School Description
Provided by Bluffton UniversityBluffton University is a liberal arts university in northwestern Ohio founded in 1899 by regional leaders of the General Conference Mennonite Church and is today affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Shaped by the historic peace church tradition and nourished by a desire for excellence in all phases of its programs, Bluffton University seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples and ultimately for the purposes of God's universal kingdom.
Christian Values in a Global Community – that’s what Bluffton University is all about. We prepare students of all backgrounds for life – as well as for vocation, responsible citizenship and service.
Bluffton’s outstanding academic community welcomes you to study with our faculty scholars who are dedicated to your success. Our academic programs help you hone your critical thinking skills and become more effective communicators while discovering your personal and professional gifts.
Choose from more than 40 undergraduate majors and minors, three graduate programs and a variety of continuing and professional education opportunities that are nationally recognized for excellence. In 2008, U.S.News & World Report identified Bluffton as one of America’s Best Colleges in the top tier of Midwest baccalaureate colleges.
Of course, you’ll spend time studying at Bluffton, but you’ll also find lots of ways to get involved and have fun on campus. More than 40 clubs, groups, and organizations benefit from your leadership and participation. Choose from music groups, intramural and athletic teams or politics, departmental clubs, computer user groups, arts activities, WBWH-FM radio, Habitat for Humanity, spiritual life organizations, drama productions, student government, residence hall associations or Marbeck Center Board.
Complete your program of study, and you’ll join thousands of Bluffton alumni who fulfill their personal goals in occupations and vocations that include physicians, head coaches, teachers, government program leaders, corporate community relations directors, school administrators, orthopedic trauma surgeons, guidance counselors, ministers, newspaper editors, chief executive officers, fundraising consultants, children’s caseworkers, computer performance analysts, university professors and much more.
Residential and intimate in nature, the Bluffton University campus is situated on 234 wooded acres in the northwest Ohio village of Bluffton.
The village of Bluffton, a Swiss-German community founded in 1861, is a thriving, friendly rural community with a population of approximately 4,000. Bluffton offers dining, shopping, a hospital, movie theatre, bowling, golf, an airport and more. Main Street offers a variety of interesting shops, including Ohio's largest teddy bear store, a full service quilt shop, a hardware, as well as shops offering antiques, folk art, crafts from third world countries, sports gear and health food.
In addition, Toledo is just an hour to the north and Dayton is 90 minutes to the south.
Bluffton University
From Wikipedia, The Free EncyclopediaBluffton University, located in Bluffton, Ohio, United States, is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.
It was founded in 1899 as Central Mennonite College and became Bluffton College in 1913. The name Bluffton University was adopted in 2004.
Bluffton "seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples and ultimately for the purposes of God’s universal kingdom."
Academics
Bluffton offers 39 undergraduate majors organized in 13 academic departments. It also offers three graduate degrees: Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Organizational Management, and Master of Arts in Education.
Students at Bluffton are not proctored during exams. Instead, students are on their honor not to cheat and to report any students who do to the instructor. Students are expected to write the honor pledge ( “I am unaware of any aid having been given or received during this examination") on their exams and sign their names.
The honor system was created in 1918 by chemistry professor H.W. Berky, who borrowed the idea from his undergraduate education at Princeton University.
The spirit of the honor system is supposed to pervade every area of campus life.
Religious heritage and life
Bluffton University was founded (as Central Mennonite College) by the General Conference Mennonite Church and became affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA when it was created in 2002 by a merger between the GCMC and the Mennonite Church. It has been a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities since 1991.
The Mennonite church is an Anabaptist denomination committed to nonviolence, social justice and voluntary service.
Bluffton has been open to non-Mennonites since its founding and members of the denomination now make up a minority of students.
Historian Perry Bush, in his centennial history of the college, argues that Bluffton's distinctive religious orientation has been to avoid both secularization and generic American evangelicalism. While many other denominational colleges adopted the latter, Bluffton leaders "refused to separate Mennonite ethical principles from the doctrines they held in common with other evangelicals. They refused to treat peace and service as if they were add-ons, 'nonessentials,' extra-chrome options. Christ's theological and ethical teachings were all of one piece, Mennonites have insisted, and a proper Christian college would be built on the firm integration of the two."
Quick Facts
- Location:
- Midwest
- Setting:
- Small Town Setting
- Type:
- Private
- Affiliation:
- Mennonite Church
- Size:
- Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
- Mascot:
- Beavers
Students & Campus Life
- Undergraduate Enrollment:
- 1,056
- On Campus Housing:
- Available
- Full Time Students:
- 100%
- Athletic Programs:
- Available
Degree Programs at Bluffton University
Bachelor's Level Programs
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Arts & Humanities
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English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
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Creative Writing
A program that focuses on the process and techniques of original composition in various literary forms such as the short story, poetry, the novel, and others. Includes instruction in technical and editorial skills, criticism, and the marketing of finished manuscripts.See more schools with programs in Creative Writing
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English Language and Literature
A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
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Creative Writing
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Foreign Languages
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Foreign Languages
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Spanish Language and Literature
A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.See more schools with programs in Spanish Language and Literature
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Spanish Language and Literature
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History
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History
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History
A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.See more schools with programs in History
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History
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Music
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Music
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General Music
A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.See more schools with programs in General Music
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General Music
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Religion/Religious Studies
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Religion/Religious Studies
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General Religion/Religious Studies
A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.See more schools with programs in General Religion/Religious Studies
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Youth Ministry
A program that prepares the ordained clergy and other religious professionals to provide spiritual, counseling, and leadership services to children, adolescents, and young adults. Includes instruction in child and adolescent psychology, human growth and development, family studies, communication skills, religious education, youth counseling, small group leadership, planning and organizing youth activities, volunteer supervision, and youth evangelism and worship.See more schools with programs in Youth Ministry
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General Religion/Religious Studies
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Visual Arts
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Visual Arts
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Art/Art Studies
Art and Art Studies is a general, introductory program that focuses on the study and appreciation of the visual arts. Students of these two or four year programs receive instruction in art, photography, and other visual communications media.See more schools with programs in Art/Art Studies
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Art/Art Studies
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English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
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Business
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Accounting & Related Services
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Accounting & Related Services
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Accounting
An accounting program provides the tools to practice accounting and to perform related business functions. This program includes instruction in accounting principles and theory, financial accounting, managerial accounting, cost accounting, budget control, tax accounting, legal aspects of accounting, auditing, reporting procedures, statement analysis, planning and consulting, business information systems, accounting research methods, professional standards and ethics, and applications to specific for-profit, public, and non-profit organizations.See more schools with programs in Accounting
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Accounting
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Fashion and Apparel
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Fashion and Apparel
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Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations
Students in this program gain the knowledge and skills necessary for the distribution and sale of apparel and accessories. Students receive instruction in wholesaling and retailing, apparel technologies, distribution, customer sales and service skills, and principles of consumer research and sales forecasting.See more schools with programs in Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations
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Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations
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General Business
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General Business
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Business Administration and Management
Generally, this program prepares individuals to plan, organize, direct, and control a firm or organization. To aid them in taking a leading role in business, individuals in this program study management theory, human resources management and behavior, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.See more schools with programs in Business Administration and Management
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Business Administration and Management
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Information Systems
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Information Systems
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Information Science/Studies
A program that focuses on the theory, organization, and process of information collection, transmission, and utilization in traditional and electronic forms. Includes instruction in information classification and organization; information storage and processing; transmission, transfer, and signaling; communications and networking; systems planning and design; human interfacing and use analysis; database development; information policy analysis; and related aspects of hardware, software, economics, social factors, and capacity.See more schools with programs in Information Science/Studies
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Information Science/Studies
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Management
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Management
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Organizational Behavior Studies
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the behavior and motivations of individuals functioning in organized groups, and its application to business and industrial settings. Includes instruction in organization theory, industrial and organizational psychology, social psychology, sociology of organizations, reinforcement and incentive theory, employee relations strategies, organizational power and influence, organization stratification and hierarchy, leadership styles, and applications of operations research and other methodologies to organizational analysis.See more schools with programs in Organizational Behavior Studies
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Organizational Behavior Studies
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Accounting & Related Services
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Accounting & Related Services
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Communication & Media
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Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
A program that focuses on the scientific, humanistic, and critical study of human communication in a variety of formats, media, and contexts. Includes instruction in the theory and practice of interpersonal, group, organizational, professional, and intercultural communication; speaking and listening; verbal and nonverbal interaction; rhetorical theory and criticism; performance studies; argumentation and persuasion; technologically mediated communication; popular culture; and various contextual applications.See more schools with programs in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
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Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
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Education
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Special Needs Education
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Special Needs Education
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Special Education and Teaching
A general program that focuses on the design and provision of teaching and other educational services to children or adults with special learning needs or disabilities, and that may prepare individuals to function as special education teachers. Includes instruction in diagnosing learning disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising special education students, special education counseling, and applicable laws and policies.See more schools with programs in Special Education and Teaching
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Special Education and Teaching
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Teacher Training
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Teacher Training
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Elementary Education and Teaching
A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the elementary grades, which may include kindergarten through grade eight, depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all elementary education subject matter.See more schools with programs in Elementary Education and Teaching
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Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
A program that prepares individuals to teach vocational home economics programs at various educational levels.See more schools with programs in Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
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Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the middle, intermediate or junior high grades, which may include grades four through nine by regulation.See more schools with programs in Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
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Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching.
A program that prepares individuals to teach students in formal settings prior to beginning regular elementary school, usually ranging in age from three to six years (or grade one), depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all relevant subject matter.See more schools with programs in Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching.
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Music Teacher Education
A program that prepares individuals to teach music and music appreciation programs at various educational levels.See more schools with programs in Music Teacher Education
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Elementary Education and Teaching
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Special Needs Education
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Special Needs Education
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Family and Consumer Science Professions
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Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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General Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
A general program that focuses on family and consumer sciences, including how individuals develop and function in family, work, and community settings and how they relate to their physical, social, emotional, and intellectual environments.See more schools with programs in General Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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General Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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Nutrition
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Nutrition
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Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
A general program that focuses on the role of foods and nutrition in human health and wellness. Includes instruction in nutritional care and education, the planning and provision of food services, the development of consumable food products, life-span nutrition and wellness, the principles of nutritional assessment, and food safety and food composition.See more schools with programs in Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
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Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
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Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
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Fitness, Recreation and Leisure Studies
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
A program that prepares individuals to develop and manage park facilities and other indoor and outdoor recreation and leisure facilities. Includes instruction in supervising support personnel, health and safety standards, public relations, and basic business and marketing principles.See more schools with programs in Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
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Physical Fitness
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Physical Fitness
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Health and Physical Education
A general program that focuses on activities and principles that promote physical fitness, achieve and maintain athletic prowess, and accomplish related research and service goals. Includes instruction in human movement studies, motivation studies, rules and practice of specific sports, exercise and fitness principles and techniques, basic athletic injury prevention and treatment, and organizing and leading fitness and sports programs.See more schools with programs in Health and Physical Education
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Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
A program that prepares individuals to apply business, coaching and physical education principles to the organization, administration and management of athletic programs and teams, fitness/rehabilitation facilities and health clubs, sport recreation services, and related services. Includes instruction in program planning and development; business and financial management principles; sales, marketing and recruitment; event promotion, scheduling and management; facilities management; public relations; legal aspects of sports; and applicable health and safety standards.See more schools with programs in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
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Health and Physical Education
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure
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Parks, Recreation and Leisure
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Health & Medical Services
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Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
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Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
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Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
A program that prepares individuals for admission to a first-professional program in medicine, osteopathic medicine, or podiatric medicine.See more schools with programs in Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
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Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
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Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
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Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
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Interdisciplinary Studies
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Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
Any instructional program that is derived from two or more distinct programs to provide a cross-cutting focus on a subject concentration that is not subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field.See more schools with programs in Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
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Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
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Life Science
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Biology
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Biology
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Biology/Biological Sciences
Students in this program study general biology at an introductory level. This major provides students with a broad overview of biology and includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.See more schools with programs in Biology/Biological Sciences
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Biology/Biological Sciences
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Biology
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Biology
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Mathematics and Statistics
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General Mathematics
A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.See more schools with programs in General Mathematics
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General Mathematics
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Natural Sciences
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Chemistry
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Chemistry
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General Chemistry
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.See more schools with programs in General Chemistry
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General Chemistry
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Physics
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Physics
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General Physics
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.See more schools with programs in General Physics
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General Physics
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Chemistry
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Chemistry
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Security and Protective Service Careers
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Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
A program that focuses on the criminal justice system, its organizational components and processes, and its legal and public policy contexts. Includes instruction in criminal law and policy, police and correctional systems organization, the administration of justice and the judiciary, and public attitudes regarding criminal justice issues.See more schools with programs in Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
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Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
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Social Sciences
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General Social Sciences
A program that focuses on the general study of human social behavior and social institutions using any of the methodologies common to the social sciences and/or history, or an undifferentiated program of study in the social sciences.See more schools with programs in General Social Sciences
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Economics
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Economics
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General Economics
A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.See more schools with programs in General Economics
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General Economics
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Psychology
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Psychology
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General Psychology
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.See more schools with programs in General Psychology
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General Psychology
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Sociology
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Sociology
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Sociology
A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.See more schools with programs in Sociology
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Sociology
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General Social Sciences
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Social Work
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General Social Work
A program that prepares individuals for the professional practice of social welfare administration and counseling, and that focus on the study of organized means of providing basic support services for vulnerable individuals and groups. Includes instruction in social welfare policy; case work planning; social counseling and intervention strategies; administrative procedures and regulations; and specific applications in areas such as child welfare and family services, probation, employment services, and disability counseling.See more schools with programs in General Social Work
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General Social Work
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Technology
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Information Systems Operation and Management
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Information Systems Operation and Management
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General Computer Science
A general program that focuses on computers, computing problems and solutions, and the design of computer systems and user interfaces from a scientific perspective. Includes instruction in the principles of computational science, and computing theory; computer hardware design; computer development and programming; and applications to a variety of end-use situations.See more schools with programs in General Computer Science
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General Computer Science
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Software Development
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Software Development
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Information Technology
A program that focuses on the design of technological information systems, including computing systems, as solutions to business and research data and communications support needs. Includes instruction in the principles of computer hardware and software components, algorithms, databases, telecommunications, user tactics, application testing, and human interface design.See more schools with programs in Information Technology
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Information Technology
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Information Systems Operation and Management
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Information Systems Operation and Management
Master's Level Programs
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Business
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Management
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Management
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Organizational Behavior Studies
A program that focuses on the scientific study of the behavior and motivations of individuals functioning in organized groups, and its application to business and industrial settings. Includes instruction in organization theory, industrial and organizational psychology, social psychology, sociology of organizations, reinforcement and incentive theory, employee relations strategies, organizational power and influence, organization stratification and hierarchy, leadership styles, and applications of operations research and other methodologies to organizational analysis.See more schools with programs in Organizational Behavior Studies
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Organizational Behavior Studies
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Management
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Management
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Education
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General Education
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General Education
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General Education
A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching; the basic principles of educational psychology; the art of teaching; the planning and administration of educational activities; school safety and health issues; and the social foundations of education.See more schools with programs in General Education
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General Education
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General Education
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General Education
Students
General
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Full-Time vs. Part-Time
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Men vs. Women
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Race/Ethnicity
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Geography
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In State vs. Out-of-State
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 1% |
Housing
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 72% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
Athletics
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) Basketball (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) Baseball (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) Track (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 19,028 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 400 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 2,984 | 33% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 1,640 | 83% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 8,699 | 98% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,099 | 93% | |
Any Aid: |
100% |
Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)
| Acceptance Rate: | 71% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 20% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 490, Math: 480 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 590, Math: 560 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 78% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 19, Verbal: 18, Math: 18 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 24, Verbal: 25, Math: 24 |
Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)
| Application Fee: | $ 20.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
