Northwestern State University of Louisiana

northwestern state university accreditation

Degree Programs at NSULA

Northwestern State University of Louisiana appears in our ranking of the 30 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s In Finance.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers a wide range of degree programs for both graduate students and undergrads. Its Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts offers several programs such as degrees in strategic communication. The broadcast and digital media production program focuses more on the broadcasts that professionals produce for air on television and the web. There is also a multimedia journalism program designed for students who want to produce written content for the web and other sources. Students in any of these programs can work for campus clubs and do internships in the field.

The university’s Department of Social Work offers both a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and a Master of Social Work (MSW). Students in the bachelor’s program will take classes such as Economics and Social Work, Statistics in Social Research and Contemporary Social Policy. They will also do fieldwork during their last year. The university allows them to do more work in a single semester or spread their work out over two semesters. MSW students will spend more than 500 hours working in the field and take classes that cover multiple topics, including child welfare, community work, working with individuals and working with groups.

Online programs at the undergrad level include a Bachelor of Business Administrations with concentrations in areas like finance, marketing, or entrepreneurship; a Bachelor of Arts in History, Bachelor of Science in Accounting; and many more.  Graduate degrees offered online include a Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Science in Nursing, and many other.

Students with an interest in psychology an earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or addiction studies. The university offers a graduate program in clinical psychology too, which is designed for students who want to work closely with their own patients. Students in the Master of Science program will take Intellectual Assessment, Personality Assessment, Family and Group Therapy, and other classes. They have the option of taking an extra elective class or doing a thesis.

There are a variety of programs available from the Northwestern State University of Louisiana School of Education. It offers undergrad programs that allow students to meet the requirements for getting a Louisiana teaching license, which will let them work in any school in the state. The Master of Arts in Counseling program requires that students do fieldwork and learn how to work with patients. Students can also earn an MA in Student Affairs in Higher Education or Adult Learning and Development. Northwestern State University of Louisiana also offers Master of Education programs in fields such as Early Childhood Education and Special Education.

About Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a university in Louisiana that owns and operates several campuses across the state. Established as the Louisiana State Normal School in 1884, it functioned as a training school that helped students develop the skills that teachers at the time needed. As the school grew, it became the Northwestern State College of Louisiana, which led to the college bringing in some more degree programs and shifting its focus from teacher training. Though it still offers a number of education programs, the university now offers more than 50 undergrad degree options and a number of graduate programs too.

Also called NSU, it has regional and satellite campuses that allow students to take classes closer to their own homes. The university has a high placement rate among students who either enroll in graduate school or find work after they finish their classes. A large number of its students graduate on time and within four years too. NSU has an enrollment of more than 11,000 students, which makes it one of the largest public schools in Louisiana today.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana Accreditation Details

NSU has specialty accreditation for all its education programs from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This type of accreditation applies to all its undergrad and graduate education programs. The university’s theater, nursing, and other programs have specialty accreditation too. Both transfer students and those who need financial aid will appreciate that the university has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) too.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana Application Requirements

Undergrads applying to NSU must have a 2.0 high school grade point average and a transcript that shows they took 19 credits of college prep classes. Those who have a GPA of at least 2.35 do not need to submit an official test score. Students who have a lower GPA will need to score at least 18 on the ACT or have a similar SAT score. The university has similar requirements in place for nonresident undergrads. Undergrads must take college prep classes that include both social and life science classes and courses in English and math. They need to take foreign language classes and some electives too. Students will pay a $20 application fee and submit the application. They can then submit their transcripts and test scores and provide the university with their immunization records.

Graduate students will also use the NSU application and pay the application fee. They will then provide an official GRE score. Some programs require a higher score than others. Most programs ask for two letters of recommendation also. Students can download this form, have an academic or professional reference complete the form and mail it to the university. Other programs will ask that students attend an interview and submit writing samples and/or essays.

Tuition and Financial Aid

NSU undergrads who are Louisiana residents will pay $4,290 per semester, while nonresidents pay closer to $10,000 a semester. Though this includes most miscellaneous fees, it does not include the cost of room and board. That can add nearly $6,000 to their costs each semester. Graduate students will pay almost $8,400 a semester as a resident or more than $19,000 a semester as a nonresident. All students must pay out of pocket for their living expenses and anything they need in their classes, including textbooks and other supplies.

As soon as NSU receives the FAFSA that a student submits, it will create an aid package that meets the balance between what the student can afford to pay and what the university charges. It offers many different types of scholarships for students at all levels. While some are merit scholarships, others go to students who have more of a need than others do. There are also grants and loans that go to both undergrads and graduate students, and those students can bring scholarships with them and apply for private loans. Students enrolling in any of the Northwestern State University of Louisiana academic programs can apply for financial aid.