Degrees Offered At Colorado State University
Colorado State University appears in our ranking of Top ten Online Colleges for a Healthcare Administration Degree.
Colorado State University’s 150 degree programs are organized into eight different colleges, and while the school is known for its heavy emphasis on science and engineering, the College of Business and College of Liberal Arts offer programs across a wide range of disciplines. For instance, the Bachelor of Fine Arts program is quite selective, requiring students to undergo a sophomore review showcasing their skills before being admitted into the program. Then, students have the opportunity to choose between ten studio concentrations including Electronic Art, Fibers, Metalsmithing, and Pottery for the remainder of their program. Business majors also have a choice between multiple specializations like Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, and Organization and Innovation. The Business College offers a variety of supplemental certificate programs to prepare students for professional life with a few examples being Market Research and Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, and International Business.
Regarding their science programs, CSU provides students with many program options in the Colleges of Natural Science, Natural Resources, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and Engineering. Research is a vital part of each of these degree programs as is an emphasis on sustainability and innovation. This is evident in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources major which is an interdisciplinary program providing students with a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, and ecology while also teaching economics, management, public policy, and societal issues related to conservation and renewable energy sources. In this program, students have an opportunity to spend a semester abroad, studying in either Kenya or Belize, in addition to a semester-long full-time internship before graduation. Many of the CSU engineering programs also encourage international study including involvement in service organizations like Engineers Without Borders.
Many CSU degrees can be completed entirely online, including about 40 graduate and 10 undergraduate programs. One example is the Master of Biomedical Engineering track which consists of 10 online classes for a total of 30 credit hours. These courses focus on three primary areas, biomechanics, materials, and tissues, and students can choose between many online electives in order to gain expertise in their particular interests. Some programs are offered in hybrid form like the Master of Communications and Media Management. For this degree, students take two courses per semester, one online and one in-person, for six semesters. The pacing of these classes is rigorous, though, because semesters last only 12 weeks with an even shorter summer session. As with all degrees at CSU, online students are taught to be innovators and critical thinkers and to stay current on research in their field.
About Colorado State University
Since first opening its doors in 1979, just three years after Colorado gained statehood, Colorado State University has been a leader as a research institution, beginning with the agricultural sciences. Under its second president, Charles Ingersoll, the school expanded to include more liberal arts programs and even began a division for women’s education in 1865. While still located in eastern Colorado, in Fort Collins, Colorado’s fourth largest city, the university has grown significantly, now with an enrollment of over 30,000 students. CSU remains true to its innovative roots, though, and recently has developed campus standards regarding green energy and sustainability including the construction of a wind farm. The research done at Colorado State University is renowned throughout the country, most notably related to engineering, biomedical science, conservation, and development of alternative energy sources. Overall, their engineering program is ranked in the top one-third in the country by the U.S. News and World Report. In addition, the CSU online undergrad programs rank #23 out of 357 with online graduate engineering degrees at #29 out of 93 schools.
Colorado State University Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is responsible for ensuring the quality of colleges and universities in nineteen primarily Midwest states including Colorado. This process results in regional accreditation which must be renewed every ten years. Colorado State University has continuously maintained its accreditation since 1925. The HLC evaluates education-related categories like Evaluation and Improvement as well as Quality, Resources, and Support plus organizational aspects like the organizational mission, financial standing, and campus safety. Individual programs can also receive accreditation by professional organizations. At CSU, over thirty majors are additionally accredited by 19 different boards including the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Association of Schools of Music.
Colorado State University Application Requirements
CSU typically admits about 80% of applicants to their freshmen class each year. Prospective students need to complete either the Common or CSU Application along with submission of official high school transcripts, standardized test results, a personal statement, and at least one recommendation from a teacher or school counselor. While there are no published cutoff scores, the average GPA for incoming students is between 3.4 and 4.0 with an ACT or SAT score of 23 to 29 or 1100 to 1300 respectively. Graduate admission is more variable, though, depending largely on individual programs to set requirements. All applicants need to complete the graduate application, provide transcripts documenting the completion of a bachelor degree, and include letters of recommendation from three to five academic or professional references. Some departments require GRE scores or personal statements, and others have work experience requirements. Both graduate and undergraduate online programs have identical admissions processes.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition rates depend on the state of residency, class standing, and the number of credits in which the student is currently enrolled. For a 12-hour course load, base tuition for Colorado residents is $5700 with out-of-state students paying $13,660. Certain Western states including Colorado participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange which lowers out-of-state tuition for students from these states to about 150% of the in-state rate. Once earning 60 credit hours, students pay an additional fee per credit hour depending on their degree track. Graduate tuition is $567 and $1391 per credit hour for in-state and out-of-state students respectively. Many of these programs also charge an additional fee. Faculty and staff at Colorado State University work with students to help them find campus jobs, scholarships, assistantships, and other financial aid sources to help them fund their education.
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