Healthcare Management Degrees Offered at Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University appears in our ranking of the Top 30 Best Online RN to BSN Programs.
Northern Arizona University offers a large selection of healthcare management degrees. They range across many academic departments and are available in residential and online formats. Whether students choose to take classes online or in person, they will have access to the same small class sizes and personal attention from professors. Healthcare majors can pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clinical research, nursing, nursing leadership, health informatics, healthcare management and many other subjects. Most healthcare management programs are available fully online, and others are available in a hybrid format.
One of the most popular healthcare management programs at NAU is the bachelor of science in nursing, or RN to BSN. It is designed for professionals who have already completed a registered nursing program and wish to take on more responsibility in a hospital setting. The RN to BSN program is available fully online and takes two years of full-time enrollment to complete.
Some of the top master’s programs offered by the Health and Human Services department at NAU include the master of clinical speech pathology, master of family nursing practice, master of public health in nutrition and master of nursing for physician assistants. In all healthcare management degree programs at NAU, an emphasis is placed on experiential learning. Many valuable internship programs are available for students, and the faculty and administration at NAU is actively involved in matching students with appropriate internship opportunities.
About Northern Arizona University
NAU was founded in 1899 as Arizona Normal College. Like many schools created at that time, it started as a teacher’s college for primary and secondary school educators. Its first lessons began in 1899, and in 1901, the first students graduated from the education program. The first graduating class of the Arizona Normal College consisted of four women who were licensed to teach in the territory of Arizona.
Over the next three decades, Arizona Normal College expanded to include programs in the arts and sciences. When the U.S. stock market crashed in 1929, the president of the college, Grady Gammage, believed that higher education could be a helpful solution to the severe drop in employment and income for the American population. Throughout the 1930s, enrollment at Arizona Normal College continued to increase, and in 1937, the first graduate program, a master of arts in education, was added to the curriculum.
In 1939, the year that the United States entered World War II, Ida Mae Fredericks became the first member of the Arizona Hopi Nation to earn a college degree. While enrollment declined during the years of the war, it picked back up when the war was over. In 1966, the name of the school was changed to Northern Arizona University by the Arizona Board of Regents. It became a full-fledged university with a wide range of accredited degree programs, and the campus quickly grew to encompass the sprawling area it occupies today.
Northern Arizona University Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission is the agency approved by the United States government to accredit universities in the western region of the country. The HLC provides institutional accreditation for all of the departments and programs available at NAU. Many programs are independently accredited by specialized agencies that focus on one field or discipline.
Some of the specialized accrediting agencies include the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration, the American Psychological Association, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. Forest management programs are accredited by the Society of American Foresters. The chemistry department is accredited by the American Chemistry Society. Dental programs are accredited by the American Dental Association. In all, around 50 associations and agencies provide specialized accreditation for the programs and departments at NAU.
Northern Arizona University Application Requirements
Applying to NAU is straightforward, and most applications are accepted with 14 days of submission. The deadline for applications for fall enrollment is March 1, and for spring enrollment, the deadline is November 1. Applications submitted after the deadline may take longer than usual to process.
To help expedite the process, students should include as much information with their applications as possible. Applications for incoming freshmen should include high school transcripts or GED documentation as well as SAT or ACT scores. High school transcripts should contain information about cumulative grade point average, class ranking, class size, and course schedule. Transfer students should include a college transcript with at least 30 hours of undergraduate credit from an accredited university.
Because NAU is a competitive, regionally accredited school, prior college credits should be regionally or nationally accredited. Graduate school applications require a college transcript with information about an accredited bachelor’s degree. The bachelor’s degree does not need to be awarded for the same discipline as the graduate program for which the student is applying. Some specialized programs may require remedial coursework for students without previous experience in advanced technical subjects. GRE testing may be required, as well, and high scores can affect an application’s chance of acceptance.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The tuition rate for residents of Arizona is about $10,000 per year. Students who live outside of Arizona typically have to pay about $24,000 per year. To qualify for resident status, students must live in Arizona for at least one year. Proof of residency can be provided by presenting a picture ID, voter registration card or other official document showing an Arizona residence to the enrollment office. Books and living expenses can add another $18,000 to $20,000 to the total cost of education at NAU. Some programs have additional expenses, such as lab materials, software or technology needed for courses. Many of these materials are available at a discount from student bookstores and technology outlets on campus and nearby.
Financial aid is available for most students, and it can cover most of the cost of tuition, books, lab materials, electronic devices and living expenses required for an education. While the financial aid office at NAU offers access to scholarships, grants, private loans, and work-study programs, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid website is a resource for public, low-cost loans and federal Pell Grants. The FAFSA form can be filled out and submitted to NAU at the time of enrollment. Federally subsidized loans do not accumulate interest while the student retains at least half-time enrollment status. Unsubsidized loans begin accruing interest right away, but students are not required to begin repaying subsidized or unsubsidized loans until they drop below half-time status. Financial aid advisors at Northern Arizona University can provide additional guidance for students seeking help paying for classes.