National University

national university accreditation

Degrees Offered at National University

National University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Bachelor’s in Computer and IT Degrees Online.

National University is a private, non-profit college located at campuses throughout California. It includes an online campus that offers hundreds of accredited degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. All of the academic disciplines and degree programs at NU are organized into the following colleges and divisions:

  • Sanford College of Education
  • College of Letters and Sciences
  • College of Professional Studies
  • Division of Extended Learning
  • Language Institute
  • Early College

NU offers six two-year associate’s degree options in several disciplines, including business, natural science, criminal justice, and education. Most of these options are available online, but because natural science degrees include lab attendance requirements, students must travel to the campus to complete the Associate of Science in Human Biology program. The Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies also requires attendance on campus, but the rest of the associate’s programs are available online, on campus or in a hybrid format.

With 78 bachelor’s programs to choose from, NU offers undergraduate students a wealth of opportunities to advance their professional and academic careers. Bachelor’s programs are available in education, business, healthcare, social science, psychology, engineering, criminal justice, liberal arts, natural science, and mathematics. The majority of bachelor’s programs are available online as well as on campus. One of the most popular bachelor’s degrees at NU is the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, which is offered completely online as well as on campus and in a hybrid format. Computer science students at NU acquire a valuable set of skills, including data structure and algorithm design, operating system security and software engineering.

At the master’s level, students have 56 choices of degree programs, with 43 programs offered entirely online. The most popular master’s degrees at NU are in business, healthcare, social sciences, and education. The Master of Arts in Education is a 48-credit-hour degree program that trains students to become leaders in school administrations at the K-12 level. The program covers subjects such as educational diversity issues, equitable learning outcomes, educational research, evidence-based practices, academic writing, organizational practices, and other important concepts.

NU offers two programs at the doctoral level. The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice is offered only on campus and includes residency requirements that must be completed in a clinical setting. The Doctor of Education in Organizational Innovation is offered only online and is available for California residents only. Both of these programs take about six years to complete and lead to the highest level of education attainable in each specialty.

In addition to associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, NU offers a wide range of non-degree certificates and credentials. From criminal justice and education to business, marketing, healthcare and nursing, the professional certificates available at NU span a large selection of disciplines. Most certificate programs take one year to complete and provide students with credentials that will distinguish them from other professionals in their fields.

About National University

NU was founded by David Chigos in San Diego, Calif., in 1971. Chigos was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Navy. He saw a need for a convenient college education for working adults, so he created NU as a campus-based, private, non-profit university. The school quickly became a success, and branches were added throughout California during the last decades of the 20th century.

By the early 2000s, over 17,000 students were enrolled at NU, and an online component was added to the curriculum. Today, NU educates almost 24,000 students per year and employs 2,721 full- and part-time faculty members across all 28 campuses. A total of 170,000 students have earned degrees from NU, and the university has a financial endowment of $558.9 million. Notable alumni include Ocky Clark, Waad Hirmez, Duke Cunningham and Ryan Zinke.

National University Accreditation Details

NU is a regionally accredited university, so students and alumni can rest assured that their credits will transfer to other institutions without any problem. Institutional accreditation at NU is provided by the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Many programs at NU are also accredited by specialized professional commissions, such as:

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Council on Education for Public Health
  • Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
  • Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education

These agencies ensure that students in specialized disciplines receive proper training for professional employment. Accreditation is approved for a specified time period and must be renewed periodically to ensure compliance. NU has not had any accreditation problems in its nearly 50-year history.

National University Application Requirements

NU offers programs for high school students, university undergraduates, graduate students, military service members, and working professionals. The application process for each type of student is similar, but the required documentation differs by education level. In general, each applicant must show the following information to the admissions office:

  • High school or college transcripts
  • Cumulative grade point average
  • Class ranking, course schedule, and graduation date
  • SAT or ACT scores for undergraduates
  • GRE test scores for graduate students
  • Letters of recommendation

Courses at NU follow a four-week format, so enrollment dates are available throughout the school year. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days before enrollment. High school students who wish to earn early college credits must maintain a high GPA and possess the skills necessary to complete accelerated four-week online courses during a high school semester.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition costs at NU are about $13,000 per year for all students. When the cost of books, supplies and living expenses is included, the total amount is increased by around $10,000 per year. Eligible Military service personnel can utilize the G.I. Bill and all students are eligible to apply for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program. FAFSA offers access to low-cost public loans and free grants for students with financial need. Public loans don’t need to be repaid while borrowers maintain at least half-time enrollment.

National University is a convenient, affordable and popular choice for working professionals, first-time students, military service members and students from all backgrounds.