American Intercontinental University

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Staff
Updated October 2, 2020

American Intercontinental University is the name given to a chain of for-profit colleges operating in the United States and in other parts of the world. An American couple from Georgia who later lived in Switzerland founded the first branch of the school in 1970 as American Fashion College of Switzerland. Within four years of opening, the school received the approval necessary to offer and grant college degrees. Its founders later opened a second campus in Atlanta. When a new owner purchased the campuses, he changed its name to American Intercontinental University and expanded the course catalog to focus on topics outside of the fashion industry.

Career Education Corporation later bought the chain and operated campuses in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dubai, London and Houston. Citing low enrollment and other factors, the parent company shut down the campuses in London, Dubai and Los Angeles, but announced plans to remodel an older campus in Texas. AIU also has its own online department. Across all of those campuses, AIU has more than 10,000 enrolled students. Each of the colleges in the chain now offers courses and degree programs in fields like business, fashion, criminal justice and information technology. AIU is unique because it encourages professors to use their own experiences when teaching students to provide those students with a better idea of what they would do in their own fields.

Accreditation Details

Though accreditation is incredibly important in the future success of students, many students do not look at accreditation when selecting a college. American Intercontinental University is one of just a few schools in the United States that sought accreditation from two different organizations for regional accreditation in its history. It gained accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the late 1980s, but lost its accreditation in 2005. It then sought and obtained accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. American InterContinental University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. To contact the Higher Learning Commission, please visit www.hlcommission.org.

Application Requirements

It takes most prospective students just 15 minutes or less to apply to one of the programs offered by American Intercontinental University. Though the application does not charge any type of fee, it does require that you answer some simple questions about your background, including where you went to high school, if you took any college classes, where you live and the grade point average that you earned. You must select the application that applies to your education, because AIU offers separate applications for its Atlanta campus, Houston campus and online division. Though each one follows the same layout, the applications go to separate admissions boards.

AIU recommends that you chat with one of its admissions counselors over the phone or online before you fill out the application and that those planning to take classes on campus visit the campus first. Once you submit the application, you will need to send the university proof that you have a GED or high school diploma. You can send in a high school transcript, a copy of your diploma or the official GED test score that you received. Students enrolling in one of the graduate programs will need to submit an undergrad transcript that shows all the classes they took, the degree they completed and both their grades and GPA.

Tuition and Financial Aid

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Financial aid counselors work with students every day to help them fill out the FAFSA and file for other types of aid. The university offers seven scholarship programs and nine grant programs as well as four grant programs that are open to the spouses and dependents of military personnel. If you need more help paying for your expenses, the university can help you secure funding in the form of student loans. Graduate students and undergrads may qualify for both government loans and alternative loans from private lenders.

Human Resources Degrees

Human resources professionals often work for major businesses and assist with the hiring of new employees. They may also source new benefits packages and ensure the happiness of workers. American Intercontinental University offers several degrees for those who want to work in human resources like its Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources Management. Students take 24 credits of HR management courses and 156 credits of general education and business courses to total 180 credits. Most students finish the program in around three years.

Related Resource: Most Affordable Top Online Master's Degree Programs in Human Resources 2020

There is also a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources Management that lasts for 11 months. It includes 24 credits of general business classes and 25 credits of human resources management courses. The goals of the program include teaching students about the laws they must follow, putting them in touch with some of the new technologies that businesses use and ensuring that they better understand the needs of employees working with and under them. Courses you take cover business and management topics like decision making, marketing for managers and management on a global scale. American Intercontinental University offers both its BBA and MBA degrees in human resources management on its American campuses and through its online system.

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