This school appears in our ranking 20 Most Affordable Master's in Psychology Degrees Online: Private Colleges 2018.
Ottawa University, or OU, is a leader in providing students with higher education across the whole nation. With their outstanding and numerous online degree programs, students can obtain a variety of different undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, arts and sciences, and education. Ottawa University also has physical campuses in major cities across the U.S., like Phoenix, AZ, Queen Creek, AZ, Jeffersonville, IN, Overland Park, KS, and Brookfield, WI.
The university was founded in 1865 and began with the missionary work of the Baptists towards the Ottawa Tribe members in Ottawa, Kansas. These missionaries worked to establish a good relationship between the Tribe and themselves and eventually settled on a land agreement on which to create a school for the Tribe members.
After many ups and downs between the two, the university eventually came into its own, and by the early 1970s, Ottawa University was recognized across the board as a reputable and well-established institution for higher education. This is because the university was one of the first of its kind to acknowledge and accommodate the needs and learning styles of adult students. This focus on adult education is what set Ottawa University apart from the rest, and OU opened the doors to its first adult campus in Kansas City in 1974. Just three years later, the OU opened a campus in Phoenix, Arizona, and then in 1992 and 2002 physical campuses were added in Wisconsin and Jeffersonville, Indiana, respectively. Furthering its reach to provide international students with the same high-quality education, Ottawa University then launched OU-Online in 2008, offering degree programs completely online.
From then on, the university has grown and prospered from having just one building to an impressive eight campuses across the nation. Not only that, but there are over 5,000 students attending both in person and online, with a total of more than 22,000 OU graduates. Ottawa University continues to provide excellent education and service to its students and combined with its rich heritage and history, gives students a unique and worthwhile learning experience.
Ottawa University Accreditation Details
Ottawa University is accredited by many prestigious institutions throughout its programs. These accreditations are obtained by meeting and exceeding standards in the world of quality higher education. OU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission for its mission and teaching and learning quality, resources, and support, among other things.
Different programs at the University are also accredited by their respective honoring organizations. The Bachelor of Arts degree for the Nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, while select business programs at OU have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Similarly, the Teacher Education program at Ottawa University has been accredited by the National Association of Teacher Education.
Ottawa University Application Requirements
The application process for Ottawa University is a relatively simple one. Students who wish to attend must first reach out to an enrollment specialist whose job it is to handle their enrollment application. Then, the student needs to schedule a Professional College Advisory Session, as well as submit their online application. Finally, prospective students need to submit all transcripts from previous institutions, including their high school diploma. The enrollments specialist then handles their case and lets them know if further information is required from them.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The cost of attending Ottawa University is very low compared to other private higher education institutions. As of 2017, the cost of undergraduate online degrees from Ottawa University was $12,361, while the cost of graduate degrees online was $11,815. These costs may fluctuate depending on the degree, the number of credit hours the student has enrolled in, and the cost of a credit hour across different degrees.
Ottawa University offers many different avenues to its students to make tuition more affordable and accessible. Students of OU can take advantage of many forms of financial aid, like scholarships, grants and loans, military funding, and even employer reimbursement. Exactly which form of financial aid the student qualifies for and how much is determined after the student's application file has been submitted and approved by admissions specialists.
Online Degrees Available
As a pioneer in designing effective and high-quality online education programs for the adult student, Ottawa University offers a variety of different online programs to meet the educational goals of its students. Students can take part in business, arts and sciences, and education programs all from the comfort of their own homes.
Masters in Business Administration
A popular online degree available from OU is the Masters in Business Administration. In this program, students learn the ins and outs of the business world. All with the guidance of professionals in the field, students get to explore different financial models and strategies, gain valuable experience in capital management, and understand the different aspects of international finance. There are also options for focusing on different fields in Business like Finance, Health Care Management, Leadership Development, and Marketing. Students are more than prepared for real-world challenges upon completing their degree at OU.
Masters in Counseling
For students who are interested in the arts and sciences, the Masters in Counseling is a popular choice. Covering topics like coping with substance abuse, poverty, and other crises, students gain important skills and knowledge that are relevant to their field. Students of this program also gain experience in practicing good counseling, client interviewing, and case management.
Masters in Education
Students can take advantage of the many online programs offered with a focus on the field of education. This program equips students to understand and identify the different needs, learning styles, and challenges that come with running a diverse classroom of students. Students have the option to choose between concentrations like Curriculum and Instruction and Learning Technologies. Important aspects like planning good assessments, improving personal teaching styles, and understanding and promoting inclusiveness in the classroom are all strong skills instilled into students through practice and experiences. Students can take charge of their future through these and many other online programs offered at Ottawa University.