Eastern University offers students the choice of several online master’s degrees in areas like business, counseling, education, nursing, and theology. The university describes its online graduate degrees as convenient and flexible for adult learners, and the institution awards the same degree to its online learners as it does to those students who attend classes in a traditional manner on campus.
Eastern University appears in our ranking of the Top 4 Most Affordable Accelerated Master’s in Anthropology Online.
Graduate degrees offered in the area of business and leadership include the Master of Business Administration in Management, the Master of Arts in Health Services, the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, and the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. The MA and Ph.D. for the organizational leadership program require that students spend some time on campus in a brief residency.
For psychology and counseling degrees online, Eastern University offers the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling, the Doctor of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy Studies, and the Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy. Also available is an applied behavior analysis focus for the MA in Clinical Counseling program.
Students may obtain Applied Behavior Analysis Certification or earn a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis. Students interested in accelerated study have the Early Childhood Director Credential program available. Earning the credential requires completing three classes that include The Developing Child, Non-Profit Management for Education Centers, and Early Childhood Education.
For nursing and school health, Eastern University offers the degrees of a Master of Education in School Health Services, a Master of Art in Health Services, and a Master of Science in Nursing. Theology programs at the graduate level that are also offered online include the Master of Arts in Theological and Cultural Anthropology, the Master of Theological Studies, or the Master of Practical Theology.
Further degrees in theology include the Doctor of Ministry in Contextual Leadership, the Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration combination program with a focus on management, the Master of Theological Studies, and the Master of Arts in Theological and Cultural Anthropology. Like the university’s business programs, students may need to participate in short-term residencies on campus to complete their degrees.
The final area of study available to online graduate students at Eastern University is education, and graduate degrees are offered in the areas of curriculum & instruction, multicultural education, TESOL, reading, classical education, and special education. Students may also pursue some certificates and credentials in areas like early childhood education, music, reading, and secondary education.
About Eastern University
Eastern University is affiliated with the American Baptist Church’s USA denomination of Christianity and is a private university located in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. The university was founded in 1925 as the Division of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary and would undergo a few name changes over the course of its existence until it became Eastern University in 2001. There are approximately 3,300 students attending the university.
There are six divisions within the university that include the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Social Sciences, and the Palmer Theological Seminary. Other divisions include the College of Business and Leadership, the Templeton Honors College, and Esperanza College, which is a junior college operated by the university. The suburban campus in St. Davids covers 114 acres and is located to the west of Philadelphia.
Eastern University Accreditation Details
Eastern University is regionally and institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Institutional accreditation from the MSCHE allows the university to award degrees from the associate through the doctoral level. The university is reaccredited once every decade, and many of its programs are further accredited by professional accreditation agencies, commissions, and organizations.
Professional accreditations include those from the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S. and Canada, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Council on Social Work Education, and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Other approvals come from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
Eastern University Application Requirements
Applicants to Eastern University must submit the online application, as well as submit official high school transcripts, an academic reference, and standardized test scores. Students will fill out the standard online application or the reinstatement application for returning students. Official test scores may come from the testing agencies for the ACT or SAT. The academic reference should come through the mail from the student’s teacher or counselor.
Students may also choose to submit an optional essay. Students should read the mission statement published by Eastern University and write an essay that describes how the student’s interests, talents, or abilities will augment the university’s purpose. Although the essay is an optional part of the application process, the university may request an essay from some students, which means the essay is required for some applicants.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Traditional undergraduate students at Eastern University will pay $17,068 per semester for tuition at Eastern University. Part-time undergraduates who enroll in 11 or fewer credit hours will pay $748 per credit hour. Online courses during the summer are $359 per credit hour, and audited classes for no credit are $374 per credit hour. Some classes also have fees like a $180 music instrumental laboratory fee and a student teaching fee of $385 per course.
For graduate students at Eastern University, the cost is $743 per credit hour for degrees that include the MA, MS, MSN, M.Ed., and MAT. The MBA program is $765 per credit hour, the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership is $1,035 per credit hour, and the Ph.D. in Marriage and Family is $908 per credit hour. Students may also pay fees like a $170 graduation fee, a green energy fee of $44, and a late payment fee of $165.
Students must apply for financial aid with the federal government to qualify for some of the financial aid types offered at Eastern University. Students should visit StudentAid.gov to fil their FAFSA form and should make sure to include the school code for Eastern University, which is 003259. Online financial aid applications are available as early as October, and students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible to secure the best possible financial aid package.
In addition to federal loans and federal grants, Pennsylvania students may also receive state grants if they’re enrolled as traditional undergraduate students in the university’s Esperanza College or the College of Arts and Sciences. Students who enroll in at least four credits may be considered for a part-time state grant at Eastern University, and students who enroll in at least eight credits may qualify for a full-time state grant.
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