Degree Programs Offered at Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the West.
Fresno Pacific University offers degree programs at five colleges across California and through its online campus. Students can earn one of 35 degrees through the university. Many of these programs have concentrations that allow undergrads to study a specific emphasis area. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art program has concentrations in art administration, studio art, and graphic art. Students in the business administration program can select from concentrations in accounting, general business, software development, marketing, finance or management. Other undergrad majors include software engineering, environmental studies, philosophy, communications, and social work.
The 17 graduate programs offered by the university have some concentration options too. In the math education program, students can choose from concentrations in elementary and middle school education or secondary education. The university’s graduate program in special education is open to students who have a teaching license and those who want to get a license. Those in the peacemaking and conflict studies program can get certificates in mediation, restorative justice, workplace conflict management and peacemaking, or church conflict and peacemaking. Some of these degree programs are available from the seminary that is part of the university.
Most programs feature general education classes, and Fresno Pacific University allows students to complete those courses online. Its online campus also offers a small number of full degree programs such as a Master of Arts in Ministry, Leadership and Culture. An adapted physical education program helps students add to their credentials and become a special education teacher. The online campus offers a teacher librarian program that allows students to earn a full degree or a certificate. Some of the online options for undergraduates include business administration, early childhood development, and health care administration. Fresno Pacific University also allows students to complete their degrees online after they transfer credits into a new program.
About Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University is a private university affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church. Founded in 1944 in Fresno, California as the Pacific Bible Institute, it was so small that the institute held classes in a local house. As enrollment grew from more than the 28 students originally enrolled, the school decided to take over a former YMCA in the city. The Mennonite Brethren Bible Seminary and an attached church moved to an area adjacent to the institute. This school would later become the Fresno Pacific University Seminary. In 1961, the institute became a junior college and gained regional accreditation. That accreditation remained with the university over the years and still exists today. It served as Fresno Pacific College before becoming Fresno Pacific University in the 1970s.
Also called Fresno Pacific and FPU, the university offers degree programs for students who have strong religious beliefs. Though it accepts all types of students, most of those enrolled are part of the Mennonite faith or are Christians. The main campus in Fresno covers more than 50 acres and has on-campus housing and other resources for students. Four regional campuses offer opportunities for students too, including those in Bakersfield and North Fresno. Between its online and traditional programs, Fresno Pacific has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students. This includes hundreds of undergrads completing the degrees they started on other campuses.
Fresno Pacific University Accreditation Details
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) awarded accreditation to FPU both its bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing. This accreditation covers the fieldwork that students do in health care facilities and the classes they take. FPU also has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the commission it established for senior colleges. The university has the right to award financial aid to any student because of this accreditation.
Fresno Pacific University Application Requirements
FPU has just four application requirements for undergrads applying to one of its degree programs. Those requirements include the application, which students can either download from the website or fill out online. The paper application requires that students send it to the admissions office. Though the university charges a $40 application fee, it offers waivers for students who attend open house events. Students should also request that any schools they attended send their official transcripts to the university and that FPU receives their test scores. The university also asks that students submit the FAFSA. Accepted students usually have an average score of at least 1080 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT and a GPA of at least 3.2.
An application for graduate students is also available online. It takes just a few minutes to complete the application, but students must submit other documents too. Those documents include transcripts from all schools attended and three reference forms. Students must have academic and professional references complete each form and send it to FPU. They will also write a letter of intent that goes over all their goals and anything else the program requires such as a writing sample or a resume. Seminary students must meet the same requirements that other undergrads and graduate students do.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Traditional undergrads attending FPU pay around $41,400 a year. This includes fees of close to $500 and room and board, which costs nearly $9,000 a year. Students who need to complete their degrees through the university pay $495 per credit hour and fees of $195 each semester. Graduate students pay $650 per credit hour for most classes and $830 per credit hour for classes in the MBA program. Any student enrolled in a seminary program will pay between $460 and $530 per credit hour.
As the university requires that students submit the FAFSA as part of the application process, there shouldn’t be any issues with students getting financial aid. The university bases some aid on merit and looks at the application packets, test scores, and transcripts to award that aid. Other aid goes to students who have more need, which the university will base on the FAFSA. Institutional aid includes scholarships designed for students at any level. The Founder’s Grant awards undergrads $3,000 a year, while the Paragon Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition. Four grants and scholarships go to graduate students too. Fresno Pacific University also has a grant that will match any funds donated by a student’s church up to a specific amount.