Degree Programs at Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the South.
Christopher Newport University offers 70 degree programs for both undergraduate and graduate students as well as more than 40 minors. A minor in United States Security Studies is available for students who want to work for the Department of Homeland Security and similar government agencies. Its sociology and psychology minors allow students to learn more about human behavior, which can help those in any behavioral studies program. Other possible minors for students include law, literature, biology, digital humanities, French and German.
Both Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) programs are available, but undergrads can also earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). The university offers a BSBA in Finance that includes some general business courses and advanced finance classes. BSAB programs are also available with concentrations in accounting, marketing, and management. Majors have the chance to do internships and work for local businesses. A B.A. in Art History allows students to study the history of art from ancient times to the modern ages. Christopher Newport University also offers undergrad degree programs in dance and theater that require students to perform in some of their classes.
Some of the options available for graduate students include a Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) and a Master of Science (MS) in Environmental Science. The MAT program helps students become teachers in Virginia but can help them meet some of the requirements that other states have for licensed teachers. A five-year version of the program is open to those who have no teaching experience. Students in the environmental science program learn the impact that human actions and other factors have on the environment. Most of the university’s graduate programs require students to do a thesis.
About Christopher Newport University
Christopher Newport University is a public university with a liberal arts curriculum. Located in Newport News, Virginia, it is one of the newest schools of its type in the state. Established in 1960 as Christopher Newport College, it bears the name of one of the sailors who landed in Virginia and helped found the community called Jamestown. As CNC, it operated as an extension of William & Mary College and allowed students to transfer their credits back to the parent college. Though the college moved and established its own campus, it didn’t become an independent university until the late 1970s. Now called CNU, it has an enrollment of more than 5,000 students, which includes a little more than 100 graduate students. The university competes in the NCAA under the name the Captains.
Christopher Newport University Accreditation Details
CNU has accreditation for its music and theater programs from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). Some of its other degree programs have accreditation from the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) granted the accreditation to CNU that lets the university accept transfer credits from other colleges and offer financial aid packages to both returning and new students.
Christopher Newport University Application Requirements
Incoming freshmen must prove to CNU that they followed a rigorous curriculum in high school that prepared them for college. The university asks for transcripts because it wants to see that students maintained grade point averages of 3.5 or higher and that they graduated within the top 50% of their classes. It also looks at whether students consistently maintained their grades or if they received lower grades in some semesters and whether they took college prep courses. Students who graduated within the top 10% of their classes do not need to submit a test score, but those with a lower class ranking may need to supply an ACT or SAT score. All undergrads will complete the CNU application, submit their transcripts and write an essay. The essay must be between 250 and 650 words and answer two short questions. CNU recommends that students submit up to three letters of recommendation and/or attend an on-campus interview session.
CNU also has strict requirements for all prospective graduate students. Those students must also complete the online application and have a degree from a regionally accredited college or university in a field that relates to the one they want to study in graduate school. Some programs require that incoming students have at least one to three years of experience in the field too. Other requirements for graduate school applicants can include an interview over the phone or on the CNU campuses, samples of the student’s research and writing work, a resume and letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time undergrads take between 12 and 17 credits at a time through CNU and pay $7,377 a semester in tuition. This rate only applies to Virginia residents though. Nonresidents pay $13,810 per semester. Part-time students also pay different rates based on their residency statuses. The university charges Virginia residents $614 per credit hour and nonresidents $1,150 per credit hour. Undergrads who take more than 17 credits each semester will pay one of these rates for each additional credit they take over that amount. Room and board will add around $4,700 to their semester costs. Graduate students pay the university $659 per credit hour as a Virginia resident or $1,182 per credit hour as a nonresident. All students pay fees of $232 also.
The Captains Commitment is a commitment that the university makes to help students afford the cost of college. It freezes the amount that the university can increase tuition by to just 2.5% each year. The university will take steps to further reduce the tuition increase and to help students pay their costs. More than 90% of CNU students receive financial aid every year, including the institutional aid that comes from the university and assistance from the government. The university offers aid for students taking classes in the summer and those who sign up for a study abroad program. Students must apply for financial aid by March 1, though the university has a priority deadline of December 15 for those applying for scholarships. Students in any of the 70 degree programs offered by Christopher Newport University can apply for financial aid.