Northern Arizona University started in 1899 with only a few students, but today is has 36 satellite campuses that are spread throughout the state. The university is located in Flagstaff, Arizona on a 740 acre campus. Over 29,000 students attend the Northern Arizona University systems. The university employs over 1,000 full-time faculty and the average class size is 31. The university offers over 150 undergraduate and graduate degrees. This includes over 90 undergraduate degree programs, 60 graduate degree programs and 70 online degree programs. Northern Arizona University's Extended Campus, which includes online options and statewide campuses, delivers an affordable education to students everywhere. The mission of Northern Arizona University is to continually deliver high-quality educational programs through prioritizing the needs of the learner. The university also promotes diversity to broaden the university experience, so they sponsor a variety of multicultural and international events.
Northern Arizona University Accreditation Details
The university is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. They only accept transferrable credits from regionally accredited colleges and universities.
Northern Arizona University Application Requirements
Distance education students will need to complete an online application and submit official transcripts from other institutions attended. They must also submit their high school transcripts and official ACT or SAT scores. Students generally need to have a C average in order to be offered admission. Each major or department may require additional test scores and documentation. It takes up to three weeks to review the application, transcripts and other applicable materials. Transfer students who are over 22 years old will need to submit a college transcript that reflects at least 12 transferrable college credits.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Northern Arizona University's famous tuition pledge guarantees students the same tuition rate for four years. This protects students' finances and enables them to better estimate their budget for college expenses. One online undergraduate course will cost $1,173 and one online graduate course will cost $1,338. The undergraduate tuition rate is $376 per credit hours and the graduate tuition rate is $431 per credit hours. There is a financial aid trust fee of $18 for 6 credit hours and $35 for over seven. An information technology fee of $9 is charged per credit hour. In order to qualify for financial aid, degree-seeking student must be enrolled in at least six units for an undergraduate program or five units for a graduate program. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application, which will determine their eligibility for Pell Grants, student loans and scholarships.
A high school diploma, GED diploma or transcript that shows the successful completion of at least 60 credit hours is required to be eligible for any Federal Title IV financial aid. The World Wide University (WWU) tuition program is for non-Arizona residents who pursue an online degree. WWU applicants will not be charged full out-of-state rates. Instead, they will only pay 1.5 times the tuition for in-state students, which saves online students about 35% of their tuition. The Western Undergraduate Exchange Program (WUE) is for any residents of the 15 western states who are enrolled in certain graduate programs. The Good Neighbor Policy provides discounts to students who live near the Arizona border. Northern Arizona University offers service members the Department of Defense (DOD) tuition assistance program, which means that college tuition rates are set at $250 per credit hour for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Online Degrees Available
Northern Arizona University offers a dozen online bachelor degree programs for students to choose from. These include the fields of business, technology, education, health, science, criminal justice and the arts and humanities.
Bachelor's in Justice Studies
The bachelor's degree program in Justice Studies goes beyond the traditional criminal justice degree by teaching students how to apply their knowledge to current community criminal justice issues. Students learn about criminal justice methods, systems and problems from faculty who are current and former law enforcement professions, such as detectives, and legal professionals, such as lawyers. They leverage their real-life experiences to increase the quality of student's education and training. The online Justice Studies program offers two specializations: Justice Theory, which is for students new to the field who need to gain a foundation in criminal justice, and Justice Administration, which is for experienced professionals who want to advance their careers through gaining leadership skills and learning how to apply effective criminal justice methods. Faculty discusses the various steps involved in the adjudication process, comparative crime control models and the theoretical causes of crime.
Master of Arts in Communication
One of the few online graduate degrees is a Master of Arts in Communication. This program helps students gain the skills and knowledge needed to advance or change their careers. Students learn how to create dynamic presentations, writing technical reports and increase the productivity of project teams. This program helps students build a wide range of writing, speaking, multimedia and interpersonal skills that can be used in the fields of business, journalism, marketing and public relations. Graduates often go on to become leaders in public policy, business administration and human resources. Students also learn advanced skills in problem solving, critical thinking, comparative research and communication analysis. Students are encouraged to customize their master's degree program to fit their personal needs and professional goals through choosing either a Communication Studies or Documentary Studies concentration. The Communication Studies program teaches students about the basic research methods, concepts and argument standards that are used in the academic field of communication. Students learn various theories about communicative contexts that will help them to solve real-world issues. The Documentary Studies emphasis is for students who want to become multimedia documentary professionals.
Related Resource: Top 30 Online Master's in Liberal Studies Degree Programs
Northern Arizona University is a popular higher learning institution that also has a successful athletic team, the Lumberjacks, who compete at the NCAA Division I level in all sports. Northern Arizona University is favored by Olympic trainers because of the high altitude. For those not interested in sports, Northern Arizona University has over 200 social, service, academic and professionals program for students.