This school appears in our ranking 20 Most Affordable Master's in Liberal Studies Degrees Online: Private College 2018.
Regent University is a private Christian research university located in the coastal city of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 1977 by Pat Robertson as Christian Broadcasting Network University, the school later changed its name in 1990 to Regent University. The 70-acre campus features historicist neo-Georgian architecture, and the school was included among the 30 most beautiful college campuses in the South in 2015. Regent offers distance education degrees as well as traditional on-campus programs. Through its eight academic schools, Regent awards doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees in more than 70 courses of study. U.S. News & World Report ranked Regent University as the 11th best online undergraduate program in the country in 2015, and the school is also ranked 78th, 46th, and 21st for its online Master of Business Administration, online graduate business programs, and online graduate education programs, respectively. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the online MBA faculty as the best in the nation.
Regent University Accreditation Details
Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees. In addition to earning regional accreditation, a number of its programs have achieved specialized accreditation such as those in the fields of divinity, business and leadership, education, psychology and counseling, law, and education. Accreditation is critical for a university since it allows the school to seek federal funding to award to its students in the form of financial aid. If a student is transferring from another institution, accreditation allows for the transfer of credits to Regent. Additionally, the rigorous peer-review process through which accreditation is earned allows schools to identify where they are succeeding in the areas of academics, faculty, and fiscal stability as well as take note of areas that are in need of improvement.
Regent University Application Requirements
Students who wish to earn an online master's degree from Regent University must complete the school's online application and submit a $50 nonrefundable application fee. Regent also requires unofficial transcripts in order to verify that the applicant has earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. university or college. Applicants must also complete an admissions questionnaire that helps the school learn more about the applicant, his or her academic history, and why he or she wants to attend Regent. Certain programs and departments may have additional requirements for their application process, including the submission of additional documents such as resumes, letters of recommendation, graduate standardized test scores, and essays or statements of purpose.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition rates will vary depending on the specific online master's degree chosen as well as whether the student is taking a part-time or full-time course load. However, the graduate degrees at Regent University range from $495 per credit hour to $1,140 per credit hour. A part-time schedule is considered to be six credits per semester, while a full-time schedule is nine credits per semester. Online graduate students interested in receiving financial aid must complete the FAFSA to determine whether they are eligible for financial assistance. Types of financial aid available may include grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs, and assistantships. Active-duty military members, veterans, their spouses, and their dependents may be entitled to additional benefits such as tuition discounts.
Online Master's Degrees Available
Regent University is an accredited university that offers more than 125 graduate and undergraduate degrees. Students may maintain a work-life balance by opting for one of the school's online degrees without worrying about sacrificing family or current employment responsibilities. The online master's degrees are offered through Regent's seven graduate schools and include programs such as the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Science in Nursing, and the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Master of Business Administration
The MBA program was rated the fourth-best online MBA program in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report for 2018. The 42-credit-hour program is available online or on-campus, and it is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Students must complete 42 credits in order to earn their degree, and they may choose from multiple concentrations to focus the program on their specific interests and career goals. The MBA curriculum equips students for consulting, new entrepreneurial ventures, career advancement, and more. Students will gain strategic leadership skills that apply to a number of organizational settings, hone their business skills via a service-first approach, and build analytical competencies to successfully navigate and interpret the ever-changing marketplace. The MBA is taught from a Christian perspective and includes concentrations in areas such as marketing, leadership, innovation management, human resource management, healthcare management, general management, finance and investing, entrepreneurship, economics, accounting, and not-for-profit management.
Master of Science in Nursing
The 42-credit-hour MSN program, offered by the College of Healthcare Sciences, is designed for adult learners who hold valid Registered Nurse (RN) licensures as well as a bachelor's degree in nursing. Coursework is offered fully online, and students can expect to develop the skills they need to bring about impactful, positive change in academic nursing programs and hospital systems. Students will also gain the professional proficiency necessary to engage with clients, stakeholders, and colleagues, and they will learn how to teach with confidence. Students may choose from two concentrations: Nurse Leadership and Management or Nurse Educator. The program may be completed in six or eight sessions depending on the student's course load; however, students must complete the program within eight years of enrollment. Career opportunities for graduates include patient case manager, patient care coordinator, charge nurse, or nurse manager, researcher, consultant, administrator, or educator.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling consists of 60 credit hours of coursework and is available either on-campus in Virginia Beach or entirely online. Students are prepared for careers in professional counseling as well as for state licensure. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The mental health master's degree combines techniques and models of counseling with biblical principles for a balanced and strong approach to mental health counseling. Students may take courses in areas such as research and statistics, counseling skills and techniques, addiction therapies, lifestyle and career development, group counseling, and human growth and development. Licensed clinical counselors who graduate from Regent University may seek employment in private practices, hospitals, family service centers, and outpatient care centers.