Elmhurst College

elmhurst college majors

Degree Programs at Elmhurst College

Elmhurst College appears in our ranking of 50 Great Value Colleges for Urban Studies.

Elmhurst College offers more than 60 options for undergrads today. It has programs for those who know what they want to study and do and programs for those are haven’t yet decided. Freshmen who come in without a major already picked can take general education classes that count towards any degree until they declare a major. Many students spend their first two years taking classes from different disciplines before picking a major.

The choices for undergrads include majors in more than 60 fields and 15 pre-professional programs. Those programs include pre-law for future law school students and pre-med for those who want to attend medical school and become doctors. The available majors include geographic information systems, secondary education, English, finance, sports management and urban studies. The college’s interdisciplinary communication studies program is unique because it looks at communications from different views. It also teaches students how to communicate with others on the job. Elmhurst also offers a number of minors for students that range from art to urban studies. The college encourages students to choose at least one minor that relates to their degree programs and career goals.

Also available are certificate programs designed for both graduate students and undergrads. Many of these programs are available online. Undergrads can earn a certificate in geographic information systems or cyber security without enrolling in a full degree program. The college offers more choices for graduate students, including certificates in application development and market research. Some of the certificates available online include those in network administration, human geography and data science.

With 15 graduate programs to choose from, students can study a range of advanced subjects. The college offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) that students can complete full time or part time online. Students can earn degrees in supply chain management and industrial and organizational psychology through the college’s business department. Its education department offers degrees in early childhood education, early childhood special education, teacher leadership and special education. Students can also get endorsements from the college that qualify them to teach specific subjects. Some of the online graduate programs available award students degrees in geographic information systems, data science and computer information technology.

About Elmhurst College

Elmhurst College is a private university that has an affiliation with the United Church of Christ. Founded in 1871, it grew from the donation of two wealthy citizens living in Illinois. The couple donated a plot of land with the hope that the German Evangelical Synod of the Northwest would establish a training school for teachers. This school operated for many years and maintained a curriculum taught entirely in German. It didn’t add English language classes until the 1910s, which was when it became the Elmhurst Academy and Junior College. As a junior college, it offered short degree programs that led to its enrollment growing. The school would later earn college status and become Elmhurst College, named after the Illinois city of the same name.

The college now has a suburban campus in Elmhurst, Illinois. This campus has 48 acres of residence halls, labs, classroom spaces and other resources for students. Its athletic teams compete in the NCAA and allow students to play on teams that include basketball, soccer and golf teams. Students can also join fraternities and sororities as well as honor societies. Elmhurst has an enrollment of more than 3,500 full-time and part-time students.

Elmhurst College Accreditation Details

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is a body that grants regional accreditation to schools that qualify. It granted Elmhurst College regional accreditation and renews its accreditation as needed. This entitles incoming and continuing students to transfer their credits and to get financial aid every year. Some of the college’s degree programs also have accreditation from professional bodies such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASLHA).

Elmhurst College Application Requirements

The admissions process used by Elmhurst College differs for undergraduate and graduate students. Undergrads must have a score of at least 17 on the ACT or 900 on the SAT to enroll. The college places weight on both their test scores and grades. To apply, students will set up an account on the application website and submit the application through that site. There is no fee to apply to the college. They will then make sure that the college receives their official test scores and either a transcript or a GED score. Elmhurst College also encourages students to submit a letter of recommendation written by a high school teacher.

Graduate students can apply to the college in two different ways. They can either use a PDF application that they download from the college’s website or an online application, which is also available on that site. The application includes an essay requirement that asks students to write 1,000 words on their purposes for getting a graduate degree and what they will do with that degree. Other requirements for grad students include a resume that shows all the professional experiences they have, three letters of recommendation and an official transcript.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition rates for students today vary based across programs. Undergrads pay $18,757 each semester. They also pay more than $8,400 a year for room and board, which brings their annual costs up to nearly $50,000. Graduate students pay a flat rate in some programs of $30,000 to $33,000 a year. Other programs charge between $490 and $870 per credit hour. Students in an undergrad certificate program pay $625 per credit hour, while graduate certificate programs charge up to $870 per credit hour.

Any student paying his or her expenses out of pocket can request a payment plan, which lets them make tuition payments each month. Before applying for a payment plan though, students should apply for financial aid with the FAFSA. Loans and grants are available for all types of students, and undergrads may take part in the work-study program offered by the federal government and make money in jobs available from the college. The college also offers scholarships that provide students with up to $20,000 a year. Some scholarships are available for transfer students and those who have an associate degree. Students applying to any of the Elmhurst College degree programs can get financial aid from the college and the government.