Online Graduate Programs Offered at the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Most Affordable Accelerated Master’s in Educational Psychology Online.
The University of Northern Colorado offers more than 40 online and hybrid graduate degree programs. One thing prospective students should consider is whether they want an entirely online program or one that includes some on-campus work. The university’s theater education program helps students become drama and acting teachers. It includes workshops that students must attend each summer in Greely. Students in the teaching American Sign Language program must also attend summer workshops. This program includes a world languages concentration too. Other programs that require summer workshops include the university’s programs in gifted education and special education.
Hybrid programs allow students to do some work in Denver and take most of their classes online. One of those programs is a major in education leadership. Students learn the fundamentals of leading others in a school setting and doing administration work. This program is available as a Master of Arts or an Education Specialist option. The university’s elementary education program also includes some work in Denver. Upon finishing the program, students can get their Colorado teaching licenses. The university also offers a dance education program that includes some offline work.
Many of the degree programs available online from the University of Northern Colorado do not require any offline work though. The biological sciences program is available online without a thesis or offline with a thesis. Master of Business Administration (MBA) students can earn a general MBA online or an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration or human resource management. The dietetics program also includes online work, though students will need to do internships for credit. Their internships allow them to gain professional nutrition experience. The University of Northern Colorado gives students permission to do internships in their own cities.
About the University of Northern Colorado
The University of Northern Colorado is a public university more commonly known as UNO. Established in 1889 as a small teaching college, it operated as the State Normal School of Colorado for many years. The commitment that the university had to education programs was clear during its early years, which was when it offered programs for teachers who planned to remain in Colorado or move west. Those programs would later become full degree programs when the college earned the right to award bachelor’s degrees. Though the school changed its name several times, it became UNO to show that it was a full university that offered opportunities for students in northern Colorado. UNO now offers nearly as many degree programs online as it does on its campuses.
Greeley is home to the university’s main campus, but it also operates smaller campuses and extension centers in Colorado Springs, Loveland, and Denver. The Center for Urban Education is in Denver and prepares students for working as teachers in large cities and with urban students. UNO acquired a group of cabins that it now uses as a retreat for students and faculty members in Estes Park each year. More than 2,300 graduate students now attend UNO, and the university has an enrollment of more than 500 doctoral students too.
University of Northern Colorado Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) awarded regional accreditation to UNO through its north-central division. Graduate students who may want to attend another university and those who already have some credits from another grad school can transfer their credits to and from UNO. They can also apply for financial aid because of HLC accreditation. Some of the other programs that the university offers with accreditation include those in counseling psychology, dietetics, audiology, nursing, and public health.
University of Northern Colorado Application Requirements
When applying to one of the online programs offered by UNO, students must make sure that they meet the requirements of both the program and the university’s Graduate School. The requirements of the Graduate School include a GPA of at least 3.0 and a bachelor’s degree. That degree must come from a university or college that has regional accreditation too. Students can transfer 18 credits or more into a graduate program if they submit transcripts that show they maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Graduate School requires transcripts from any schools the student earned credits from towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
There are up to seven other requirements that students may need to meet based on the program, including letters of recommendation and a resume. They can provide recommendation letters written by those familiar with their professional or education work, but they cannot submit letters written by family or friends. Some programs ask for writing samples such as an essay a student wrote for class or an example of a work published in the student’s name. They may also need to provide samples or some of their professional work and/or a personal statement. UNO graduate programs can also ask for auditions or a standardized test score.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The online programs offered by UNO are part of its extended campus, which charges different rates than the university typically does. Those rates start at $520 per credit hour, but this rate only applies to art and design and education programs. Students majoring in criminal justice pay $570 per credit hour, and counseling majors pay $575 per credit hour. Some students will pay up to $620 per credit hour for their classes. Those who need to do internships and practicums in their programs must pay extra too.
Though UNO offers assistantships, only residential students qualify for those programs. Online grad students must look at different types of aid such as the loans that come from the federal government and the scholarships available from UNO. The Colorado Graduate Grant provides funds to students living in Colorado who want to further their studies and work in the state. There are special grants for students who want to attend professional conferences too. Scholarships also go to grad students who come into the university with a GPA of at least 3.25 and those who maintain that same GPA in their studies. Each scholarship will provide students with at least $250 each semester, but many of the programs give students even more money. The University of Northern Colorado encourages those applying to its online graduate degree programs to use the FAFSA to get government financial aid.
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