Degree Programs Available at East Carolina University
East Carolina University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Computer Science Online.
Between the majors and minors that it offers, East Carolina University has more than 100 programs that undergraduate students can complete. Some of these are honors programs that have stricter admissions requirements than its traditional programs do. The idea is that students will have stronger reading and writing skills and that they can handle studying those subjects at an advanced level. Honors programs are available in subjects ranging from anthropology to sociology.
Also available are a few accelerated programs for students who want to earn a graduate degree. East Carolina University offers a combined program with a bachelor’s and a master’s in math and another with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in network technology. Students cannot join these programs until they successfully complete at least one to two years of classes and declare a major in one of those areas. They will then take required major classes in their junior years and graduate classes in their senior years. Accelerated programs let students earn two degrees in around five years.
Bachelor of Arts, Science, and Fine Arts are all available from East Carolina University for undergrads. Students can major in applied atmospheric science, applied sociology or applied geography. The university offers one of the only full degree programs in the state in African American Studies, which helps students learn about the history and the culture of the African American population. Other majors include health information management, philosophy, science education, political science, physics and hospitality management.
More than 50 degree programs are available for graduate students. The university offers Master of Science programs in human development and family science, security services, kinesiology, marriage and family therapy, and chemistry among others. Master of Arts students can study subjects that include history, health education, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and maritime studies. There are also Master of Education programs available from the university and programs for Master of Business Administration and Master of School Administration majors. East Carolina University has a public health graduate program that ranks as one of the state’s best too.
ECU also offers myriad online degrees. Students can choose from undergraduate bachelor’s completion programs in the areas of business, education, nursing, communication, and more. At the graduate level, the offerings include master’s degrees in art, library science, computer science, construction management, and social work, to name just a few.
About East Carolina University
Located in Greenville, North Carolina, East Carolina University is a large public university that initially served students in the eastern region of North Carolina. Established in 1907 as the East Carolina Teachers Training School, it became East Carolina Teachers College in 1920 and changed its curriculum to include four-year bachelor’s programs. It also became East Carolina College in 1951 after adding more degrees to its catalog. Those new programs helped the college become East Carolina University or ECU near the end of the 1960s. ECU now has a campus in Greenville that offers more than 1,600 acres of space for the university’s more than 29,000 enrolled students.
East Carolina University Accreditation Details
With accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges Schools (SACS), ECU can do a few things, including setting requirements for its degree programs and granting credit to students after evaluating their transcripts. This accreditation also lets ECU students apply for financial aid that includes both government aid and some institutional aid. Several programs available from ECU have accreditation from individual professional organizations too, including the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
East Carolina University Application Requirements
The core requirements for prospective freshmen include completion of the college prep curriculum established by North Carolina. This includes between two and four units of math, English, foreign language, social studies and science classes. The transcripts that students submit should also show that they took electives such as performing arts or computer classes. Students will pay a $75 application fee and can use the ECU application or the Common Application. They should provide a transcript with a cumulative GPA listed and the date of the student’s graduation on it and submit an ACT or SAT score. ECU has an undergraduate application deadline of November 11 for those applying to an honors program and December 15 if they need merit scholarships and other financial aid. All other undergrads can submit their applications by the beginning of March.
Graduate students can only use the ECU application, which also has a $75 fee attached. The university will not refund this fee and recommends that students choose the right application based on their class level or status. After completing the application, students should also submit a transcript with a cumulative GPA listed and a test score. ECU programs accept the GRE and similar tests such as the GMAT. If the student already has a graduate degree, ECU will accept a final transcript from the school where the student earned that degree in lieu of a test score.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The total cost of attendance for full-time undergrads who are North Carolina residents is $3,594 per semester. Part-time residents pay between $1,240 and $3,037 per semester based on whether they take less than five credits or more than nine credits of classes. Undergrads also pay at least $2,760 each semester for a room on the ECU campus and at least $2,028 per semester for a meal plan. Graduate students qualify for resident and nonresident tuition rates. Residents pay $3,742 per semester for full-time enrollment and $1,277 per semester or more for part-time enrollment. Both undergrads and graduate students pay higher rates to take classes at ECU. The university charges online undergrads rates of between $164 and $717 per credit hour based on their enrollment status. Online grad students will pay either $249 per credit hour as a resident or $894 as a nonresident.
Hundreds of students attending ECU pay their costs with scholarships. The university has a scholarship management system online that lets students create accounts and fill out an application to get one or more scholarships. They can use the same system to renew their prizes each year too. ECU divides awards in two separate parts and awards half of the prizes during the fall semester and the other half during the spring semester. Students also have the right to use the FAFSA and get aid from the state and/or federal government such as work study and grants. Student employment is available as part-time jobs for undergrads and assistantships for graduate students. All financial aid available from East Carolina University goes to students who demonstrate need when they complete the FAFSA.