Illinois State University

illinois state university accreditation

Programs Offered at Illinois State University

Illinois State University appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges for Art and Music.

Illinois State University offers more than 200 degree options in areas as diverse as agriculture, the environment, the arts, education, foreign languages, health & wellness, and science & mathematics. Popular programs at the university include those in business, marketing, management, and education. Other popular areas of study include health professions, communication, journalism, and degrees in the social sciences. Degrees are offered within five colleges that include the College of Fine Arts, College of Education, College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Applied Science and Technology. Degrees are also offered within the Mennonite College of Nursing and the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies.

The College of Education and its seven areas of study are well-regarded in the world of education, and students may choose from Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle-Level Teacher Education, Special Education, and Bilingual/Bicultural Teacher Education. Within each of those subject areas are several areas for specialization and personalization in degree format. The degrees in Special Education allow students to pursue concentrations in Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Low Vision & Blindness, and Learning & Behavior. Most degrees are offered on campus at the university, but there are classes within the College of Education that students may take online.

Some of the uncommon areas of study that students can pursue include degrees in Agribusiness, Renewable Energy, Technical Writing & Rhetoric, and Insurance. Within agriculture, the university offers several interesting areas for specialization including topics like crop & soil science, horticulture & landscape management, and pre-veterinary medicine. Students may also study agriculture communications & leadership, animal industry management, animal science, and agriculture teacher education. The university suggests that its graduates in agriculture are highly sought-after employees by the agriculture industry.

Students may also find it beneficial to study language or culture from a program offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Languages students can study include English, French, German, and Spanish. Beyond language, students can also study the culture of a particular geographic region. For example, students can study the language of French or pursue a degree in European Studies, French Teacher Education, or French & Francophone Studies. Similarly, students can major in German or pursue a degree in German Teacher Education. There are also many areas for study within English with degrees available in Creative Writing, English Teacher Education, and Publishing Studies. Students with interest in language can also major in Communications or Mass Media.

About Illinois State University

Illinois State University was established in 1857 in the city of Normal, Illinois. The university is well-known for its high-quality teaching program. The American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education placed the university in the top ten for producers of future teachers. Students who participate in athletics do so as the Redbirds, which is a nod to the state’s official bird, the cardinal. The school’s official colors are red and white, and the university is part of the Missouri Valley Conference in its NCAA Division I games. There are more than 18,300 undergraduates at the university and 2,400 postgraduate students attending classes at the Normal campus and via online study on the internet. The university bills itself as the first public university established in the state.

Illinois State University Accreditation Details

Illinois State University is regionally accredited by the High Learning Commission and most recently underwent a comprehensive review during the 2014 to 2015 school year. The next comprehensive review will occur during the 2024 to 2025 school year.

Many academic units and programs at Illinois State University have earned specialized accreditation. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design has accredited the School of Art, and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International has accredited the College of Business. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences has accredited the Department of Family & Consumer Science and the National Association of Schools of Music has accredited the School of Music. The Teacher Education Unit is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the School of Theater and Dance has accredited the National Association of Schools of Theater.

Illinois State University Application Requirements

Students who want to apply to Illinois State University as first-year students will have their standardized test scores, grade point average, and high school course selection examined by the school’s admissions team. The school allows students to submit an optional academic, personal statement. Recently admitted students have entered the university with a high school GPA of 3.07 to 3.83 on a 4.00 scale, and the average student’s SAT has been between 1020 and 1200. To qualify for admission, students must complete courses recommended by the university that include four years of English, three years of mathematics, two years of social science, two years of a foreign language, and two years of natural science that include laboratories.

Students who want to apply to graduate school must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 and satisfy all specialized application requirements for the program they wish to enter.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students can apply for institutional, state, federal, and private aid. To determine a student’s financial aid award, the university will calculate the student’s Expected Family Contribution, and students who enroll at the university will receive a tuition guarantee that locks in the student’s tuition rate for four years. Undergraduate students who are residents of Illinois will pay $24,366 for tuition, fees, room, and board. Non-residents will pay $35,890. Some students in states that border Illinois may qualify for tuition rate reductions. Graduate students who live off campus and are Illinois residents will pay an estimated $25,302 to attend the university. This figure includes tuition and fees of $9,270 and estimated costs for room, board, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. Non-residents in graduate school at Illinois State University will pay an estimated $32,712 to attend with $17,102 of that amount going toward tuition and fees.

Students who submit their FAFSA can qualify for student aid at Illinois State University. Students may receive grants and scholarships, as well as the opportunity to apply for student loans. Some of the scholarships a student can apply for include the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship, the Ada Belle Clark Welsh Scholarship, and the Illinois State Foundation Scholarship. Students may also reduce their cost of attendance by qualifying for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver. Students must submit a separate application for many scholarships associated with enrollment at Illinois State University.