Flexible, First-Rate Historically Black Education at JCSU
Johnson C. Smith University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Technologically Advanced Small Colleges.
Named the U.S. News & World Report’s 22nd best HBCU, Johnson C. Smith University is a private, Presbyterian UNCF member in Charlotte that grants 22 bachelor’s degrees and one master’s program plus seven fully online options at a 12:1 student-teacher ratio. For example, the B.S. in Sport Management delivers its 122-credit, SACS-accredited sequence headed by Dr. Bernadette Lawson-Williams online or in person with opportunities to intern with the Carolina Panthers, work for the PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship, and join Phi Epsilon Kappa. Directed by Dr. Alexa von Dohlen, the 122-credit B.S. in Biology has placed alumni at Purdue, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and other graduate schools after hands-on Parasitology Research Lab projects and Beta Kappa Chi membership.
Online on Canvas, the Metropolitan College led by Dr. Laura McLean offers a 122-credit B.A. in Criminology that’s uniquely certified by the North Carolina Department of Justice with fast seven-week courses like Law Enforcement for 93 percent job placement at the FBI, DEA, ATF, and more. Chaired by Dr. Kareema Gray, the Master of Social Work builds a 60-credit, CSWE-accredited curriculum in Charlotte with 250-hour field placements, such as the Council for Children’s Rights or The Empowerment Project, each semester for professional state licensure.
About Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University originated on April 7, 1867, when Rev. Samuel Alexander and Rev. Willis Miller discussed founding the Freedmen’s College of North Carolina. In 1876, it was formally chartered as the Biddle Memorial Institute though after Mary D. Biddle’s generous gift. In 1883, Administration Hall became its first permanent building on land donated by Colonel W.R. Myers. By 1919, it was home to the earliest African-American teaching program. In 1922, the Board renamed it Johnson C. Smith University to honor the Pittsburgh businessman. On March 1, 1923, the North Carolina General Assembly changed its charter for four-year status. Coeducational since 1941, JCSU erected the Mary Joyce Taylor Crisp Memorial Union in 1965. Three decades later, the Robert L. Albright Honors College was formed. In 2009, the Duke Endowment gave Johnson C. Smith University its largest donation of $5.7 million.
Endowed for $68.2 million, Johnson C. Smith University now employs 87 full-time faculty teaching 1,565 Golden Bulls from six countries online or at the 105-acre Piedmont campus in Mecklenburg County with 60+ clubs like Toastmasters International. In 2014, Johnson C. Smith received the Best STEM Program Award from HBCU Digest magazine. In 2018, JCSU accepted a National Science Foundation Grant to develop the Data Science Minor. JCSU won a $100,000 American Heart Association Grant for its Sustainability Village too. The U.S. News & World Report featured Johnson C. Smith University among its top 348 online bachelor’s schools. On Niche, JCSU boasts America’s 54th best criminal justice program, 98th most liberal academics, and 267th best Greek life. Money magazine declared Johnson C. Smith the 725th top value overall. College Factual placed JCSU 58th for dance, 32nd for computer engineering, and 36th for communications.
Johnson C. Smith University Accreditation Details
On December 4, 2018, Johnson C. Smith University proudly announced that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees ended the 12-month probation to reaffirm the Level III accreditation through 2027-28 under its 14th president, Dr. Clarence D. Armbrister, who earned the Miami Herald Silver Knight Award. Located 237 miles southwest via Interstate 85 in Decatur, Georgia, this esteemed 11-state Southeast Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and North Carolina Department of Education. Further, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has accredited Johnson C. Smith University since November 13, 2015.
Johnson C. Smith University Application Requirements
Starting at Johnson C. Smith University is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s since only 2,919 of the 6,369 Fall 2017 applicants were successful for 46 percent acceptance. First-year Golden Bulls must exhibit a solid academic foundation with at least 13 college-prep academic units. High school equivalent (GED or HiSET) diplomas would be considered. On average, freshmen present a secondary cumulative GPA of 2.78. The middle 50th percentile achieve SAT scores of 770-960. Admitted mid-range ACT scores are 15-19. Testing is optional for online Metropolitan College of Professional Studies entrants. Qualified transfers simply need 12+ non-remedial credits from accredited institutions with GPAs over 2.0. Foreign students are only considered English proficiency with TOEFL pBT scores of 525 and higher. The GRE-optional Master of Social Work requires a four-year bachelor’s and minimum 2.75 GPA before entry. Advanced Standing is reserved for BSW graduates of CSWE-approved colleges.
Johnson C. Smith University has freshman deadlines of December 1st for Early Action and March 15th for Regular Decision. Undergrad transfers have rolling admission until August 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring. Note the priority financial aid deadline is February 1st. The Master of Social Work lists three admission rounds with deadlines of October 1st, February 1st, and April 1st. Accordingly, complete the JCSU Application online with a $25 ($40 if graduate) processing fee. Forward official transcripts to 100 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, NC 28216. For testing results, select SAT/TOEFL code 5333 or ACT code 3112. Attach supplemental materials like the admissions survey, recommended essay, two references, and work/volunteer history. Contact (704) 378-1035 or [email protected] with any questions.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, Johnson C. Smith University charged traditional full-time undergrad tuition of $9,118 per semester or $18,236 annually. Studying part-time in Charlotte incurred $418 per credit. Half-time enrollment costs were $2,508 each term. Summer School sessions were reduced to $250 per credit. Living in the dorms like Greenfield or Duke Hall added $2,190 to $2,700 for semester rent. Standard meal plans for The Cafeteria were $1,507 extra. Annual bachelor’s attendance equaled about $25,862 on-site and $21,250 if commuting. The Metropolitan College billed $475 per credit for online courses with a $125 technology fee. The Master of Social Work was priced $576 per credit or $8,640 each semester full-time.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid at Henry J. Biddle Hall connects 94 percent of full-time JCSU Golden Bulls to tuition assistance averaging $12,319 each or $15.38 million combined. Suggested funding programs include the Wagner & Wagner Civil Justice Scholarship, Michael Moody Fitness Scholarship, Youth Forward Scholarship, Barbara Lotze Scholarship, Lamber-Goodnow Scholarship, James Alan Cox Scholarship, Make a Difference Scholarship, Prudential Spirit of Community Scholarship, and Sixt Scholarship. The Academic Merit Scholarship gifts up to $18,236 yearly for freshmen with minimum 3.2 GPAs. The Family Scholarship deducts 10 percent off bachelor’s costs for siblings. United Negro College Fund options, such as the John Lennon Endowed Scholarship or Greyhound Bus Lines Scholarship, are abundant. Filing FAFSA forms coded 002936 unlocks Federal Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Direct Loan, and Work-Study opportunities. The North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship also helps in-state residents taking 9+ credits.
Explore four accredited colleges conferring 30 diverse degrees ranked 169th nationally by Washington Monthly at the Johnson C. Smith University website.