Fort Hays State University

fort hays state university accreditation

Degrees Offered at Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University appears in our ranking of The 100 Most Affordable U.S. Colleges Online.

Fort Hays State University is one of the only comprehensive colleges in Kansas that offers both two-year and four-year degree programs for students. Students can earn either an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Applied Technology or an Associate of General Studies (AGS). The AGS program allows students to take the general education courses that bachelor’s programs require before they transfer to one of those programs. Students seeking an associate degree can complete their programs online.

Some of the other options for undergrads include the pre-professional programs that help them succeed in medical school or a similar path of study. Pre-medicine and pre-law programs are just a few of those available from the university. It also has an honors program designed for the top students enrolling each year. Bachelor’s programs are available both online and off. Students can study management and pick from concentrations such as human resources management or operations management. They can also major in fields that include hospitality management, social work, psychology, health sciences, accounting, and early childhood education.

Though the university only offers one doctoral program, it offers many other options for graduate students. The Specialist in Education offers concentrations in leadership, leadership in reading or education administration. Similar programs allow students to major in school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, math, and gifted education. One college at the university offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program that helps students hone their artistic skills. This program requires that students submit samples of their work as part of the application process. Some of the other graduate degree programs available from Fort Hays State University include a Master of Science in Communication and a Master of Professional Studies.

About Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University is a university in Kansas named after the fort in Hays. Known as Fort Hays, it served as a military installation for many years before closing down. The Western Branch of the Kansas State Normal School opened on the former grounds of the fort in 1902 and quickly became a top choice for local students. This school trained teachers who would help in local schools and move west along with other settlers. The school also established an agricultural program that allowed students to work on its farm. When the parent school became Emporia State University, the Western Branch became Fort Hays State University. Also called FHSU and Fort Hays, it still ranks as one of the top schools in Kansas.

Overseen by the Kansas Board of Regents, FHSU is a coeducational and public university that ranks as one of the largest in terms of enrollment in the state. The Sternberg Museum of Natural History and is a popular attraction for tourists. This museum is home to more than three million artifacts that date back to ancient times. The Docking Institute of Public Affairs is also on the university’s campus. Thousands of students and visitors come to the campus each year for the lectures given by guest speakers at this institute.

Fort Hays State University Accreditation Details

The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) are just a few of the organizations that granted accreditation to FHSU for some of its degree programs. Its education, speech and language and social work programs have accreditation too. Fort Hays State also has regional accreditation, which comes from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS), which is part of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Fort Hays State University Application Requirements

All incoming freshmen must complete the college curriculum established by the state of Kansas or an equivalent program in another state and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. This curriculum includes two years of foreign language courses and three to four years of classes in English, social studies, math, and sciences. The university also asks that students either have a minimum score of 1080 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT or that they graduate within the top third of their high school classes. To apply, students with submit official transcripts and their test scores to the university and complete the FHSU online application.

Students who want to apply to one of the FHSU graduate degree programs must also submit an application. They can go online to view all other application requirements, which change between programs. Some programs ask for up to 20 samples of the student’s work that they submit online. All graduate programs also require three letters of recommendation that highlight the top reasons why the university should pick the student and a resume. Students usually need to provide a writing sample such as one of the papers they wrote in a bachelor’s program. Certain programs will only accept those with an undergrad GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 or higher and at least 18 credits of undergraduate work in the field they want to study at the graduate level.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students who are Kansas residents qualify for in-state tuition. Undergrads pay $171 per credit hour as a resident or $506 per credit hour as a nonresident. The university has a special program that provides discounts for students who live in nearby states. Those students pay $238 per credit hour. Graduate students who are Kansas residents pay $237 per credit hour. This rate climbs to more than $600 per credit hour for nonresidents, though students in neighboring states receive a discount that reduces their rate to $337 per credit hour. All online students pay $219 per credit hour for undergraduate classes and $288 per credit hour for graduate classes. The doctoral nursing and MBA programs charge online students $400 per credit hour.

Both online students and those enrolled in a traditional degree program can get federal aid and financial aid from the university itself. Students must file the FAFSA and then go online to verify that the information they provided is true. FHSU sends out financial aid packages in the late spring through the early summer for those who qualify. They may get state grants and federal loans as well as one or more grants from the federal government. Students who receive scholarships from Fort Hays State University can stack those funds on top of any government aid they get.