Jacksonville University

Jacksonville University was founded in 1934. It started out a college that only offered night classes, but it is now a four-year higher learning institution and moved to its present location in the Arlington area of Jacksonville in the early 1950s. It is located in suburban Jacksonville, Florida, which is only a few minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. Jacksonville University offers a 190 acre campus that provides easy access to a riverfront pedestrian path. The university offers over 70 majors, minors and professional programs through their six colleges. These include the Colleges of Business, Nursing, Education, Fines Arts and Arts and Sciences. The university offers a popular honors program, study abroad opportunities and 19 NCAA Division I sports teams.

This mission of the university is to offer students a small and independent community learning environment. The university has students from all states and a healthy number of international students. There are also many adult learners taking professional degree programs. Jacksonville University provides personalized student services, an excellent student-faculty ratio and plenty of co-curricular and educational programs. Faculty focuses on engaged learning, integrated thinking, professional preparation and liberal arts foundations. Jacksonville University offers unique programs, community engagement and supportive campus services. Notable alumni include semi-recognizable figures in sports, music and television. The university has around 4,200 students, which includes 1,000 graduate students, and 19 sports teams. The most popular majors are biology, nursing, marine science, aviation management and business management.

Accreditation Details

Accreditation is through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.

Jacksonville University's Davis College of Business is North Florida's only private business school that is accredited through AACSB International.

Application Requirements

Undergraduate students who are incoming freshman must be a citizen or permanent resident with a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) diploma.

The Admissions Office uses the highest combined SAT score, which should be at least 1120, or composite ACT score, which should be 22. The minimum weighted high school GPA is 3.47.

Graduate students must have an accredited bachelor's degree and meet the departmental requirements for their major.

Admissions decisions are usually made within four weeks of receiving student documentation.

All students must submit an admission essay during the online application process.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Most undergraduate students, who are enrolled for 12 to 18 credit hours, will pay $16,965 for tuition per semester. Students who take over 18 credit hours will pay $560 per credit. Part-time, non-traditional and graduate students who are enrolled for 11 credit hours or less will pay $1,130 for undergraduate tuition and adult degree seekers will pay $520. Students who live on campus will pay anywhere from $3,845 to $4,575. All students must complete the admissions process and be accepted by the university before they can apply for financial aid awards.

Jacksonville University strives to offer students financial aid packages that meet their individual needs. Students who want to receive university scholarships, academic grants and athletic grants must be enrolled full-time in a traditional undergrad program. These awards are given to students in good academic standing and cannot be used for study abroad purposes. Honors Scholarships are reserved for freshmen who demonstrate excellent academic potential. The Federal Work-Study programs provides both on- and off-campus employment opportunities. All freshmen are automatically screened to receive grants and scholarships that range from $2,500 to $22,500 per year.

Online Degree(s) Available

Jacksonville University offers bachelors and master's degrees in both management and leadership. For example, the Bachelor of Science in Management specifically focuses on organizational leadership. Students majoring in management through Jacksonville University will first study the business core curriculum, then learn the fundamentals of leadership through studying team, corporation and organization functionality and performance. This degree program emphasizes people skills that will be applied in business areas like communications, human resources and decision making. Classes are designed to help students understand basic principles of leadership, such as motivation models, and advanced management concepts, such as strategic planning and organizational development. Students will analyze business relationships, staff development, operational efficiency and management information systems. The faculty is made up of distinguished professionals with either academic or business credentials. Students will acquire a strong commitment to managerial ethics, oversight and perfection.

Students may choose to pursue a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, which is an appropriate alternative to the traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. This degree is designed for business professionals who need leadership skills and practical knowledge for directing staff in large-scale organizations. Students are taught to drive innovation, manage change and transform programs within organizations. In order to be accepted into this 30-credit-hour program, students must have previous business experience or be current technical and functional specialists. This degree program is popular among HR professionals who want to advance their careers into developing leadership talent, managing major projects or providing consulting services to corporations. This degree is appropriate for non-business undergraduate majors who want to work in sales, marketing, management and human resources. Courses are delivered in fast paced eight-week modules, but flexible scheduling is allowed for working professionals to complete their coursework and assignments within five years.

Related Resource: 30 Most Affordable Online Master's in Information Technology

Finally, undergraduates who want to quickly earn their master's degree may select the accelerated MBA program that can be completed in just one year of full-time, continuous study. This program builds business acumen and core knowledge while developing analytical and leadership skills. Students are mentored by community business professionals who help them gain hands-on work experience. There are also internship opportunities that help students build business skills and portfolios of accomplishments. The accelerated MBA program includes specializations in management, accounting, consumer goods, services marketing and management accounting. Most students who attend Jacksonville University enjoy their stay because the campus is home to a rich variety of social, cultural, religious, service and performance organizations. There are university student centers that offer a complementary array of facilities for students to enjoy. Every year, around 400 students from Jacksonville University participate in intramural and intercollegiate varsity sports like tennis, softball, football and track and field.