. The Equine Science Master Program is meant for students who can't or do not wish to be involved in the riding of horses but are interested in a career in the industry. Meanwhile, the Riding Master Program is designed for anyone who wishes to work in the horse industry as a rider, instructor or trainer. Students are eligible for federal financial aid within these two programs when they choose a program of at least 30 weeks in length. The Equine Science Master Program is a 36-week program, but the Riding Master Program has various options that range in length from 12 weeks to 72 weeks.
Program objectives for the Equine Science Master Program include the ability to apply the theory, practice and principles related to riding development, the ability to manage various aspects of the horse business and the ability to apply knowledge of an equine breeding operation. Students may work in many areas of the business as health providers or barn managers for horses, breeders, business managers, trainers and teachers. Some of the occupations available to graduates of the Equine Science Master Program include jobs as animal trainers, non-farm animal caretakers, farm workers, agricultural science teachers, postsecondary teachers and farm and animal ranch employees. The equine science degree is a 36-week course and requires 1,680 clock hours to complete. Classes a student will take include Farrier Craftsmanship, Showing, Horse & Barn Care, Horse Health and Equine Breeding.
In the Riding Master Program at Meredith Manor International Equestrian College, students may choose from six different program lengths leading to Riding Master I through Riding Master XI. The Riding Master I program takes 12 weeks to complete, and the Riding Master XI program takes 72 weeks to complete. At the conclusion of each Riding Master schedule, students may choose to graduate from the program or continue on to the next level. Each level includes a variety of classes including riding classes, showing classes, theory classes, horse & barn care and electives. At the conclusion of any equine science program at Meredith Manor International Equestrian College, students will be prepared to work in entry-level positions in the equine industry in areas like training, teaching, breeding, versatility or work as farriers.