If you are seeking a dynamic learning experience in a progressive Christian environment, Grand Canyon university may be for you. The school, located in Phoenix, Arizona, began in 1949 as a liberal arts college affiliated with the Southern Baptist Church. It was purchased in 2004 by Grand Canyon Education, Inc. and repurposed as for-profit Christian university. You can take courses at Grand canyon in the traditional on-campus setting, online or as hybrid courses. Many classes are offered in the evenings to accommodate working adults. There is a flexible start time and all courses are four credit so you can graduate sooner. You don’t have to take a GRE or admissions exam; the school uses your high school transcript to determine eligibility for admission. Grand Canyon University has 100 majors and a student body of more than 10,600 students in eight colleges. Grand Canyon is rated by U.S. News and World Report in Tier Two Regional Schools.
Grand Canyon University Accreditation Details
The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been since 1968. That accreditation pertains to the online component of the school as well. In addition, several programs are individually accredited. The College of Nursing and Healthcare Professions is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is Accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accrediting Commission. Colangelo College of Business is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Business Schools and Programs.
Grand Canyon University Application Requirements
Students applying to Grand Canyon University must be at least 16 years old and should complete the online application form. Students who intend to pursue their education traditionally full-time, on-campus must submit their high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores to the school. Grand Canyon University will evaluate them for admission qualification. If your GPA isn’t high enough to qualify you, the school will consider ACT or Sat scores. Students who transfer to Grand Canyon after completing a minimum of 25 credits at another institution approved by Grand Canyon University should submit their transcripts as well. They must have held a GPA of not less than 2.5 and must meet the school competencies for the programs to which they wish admission. Graduate students must hold an undergraduate degree from a GCU approved school and have a GPA of 2.8. Doctoral students must have a doctoral degree with a 3.4 GPA or a master’s degree with a 3.4 GPA. In addition, students applying to the Ph.D program must have taken statistics or research courses in which statistics were used. They also must submit a 250 to 400 word letter of intent.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for on-campus traditional undergraduate students is based on the number of credit hours you are taking. For traditional students who take less than 12 credits, tuition is $687.50 per credit. For those taking 12 to 18 credits, tuition is $8,250 per block. Students taking 19 or more credits will pay the “per block” rate plus $687.50 for every credit over 18. Traditional graduate students pay $390 per credit. Online tuition is the same, but online students must complete 9 credits in residence. Non-traditional students pay tuition based on programs. Tuition for non-traditional students in the education program is $435 per credit hour. Theology students pay $350 per credit. Online non-traditionals pay $465 per credit and active duty or active duty reserve Armed Forces students pay $250 a credit. Non-traditional graduate student rates vary by college as well. For instance, students in the education program can expect to pay $510 per credit, with those in the executive MBA program paying $1200 per credit. Specific rates by college and program can be found on the Grand Canyon University website. If you need financial aid, your first step is to fill out a FASFA form. When you get your awards list, you can explore other loans and grants. There are direct federal loans which cover education. Veterans also qualify for discounts and, in some cases, for free tuition. Grand Canyon University has a very limited number of scholarships available to on-campus full-time students. There are also outside scholarships for specific students such as those for Arizona students alone, for disabled students and for those who have written essays or completed projects on issues such as Drug Awareness. There is a list of outside scholarships on the Grand Canyon University Financial Aid page and they can also be found in an Internet search of applicable scholarships or grants.
Online Degrees Available
There are many online degrees offered at Grand Canyon University, from undergraduate to doctoral studies. The online Ph.D in General Psychology with an Emphasis on Performance Psychology is one of the advanced degrees offered. This is a psychology degree that involves the study of human performance in professions where there is a high degree of psychomotor performance required. This involves sports, of course, but may also include business and other disciplines. Courses examine emotion, cognition and motivation as they affect performance. The online program takes 47 months to complete and costs $39,300. The online courses are all technology formatted so they are consistent and you receive an account in which there is a class syllabus and to which you post forum discussions and assignments. You can also access advisors and teachers through the online portal. You will study material using empirical and research-based methods and you will consider multicultural factors influencing performance as well as memory, learning, social aspects, motivation and intelligence. Courses in the doctoral program include social, group and multicultural factors in performance, development and evaluation of psychological tests, how mass communication influences awareness of social themes and control, and performance in areas where control of emotions, attention and ability to process information are important components. If you want to become licensed in your state you must investigate the requirements, because this program does not lead directly to getting licensed. A doctoral degree might seem unobtainable, but the integrated dissertations and experiential learning at Grand Canyon University makes this advanced degree very “do-able.”