Tarleton State University

tarleton online degrees

Degrees Offered at Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University appears in our ranking of 30 Great Colleges With An Increasing Student Population.

Tarleton State University is split into seven colleges offering a total of 94 degree programs including ten master’s and nine bachelor’s degrees available entirely online. With 29 programs, the College of Liberal and Fine Arts is the largest on campus and is broken into departments like English and Languages, Communication Studies, and History, Sociology, Geography, and GIS. The criminal justice department offers a bachelor of science degree with a focus on law enforcement practices. Students must complete a total of 120 hours with eight required courses including Court Systems and Practices, Techniques of Interviewing, and Crime, Justice, and Social Diversity as well as an internship. The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice Administration is a related completely-online degree. This program provides a broader view of the justice system as a whole with classes like Survey of Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Ethics, Homeland Security, and Criminal Justice Supervision and Management. The master of public administration is also offered all online featuring classes in statistics, human resources, local government, and public finance. All graduate students must complete a thesis project before graduation.

With programs in economics, accounting, management, marketing, and finance, the College of Business Administration is the most popular on campus. The generalist program is available both online and on campus and culminates in the bachelor of business administration. Many graduates go on to complete their M.B.A. at Tarleton. Motivated students can opt for the accelerated 1-year MBA. The first semester includes a 16-week accounting class along with back-to-back eight-week courses in analytics and economics, followed by a four-week elective. The second semester has the same format, substituting finance, marketing, and computer information systems classes and then organizational behavior in place of the elective. During the last semester, students finish the program with another elective and the Seminar in Business Strategy.

While technically in the business college, some programs in the Department of Marketing and Computer Information Systems overlap with those in the College of Science and Technology. An example is the M.S. in Information Systems which is only available online. Students must finish 30 credit hours and pass a final comprehensive exam to graduate. Systems Analysis for Managers, Project Management, and Applied Database Management are parts of the degree core, and a thesis project is required. Finally, the college that most resembles Tarleton State’s origins is the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences which currently offers eight degrees in agribusiness, veterinary technology, and environmental sciences. The Tarleton Equine-Assisted Therapy (TREAT) program is also part of this college. TREAT uses horseback riding to improve symptoms of conditions like head injuries, scoliosis, and cerebral palsy.

About Tarleton State University

Located in Stephenville, Texas, about an hour from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, Tarleton University enrolls over 12,000 students each semester. The university began as the John Tarleton Agricultural College in 1899 with an endowment from its namesake, a well-known rancher and settler. As the school expanded, it eventually joined the Texas A&M University System and now includes five satellite locations. In 2009, the Global Campus officially began, offering 100% online degree programs geared mostly toward nontraditional students. Throughout its history, the school has emphasized the importance of student engagement, both on campus and in the community. Due to these values, comprehensive educational programs, accessibility, and community outreach, Tarleton State is listed as one of the top public schools in the Regional Universities West category according to the U.S. News and World Report.

Tarleton State University Accreditation Details

Tarleton State University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) having passed its last review in 2010. This means that the university meets all standards set forth in the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation document which includes sections like the Principle of Integrity, Mission, Governing Board, Faculty, and Student Achievement. This process ensures that schools stay up-to-date and continually look for ways to improve. Other accrediting bodies review and certify individual programs, verifying that graduates receive thorough training for professional life in their chosen industry. Some of the professional associations that have accredited Tarleton programs include the following:

  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
  • Texas Education Agency
  • National Association of Schools of Music
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Tarleton State University Application Requirements

The undergraduate application for admission is found on the ApplyTexas website, and applicants must submit high school transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and the $50 fee before being considered for admission. Students in the top quarter of their high school class have no minimum required SAT or ACT score, while those in the 50th to 74th percentile need an 880 SAT or 16 ACT score for guaranteed admission. Admission to any of the completely online bachelor’s programs requires at least a GPA of 2.0 and 30 transferable credit hours. All online and on-campus master’s program applicants need to submit the ApplyTexas graduate application, transcripts documenting completion of a bachelor’s degree, and a personal statement. Other requirements vary by degree and may include one or more of the following: Minimum undergraduate GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, a phone interview, writing samples, a resume with or without required relevant experience, or a professional license. Graduate applicants should consult their specific department to ensure that they submit all application materials.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The tuition base rate for undergraduate Texas residents is about $170 per credit hour, increasing to about $580 for non-residents. Students are also assessed an additional fee for each credit hour depending on which college houses the particular class ranging from $2.53 for College of Liberal and Fine Arts courses to $59.65 for those in engineering. The same method is used for graduate tuition with a base rate of $220 and $635 for in-state and out-of-state students respectively and departmental fees from $2.53 to $47.86 per credit hour. The university offers a variety of scholarships for incoming students and returning students based on academic achievement, leadership, and financial need. Students can apply for all of these awards with a single application. In addition, graduate students can take advantage of assistantships, research assistant positions, and other jobs on the Tarleton State University campus.