Notre Dame de Namur University

Notre Dame de Namur University was established in 1851, which makes it the third oldest higher learning institution California. They are a Catholic-based, not-for-profit university located on the San Francisco peninsula of Silicon Valley. The university was founded on the values of the Catholic tradition known as the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The university serves its students and the community by providing high quality academic programs that are infused with the values of peace, equality and social justice. They serve around 2,000 students from over 30 states and 30 countries. They offer a total of 37 undergraduate, graduate, liberal arts and professional degree programs. This includes 20 undergraduate degrees, 12 master's degrees, four credentials and one doctoral program.

The staff, faculty and students of the university annually provide over 100,000 hours of community service hours in San Mateo County. This includes supporting homeless shelters, school projects, retirement communities and crisis center counseling. The university's demographics are very unique, because over 25 percent of the student body identifies as Hispanic. The student-faculty ratio is 12 to one, over 95 percent of the 120 professors hold doctorates and between 50 to 60 percent of graduating classes are first generation college students. The average class size is 16 students. The campus of 50 acres is located in Belmont, which is south of San Francisco in the Silicon Valley.

The computer science department works with Silicon Valley executives to provide specialized training and prepare graduates to quickly move into the IT and manufacturing industries. Many local mayors, executives and emergency response leaders receive their Master of Public Administration through the university, which also offers online master's degrees in business administration. Notre Dame de Namur University's art, music and theatre programs are active in the community and the athletic teams participate in NCAA Division II games. The university's has one of California's only lacrosse team that regularly wins national championships. There are three main academic structures: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Leadership and the School of Business and Management.

Notre Dame de Namur University Accreditation Details

• The university has been accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges' (WASC) Senior College and University Commission since 1954.
• The online and on-campus Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is accredited through the Council for Business Schools and Programs (CBSP).

Notre Dame de Namur University Application Requirements

Undergraduate students who wish to apply for a graduate program must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of at least 2.5. Applicants' college transcript must show that they have satisfactorily completed courses in sociology, psychology, political science and introductory statistics with a grade of C or better in every course. Graduate program applicants should submit their resume because work experience is preferred.

Notre Dame de Namur University Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate students will pay $872 per unit. Financial aid is available for graduate students in limited amounts. Every year, around $40 million in financial aid is awarded, which includes $9 million in institutional grants and scholarships and $5 million in external scholarships and grants. Graduate students may apply for Direct Loans, Direct PLUS Loans and Endowed Scholarships. For example, the Batinovich MBA Scholarship is reserved for a student enrolled in the MBA program who maintains a 3.0 GPA and has demonstrated financial need. The Bosque Scholarship supports children of alumni who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. The Cohen Graduate Scholarship is for graduate students who demonstrate leadership achievements. The Jefferson Scholarship is for female students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing a master's of business administration degree.

Notre Dame de Namur University Online Degree(s) Available

When compared with other graduate schools, the online MBA program is very affordable. This flexible degree is designed for working professionals who want to accrue a deeper understanding of advanced management concepts and acquire the business skills needed for promotions and big projects. The online MBA program comes with 12-courses, which makes it a 36 credit hour program that can be completed in just two years. The MBA program prepares graduates to make critical business decisions through analytical, collaborative and problem-solving techniques. Students are prepared to become the leaders of future business environments. The experienced faculty uses real-world examples and relevant business issues to help students learn how to solve problems by synthesizing and evaluating qualitative and quantitative information.

This online MBA requires that all students complete core courses and choose a concentration for more focused coursework. The three concentrations include finance, which helps students gain an understanding of investments, budgeting, behavioral finance and risk-management. The second concentration is marketing management, which teaches the fundamentals of communication, consumer behavior and digital and international marketing. The third concentration is human resources management, which helps students acquire the insight and knowledge needed to manage multicultural work forces in complex business environments. Coursework prepares graduates to successfully manage staffing, recruitment, training, conflict resolution and professional development.

Core MBA coursework includes classes in organizational and management theories that use a systematic approach to analyze the structural and behavioral components of companies. Students study the legal and ethical dimensions of business transactions in order to understand the regulatory agencies and outside forces that impact commercial decision-making. Management accounting helps students understand how specific reports can help executives to facilitate strategic planning and internal control implementation. Enterprise information management system classes focus on how companies integrate and leverage technology to manage operations within sales, production, marketing and HR departments. Learning about global operations management helps students to understand the value transformation process of goods and services across borders.

MBA students who decide to study human resources management will learn about basic concepts like labor relations, personnel functionality, professional responsibilities, employment laws, mandatory compensation, benefits administration and legal compliance planning. HR students must learn how to manage diversity in order to better serve their future clients, managers and employees. Exploring labor and management relations will provide insightful perspectives on labor laws, union organizations and union-based labor negotiations. The program also includes classes in conflict management, recruitment and training and development.

Related Resource: 30 Most Affordable Top Online Master's in Human Resources Degree Programs

Notre Dame de Namur University is a small, but popular liberal arts institution in northern California that offers affordable online and on-campus degrees.