colorado state university accreditation

Degree Programs at Colorado State University

Colorado State University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Best Most Affordable Master’s in Project Management Online Degrees.

Colorado State University is a comprehensive university, which means that it can establish degree programs at all levels. Undergrads can enroll and begin working on the majors they choose, but they can also enroll as undeclared students and take general education courses before choosing a major. Some of the programs available have concentrations such as the anthropology program, which has concentrations in archaeology, cultural anthropology, and biological anthropology. The environmental horticulture program offers concentrations in landscape business, landscape design and contracting, turf management and nursery and landscape management. Other majors with concentrations available include art, natural science, philosophy, psychology, data science, and electrical engineering.

The Graduate School at the university offers various degree programs too. Many of the programs feature practical experiences such as its anthropology program, which gives students the chance to work on real digs in the field. Those in the agricultural and resource programs can work on farms and for government agencies. Students in any of the biological medicine or biology programs will do research projects as part of their studies and become familiar with lab equipment. There are also graduate programs in human development and family studies, occupational therapy, soil and crop sciences, and psychology among others.

Though most students take classes on the Fort Collins campus, they can also take online classes. Colorado State University offers a Master of Science in Computer Science online that will go along with its IT project management certificate. Bachelor of Arts and Science programs let students major in fire and emergency services administration, anthropology, human development and family studies, natural resource tourism and other subjects. Graduate students can earn degrees in areas such as extension education, computer engineering, communications and media management, biomedical engineering, tourism management, and adult education as well as other fields. Colorado State University also offers individual classes online that students can take on top of their other courses or during the summer semester.

About Colorado State University

Colorado State University is the flagship institution in the state of Colorado. Also called Colorado State and CSU, some also refer to it as simply State. Established in 1870, it was the first school of higher learning in the Colorado Territory. The school received funding from both the government and local organizations, which led to the building of its first campus. As the Colorado Agricultural College, it offered courses in agricultural sciences and similar fields and required that students work on the farm owned by the college. The requirements for students would later change as it became a full college and then Colorado State University.

CSU still offers agricultural programs and has a farm that students can work on. It also has a good reputation for its science and engineering programs. The James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital opened in 1979 and now offers advanced degree programs for veterinary students. The hospital also offers opportunities for students to work with different types of animals. CSU offers more than 140 degree programs and ranks as one of the best colleges in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report, Washington Monthly and ARWU.

Colorado State University Accreditation Details

Some of the CSU programs with accreditation include its marriage and family therapy, occupational therapy, psychology, teaching, and music programs. That type of accreditation comes from organizations such as the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CELPA), American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). CSU also has accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). With HLC accreditation, this Colorado university can accept transfer credits, create financial aid packages and award degrees.

Colorado State University Application Requirements

A virtual tour is available online for students who want to get a look at the CSU campus before they apply. They also have the option of visiting the campus and signing up for a full tour. The university has an online application and allows students to pay the small application fee online too. It then requires that students submit a score from the ACT or the SAT and their high school transcripts. CSU uses their transcripts and scores to make sure that they can succeed in college. Those accepted by the university must put down an enrollment deposit to show CSU that they will attend.

Graduate students must meet all the individual requirements of their degree programs and the requirements of the Graduate School. CSU will only accept students who have a bachelor’s degree from a university/college with regional accreditation. It requires that students submit transcripts, but students can submit unofficial transcripts first and their official transcripts later. Students who want to begin in the fall can apply as early as September in the year before. CSU recommends that students apply earlier to make sure they secure their spots. All students pay a $60 application fee, but some may need to meet other requirements, including providing their resumes and test scores or sending in letters of recommendation and going through an interview.

Tuition and Financial Aid

CSU bases its tuition on the level a student is and his or her resident status. Colorado residents pay $12,058 per year as an undergrad. If the student is not a Colorado resident, he or she will pay $30,780 each year. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) provides a discount for students from western states, which brings their costs down to $20,596 per year. Room and board add $11,800 to their annual costs. Graduate students who are Colorado residents pay $13,156 per year. This amount rises to $28,242 for nonresident graduate students.

The amount that students pay each will vary based on the amount of financial aid they get. Those who demonstrate a higher need on the FAFSA than their peers can get more grants. Undergrads receive both loans and grants through this form and can join the CSU work-study program too. Their applications will help them qualify for institutional aid based on their merit too. CSU scholarships go to students who have higher than average grades and test scores. There are also financial aid options for graduate students, including government loans and jobs working on the university’s campus. Colorado State University will send out award letters to accepted and returning students several weeks before the start of the school year.