Degree Offerings from Columbia College
Columbia College appears in our ranking of the Top ten Online Colleges for Veterans.
There are nine primary areas of study available to students at Columbia College, and many of the degrees are available entirely online. The main areas of study include business, criminal justice, literature, science, computer science, education, history, psychology, and general studies. Some of the most popular degrees at the college include criminal justice, speech communication, community organization, psychology, and disaster management.
Programs within Columbia College are housed within three schools that include the School of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, and the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics. Within each school are several departments like the Department of Computer & Mathematical Sciences, the Department of Business Administration, and the Department of Education.
Students at Columbia College study in eight-week sessions and students can enroll in six sessions each year. Students who register online can expect to earn an associate degree in as little as 20 months, a bachelor’s degree in less than three-and-a-half years, or a master’s degree in 12 months. Students can also enroll in classes on a part-time basis and take a more leisurely route to graduation.
Within the area of business and marketing at the undergraduate level, students may choose from many concentrations and focus areas like entrepreneurship, healthcare management, finance, and accounting. Other business-centric degrees are available in human resource management, management, sports management, marketing, and international business.
Meanwhile, graduate students who want to advance their careers in education may want to consider the programs in educational leadership, teaching, or instructional leader, as well as the Principal Initial Certification. There are additional graduate programs available for students interested in criminal justice that lead to degrees in law enforcement administration, corrections administration, and criminal justice administration.
In addition to offering complete degree programs online, students can also enroll in certificate programs that include human resource management, marketing, and management. Certificates are also available in criminal justice administration and crime scene investigation. Students in some programs may want to continue their studies after receiving a degree by entering the next degree level.
For example, the college offers a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting. After completing a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a student can enter the Master of Business Administration program with an accounting emphasis. Students can even begin with an Associate in Science in Business Administration and take classes until they receive their MBA.
About Columbia College
Columbia College began its existence in 1851 as a school affiliated with the Disciples of Christ denomination of Christianity. The school was initially founded as a way to support female students in Missouri since the University of Missouri did not admit women in the 1850s. The school operates its main campus in Columbia, Missouri and also offers students the chance to study online and at 40 different campuses around the country.
Many of the campuses are on military bases, which help military students attend classes while serving their country. The school has around 1,900 students enrolled and employs approximately 700 administrative staff. The urban campus in Columbia, Missouri covers 231 acres, and the school’s official colors are navy blue and silver. The sports teams are nicknamed the Cougars, and they play in NAIA Division I games.
Columbia College Accreditation Details
Columbia College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been regionally accredited since 1918. The last time Columbia College went through its accreditation process was in 2012. Some of the programs and degrees offered by Columbia College are programmatically accredited from various national organizations. For example, the Associate in Science in Nursing is approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
In addition, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The RN to BSN program, which is offered online, is also accredited by the CCNE. The teacher preparation classes and education programs at Columbia College are approved by Missouri’s State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Columbia College Application Requirements
Admissions requirements for undergraduate students who want to study on campus require the completed application and high school transcripts. Prospective students that have served in the military can also send their military transcripts to the college during the application process. There are some additional requirements for admission for students who want to study on the campus in Columbia that include a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum 21 on the ACT or 1070 on the SAT.
Graduate students who want to attend Columbia College must have a 3.0 or above for their undergraduate degree GPA and must also submit transcripts from all previously attended colleges. Graduate school acceptance also requires a completed application, professional resume, and a personal goal statement of at least 500 words.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at Columbia College is billed per credit hour, and all fees associated with enrollment are included in the per-credit amount. Students at the undergraduate level of study will pay $375 per credit hour, and graduate students will pay $490 per credit hour. Students who qualify as military undergraduates will receive a break on tuition with a $250 per-credit rate. Graduate-level students in the military will pay a rate of $325 per credit.
One of the valuable aspects of the tuition rates at Columbia College is that students don’t pay anything extra for their textbooks. Additionally, there are no application fees, lab fees, or technology fees, which are commonly associated with colleges and universities that offer all or some of their classes online.
Students who attend Columbia College may qualify for federal student aid from the Direct Loan program, as well as grants and scholarships from a variety of sources. Students who want to qualify for federal financial aid in the form of grants and student loans must submit a FAFSA form to qualify. A financial aid award will be based on the student’s total cost of attendance minus the amount the school determines that the student’s family can contribute to tuition costs.
Students from Missouri may want to look at the grants offered by the state from the Missouri Department of Higher Education. Grants may come from the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program or the Bright Flight Program. Students from Florida who want to attend Columbia College may also qualify for grants associated with residency in the state of Florida.
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