This school appears in our ranking 10 Most Affordable Top Ranked MBA Entrepreneurship Online 2018.
Southern Adventist University was formed in 1892 as Graysville Academy by George and Ada Colcord with an inaugural class of 23 in Civil War-ravaged southeast Tennessee. Renamed Southern Industrial School, it was relocated to its current 285-acre campus in the former Thatcher's Switch in October 1916. Growing exponentially after WWII, the private, nonprofit Seventh-day Adventist NAICU institution took its current name in 1996. Endowed for $19.4 million, SAU now upholds conservative religious values to teach 3,000 faithful from Collegedale to the World Wide Web. Linked to 8,221 LinkedIn alumni, Southern Adventist University has given "Power for Mind and Soul" to Jim Davis, Clifford Goldstein, Cherie Priest, Lisa Robertson, Dwight Nelson, and others.
The U.S. News & World Report ranked SAU the 68th best Southern college, 41st most veteran-friendly campus, and 37th top value. On Niche, Southern Adventist is America's 94th best Christian university, 186th best nursing school, and 197th most selective college. The Princeton Review included SAU within the top 25 percent of the "Best Southeastern" schools. The National Collegiate Fitness Index placed Southern Adventist University #1 nationwide. According to College Factual, SAU has the 172nd most ethnic diversity and 326th best health professions programs. Washington Monthly recognized Southern Adventist for the country's 58th most service participation and 218th best graduation rate. PayScale also positioned SAU 173rd nationally for its $65,100 median mid-career salary.
Southern Adventist University Accreditation Details
In 2012, Southern Adventist University had its Level V accreditation renewed for another 10 years without sanctions by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges under president Dr. David Smith. This regional agency in Decatur is accepted by the U.S. Department of Education to determine Federal Title-IV eligibility for all 86 bachelor's, 15 associate, and 17 graduate options. SAU is approved by the Adventist Accrediting Association and welcomed into the Council of Independent Colleges. Certain online courses are also accredited by the following:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- International Accreditation Council for Business Education
- National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards
Southern Adventist University Application Requirements
The Fall 2016 acceptance rate of 60 percent caused Peterson's to classify the admission process as "moderately difficult" at Southern Adventist University. Most online graduate degrees allow any four-year bachelor's major. The MSN is the exception requiring an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing with RN licensure in one's state and 4,000+ hours of experience. Starting the MSEd in Instructional Leadership online also mandates nine credits of teaching prerequisites. Undergraduate GPAs should be above 3.0, but up to 12 graduate credits graded "B" or better would suffice. Holding a 3.25 GPA or better would qualify for a testing waiver. If not, Southern Adventist seeks a minimum 500 GMAT score or 290 GRE score.
Southern Adventist University has online master's deadlines of July 1st for Fall, November 1st for Winter, and April 1st for Summer starts. International students need to allow extra time by applying before May 1st, September 1st, or February 1st respectively though. Hopeful entrants can register an online ID to submit the Graduate Studies Application. Admission help is offered through [email protected] or (800) 768-8437. Don't fumble the opportunity by forgetting these:
- One-time $25 application fees
- University transcript requests
- Official GMAT/GRE score reports
- Two recommendation forms
- Résumé of work experiences
- Passing English language tests
- Proof of current RN licensure
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time graduate tuition at Southern Adventist University averages $11,250 per year. That's before residential students in Collegedale add the $6,750 for room and board though. Online programs skip this expense to pay just $635 per credit or $5,715 each semester full-time. The Doctor of Nursing Practice bills RNs $860 per credit, or $7,740 each term online. Only a $500 expense is added for textbooks for online semester totals of $6,215 to $8,240. For example, the 36-credit Online MBA in Management would charge $23,860 total.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 80 percent of full-time SAU learners split $18.73 million yearly with mean financial aid offers of $8,747. Signing up for easy, no-interest monthly payment plans is possible on E-Billing. Online master's students could claim the IRS' Lifetime Learning Credit of $2,000. Human resources departments frequently have employee tuition assistance programs. Filing the FAFSA application via code 003518 by March 31st would open Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans. Personal loans could be co-signed at lenders like SunTrust, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. The active-duty and veteran military could utilize GI Bill benefits. Graduate assistantships are limited for Chattanoogans working 10-20 hours weekly. Southern Adventist also suggests external funds, such as the Southern Union Teacher Subsidy, Global Community Development Scholarship, TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship, Jane M. Klausman Scholarship, and Seventh-Day Adventist Scholarship.
Online Degrees Available
Bestowed the 2006 Campus Technology Innovator Award, Southern Adventist University utilizes Adobe Connect to schedule eClass sessions for eight primarily online graduate degrees. No undergraduate programs are wholly online, but some like the BA in Psychology, BS in Interdisciplinary Studies, and BA in Computer Science can have digital components. The Online Campus boasts a 14:1 student-professor ratio to keep professors accessible with video conferencing every week. Students also benefit from the NC-SARA reciprocity agreements, technical support, McKee Library access, Christ-centered curriculum, and LifeGroup engagement. Two sample online SAU programs are:
MBA with Emphasis in Accounting
Chaired by Dr. Mark Hyder from Wright Hall, Southern Adventist's MBA with Emphasis in Accounting follows a two-year, part-time format online to deepen administrative knowledge for overseeing enterprise financial health. The 36-credit, IACBE-accredited curriculum integrates faith into ethical business courses like Accounting Information Systems, Organizational Behavior, Change Management, and Tax Auditing before the strategy capstone.
MSN with Emphasis in Nurse Educator
Addressing faculty shortages, the MSN with Emphasis in Nurse Educator lets Southern Adventist RNs gather the pedagogical methods needed to simulate bedside experiences to train tomorrow's clinical staff. Home to a Sigma Theta Tau Chapter, the 38-credit, ACEN-accredited program integrates 90 clock hours of teaching practicum into non-thesis courses like Classroom Evaluation, Educational Technology, Health Policy, and Advanced Pathophysiology.
Other online offerings at Southern Adventist University include the MBA with Emphasis in Healthcare Administration, Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Dual MSN/MBA, MSEd in Instructional Leadership, and MS in Global Community Development.