Online Degrees Available at APU
American Public University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans.
American Public University offers associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs as well as some certificate programs. Many of its undergrad programs are popular with military students who want to develop new skills and improve their existing skills before they retire and look for jobs.
The Bachelor of Business Administration program that the university offers is a 120-credit program that allows students to transfer up to 90 credits. BBA students can choose a concentration in business analysis, data analytics, economics, small business management, information technology management, marketing or international business management. A general version of this program is also available online.
Designed for those who want to work in the fire industry, this program trains students to work as arson investigators and in similar positions. Students must take at least 66 credits of courses from within this major in addition to any electives and general education classes. They can take courses such as Fire Administration and Safety, Fire Protection in Building Construction, Research Designs and Methods and Applications of Fire Research.
This 36-credit APU program asks students to pick a concentration in American, European, Global, Public or Ancient and Classical History. They will take at least 24 credits of classes relating to that concentration and take 12 credits of other required courses. APU requires that history majors either take a special topics class or do an independent study project. The university also offers a Master of Arts in Military History.
Though this program does not allow students to meet the requirements for practicing law, it can build on the foundation of legal knowledge that they already have. Students can transfer up to 15 credits into the program, but those who do not transfer any credits will take 36 credits. Full-time students finish all their courses in two years. This program features both a core and some major requirements. Students take courses that include Homeland Security and the Law and Sports Law. American Public University requires that legal arts majors complete a capstone in the final year also.
About American Public University
American Public University is the informal name given to the American Public University System. Also called APUS, it consists of two different schools: American Public University and the American Military University. More than half of all the students enrolled in this system are on active duty military status, and a large number of its students use their GI Bill and other military benefits to pay their costs.
Established in 1991, the university opened as the American Military University. When classes started just two years later, students could enroll in one of 18 different graduate programs. The university offered opportunities for military students not yet available to others at the time. Instead of taking traditional college classes, they could take classes that led to promotions within the military. The university functioned as a distance learning school that allowed students to complete all their course requirements through the mail.
It wasn’t until 1995 that the university added undergraduate programs. While this helped the university expand, it grew even faster after adding online programs at the end of the decade. The more than 84,000 students who attend the university today complete their degrees through the university’s virtual campus. More than 80% of those students are undergrads. APU, which is the main branch of the system, and AMU now offer more than 200 programs for students seeking degrees and certificates.
American Public University Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission grants regional accreditation to APU. Students attending the university can both use the FAFSA when they apply for financial aid and accept any aid given to them. This form of accreditation also allows transfer students to transfer college credits into one of the university’s degree programs. APU has accreditation for its undergraduate nursing and business programs and for its Master of Public Health graduate program too.
American Public University Application Requirements
Though many of the students attending APU are in the military or retired from the military, it accepts students of all types. Prospective undergrads must have a high school diploma or a diploma equivalent before taking classes. They will submit a high school transcript at the time that they apply. The university requires that students who completed less than nine credits at the college level take the College Readiness Assessment too. Their results determine where they start out in different areas like English and math. Some of the programs available require that students have at least one year of experience in the field too.
APU does not have as many requirements for prospective grad students as other schools do. It asks that those students have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States. Though APU accepts international students, it asks other requirements of them. Students will submit official transcripts and the online application. They must also provide the university with a valid photo ID before enrolling. APU accepts any ID issued by the government as well as a military ID.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The cost that students pay to attend APU depends on what level they are and whether they are a military student. APU charges a rate of $270 per credit hour for undergrads and $350 for graduate students. Students can also audit classes for just $100 per class taken, though they will not receive credit for those courses. Military students who are in any branch of the military and their spouses and dependents qualify for a tuition discount. Those students pay just $250 for undergrad classes and $350 for graduate classes. Those enrolled in doctoral programs pay more, while those enrolled in associate’s programs pay less.
APU offers tuition payment plans for students paying their costs out of their own pockets. Students can also make arrangements with the university when they receive tuition reimbursement from their employers. Several scholarships are also available for qualifying students. They can submit scholarship applications online and file the FAFSA online too. American Public University accepts any financial aid awarded to a student