This school appears in our ranking 15 Most Affordable Top Online Master's in Forensic Psychology Degree 2018.
Roger Williams University was established by Northeastern University as the YMCA Institute in 1919. Renamed in 1956 for the Puritan minister who colonized Rhode Island, the college initially granted two-year associate degrees. Now approaching its centennial year, Roger Williams is endowed for $79.2 million as a comprehensive private, nonsectarian liberal arts school. Dedicated to "Magna Est Veritas," RWU has 489 faculty teaching 4,416 undergrad and 741 post-grad Hawks across eight schools. Known for its Community Partnerships Center, Roger Williams University has extended beyond its 140-acre Bristol campus on Narragansett Bay for 24/7 online study on Bridges. Linked to 24,543 LinkedIn alumni, RWU has produced esteemed alumni like Tim Baxter, Joe Polisena, James W. Nuttall, and Betty Anne Waters.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked Roger Williams as the 37th best Northern college, 20th most veteran-friendly campus, and 74th best engineering school. On Niche, RWU is America's 72nd best test-optional college, 217th best criminal justice university, and 365th most liberal school. Forbes placed Roger Williams University 284th among private institutions with the 365th most satisfied alums nationwide. In Washington Monthly, RWU is honored for the 125th highest research expenditures and 216th most Peace Corps volunteers. PayScale named Roger Williams the 627th best college with a median mid-career salary of $84,400. Times Higher Education also distinguished RWU as the country's 387th best choice.
Roger Williams University Accreditation Details
In April 2017, Roger Williams University had its Level III regional accreditation renewed by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education for 10 years under president Donald J. Farish. This institutional mark of excellence is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for all 45 bachelor's and 14 master's majors conferred from Bristol to Providence and online. Certain RWU departments have discipline-specific accreditation from the following:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)
- American Council for Construction Education (ACCE)
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- Association of American Law Schools (AALS)
Roger Williams University Application Requirements
Logging into Roger Williams University courses means passing the "selective" admission process where the Fall 2016 acceptance rate was 79 percent. The Office of Graduate Admissions only considers online master's applicants who've finished a four-year baccalaureate or non-U.S. equivalent. Foreign post-grads have an extra step to score at least 6.5 on the IELTS or 213 on the TOEFL CBT test though. Exact majors aren't required, but some programs have prerequisites. For example, the Online M.S. in Cybersecurity needs two courses in C++ Programming and TCP/IP Networking first. Having a cumulative GPA above 2.75 is expected, though the average is 3.34. GPAs falling below the 3.0 mark must be accompanied by Graduate Record Exam scores. Roger Williams' M.A. in Literacy Education necessitates current teacher certification with 2+ years of experience too.
Roger Williams University has set deadlines of November 1st for Early Action and February 1st for Regular Decision freshmen, but graduate program dates vary. For instance, the M.S. in Construction Management closes on April 1st while the Master's of Public Administration accepts candidates until August 1st, December 15th, and April 15th. Hopeful Hawks can submit the Graduate Application online for $50. Extra materials may be emailed to [email protected] or sent to 1 Old Ferry Road in Bristol, RI 02809. Online master's programs generally request these items:
- Official bachelor's degree transcripts
- GRE score results via code 3729
- Two letters of recommendation
- Typed, two-page personal statement
- Current résumé or curriculum vitae
- English proficiency exams if international
Tuition and Financial Aid
Graduate students taking 9-12 credits full-time each semester at Roger Williams University pay a mean price of $14,936, but costs vary. The School of Engineering charges $1,000 per credit for M.S. in Construction Management students. Earning the Online MPA costs $593 per credit or $1,779 each course. The M.S. in Cybersecurity and M.S. in Criminal Justice currently bill $907 per credit. Unless waived, graduate students pay $2,332 for the health insurance fee annually. Online students save big by skipping the $15,564 for room and board though.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 85 percent of full-time RWU Hawks share $57.39 million annually with financial aid packages worth $14,826 on average. Online post-grads should submit the FAFSA form with code 003410 before April 1st for borrowing Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans. Ocean State natives might earn the Rhode Island Grant or Rhode Island Foundation Scholarships. Certain graduate departments offer their own funds, such as the $3,000 Criminal Justice Scholarship. Master's assistantships are available to cover 50 percent of tuition with 200 hours of paid work. There's a Multiple Sibling Tuition Discount for RWU and Roger Williams School of Law study. Online adults might also utilize Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill military benefits.
Online Degrees Available
At Roger Williams University, the School of Continuing Studies created the Bridges platform to deliver five master's and five graduate certificates wholly online. Starting with the Orientation, online courses have a low 14:1 student-professor ratio for close interaction. Students also receive high-quality advisement, free tutoring access, Center for Career Development resources, and life experience credits. In fact, Accredited Schools Online recently ranked Roger Williams fifth nationally! Here are two sample online master's programs granted by RWU.
Master's of Public Administration
Chaired by Dr. Michael Hall, RWU's Master's of Public Administration follows NASPAA standards to train School of Justice Studies students for ethical policymaking roles in government. The 36-credit, non-thesis program has two tracks for Public Management and Healthcare Administration to specialize 16-week online courses before capstone internship assignments like Bristol County Water Authority and Rhode Island Department of Revenue.
Master of Science in Construction Management
Accredited by the ACCE, the Master of Science in Construction Management at Rogers Williams takes a results-oriented approach to train engineers for executive-level authority overseeing complex building projects. The 30-credit, three-term program coordinated by Dr. Michael Emmer broadcasts courses like Sustainable Construction live online to open careers with Hensel Phelps, Skanska USA, Shawmut Design, Weeks Marine, and more.
Other online offerings at Roger Williams University include the Master's of Science in Criminal Justice, Master's of Science in Cybersecurity, Master's of Science in Leadership, Digital Forensics Certificate, Public Management Certificate, and Historic Preservation Certificate.