Degree Programs Offered at Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Sport Management Online Programs.
With programs designed for undergrads, graduate students, online students and those who want to finish their degrees, Fresno Pacific University offers something for everyone. FPU Wilderness programs take place in the great outdoors and teach students strong survival and leadership skills. They can sign up for the Sierra Summer and spend a whole month outdoors to gain up to seven credits. Shorter wilderness programs are available during the spring break and during other months of the year.
More than 30 majors and degree programs are available from the university for undergrads, including an art program that has concentrations in studio art, graphic arts, and art administration. Fresno Pacific University has a strong reputation for its religious studies programs such as its Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies. This program features concentrations in biblical studies, biblical literature, and theology and ethics. The university offers a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Christian Ministries too, which trains students on how to work with parishioners and offer advice and guidance in the modern world. Students can choose from majors such as history, environmental science, kinesiology, theater, mathematics, and biology too.
More than 40 seminary and graduate school programs appeal to students who have a bachelor’s degree. The seminary that is part of the university offers Master of Arts programs in Christian ministry, community leadership, ministry, leadership and culture, theology, Old Testament, New Testament, and marriage and family therapy. Students can take classes that count towards a graduate degree and a certificate. Some of the certificate options include congregational care, Christian studies, and evangelism and church planting.
Traditional graduate programs are available from the School of Business and other schools at Fresno Pacific University too. The School of Business offers both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Studies. Through the university’s School of Education, students can enroll in programs to earn a Master of Arts in Reading and Language, Special Education, School Counseling or School Psychology. The university also offers a program for school librarians to help them get their licenses and programs for those who want to work as math or STEM teachers.
Fresno Pacific University also established online programs and options for students who need to complete their degree programs. The university’s online programs are designed for graduate students and include options such as kinesiology, sport administration, and leadership and organizational studies programs. It also offers bachelor’s completion programs online in business management, organizational leadership, criminology, early childhood development, and health care administration. Grad students can get endorsements online to work as athletic trainers or librarians too.
About Fresno Pacific University
Often called FPU, Fresno Pacific University is a private university established in 1944. Called the Pacific Bible Institute, it took over an old YMCA building, which had plenty of room for its less than 30 students. As enrollment grew, the institute would use donations and other money that it raised to build a larger and permanent campus for its students. Affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, the university encourages students to speak their minds and express their opinions both in and out of their classes. Several professional athletes, athletic trainers, and reporters earned their degrees from Fresno Pacific University.
Fresno Pacific University Accreditation Details
FPU has accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and from two departments within that organization. This accreditation covers the bachelor’s and bachelor’s completion programs offered by the university and all of its graduate school options. The nursing programs offered by the university have full program accreditation too.
Fresno Pacific University Application Requirements
Grad students applying to FPU need to meet the requirements of the degree program or department. Though the university requires that students have a bachelor’s degree and submit their official transcripts, the departments usually have additional requirements. Students applying to an education program need to submit a form that verifies they have their licenses and currently work as teachers. They will also submit an application and sign a document that shows they will follow the program’s outline. Students applying to the athletic training program need a GPA of at least 2.75 and a transcript that shows they have a bachelor’s degree in athletic training or a similar field. They will also need to provide a statement of purpose and a letter of recommendation. Those with a lower GPA can write a letter that explains the reasons behind that poor GPA and provide the university with a resume that shows they have some training experience.
Undergrads can apply online or download the FPU application and mail it back. Though the university charges a $40 application fee, it offers waivers at special events that allow students to enter a code on the application that covers the fee. They should also make sure that FPA receives their high school transcripts and standardized test scores. Incoming freshmen have an average score of 1080/21 or higher on the ACT/SAT and an average GPA of 3.2.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time FPU undergrads pay $31,966 every year for their tuition, but they also pay $492 in annual fees. FPU offers room and board packages that start at $8,594 a year too. Those packages let students enjoy at least 15 meals each week and live in a dorm room with a single roommate. The cost for students enrolled in a completion program is $495 per credit hour along with a comprehensive fee of $145 due each semester. Graduate students pay FPU between $650 and $830 per credit hour for their classes and a fee of $60 each semester. FPU also charges different rates for students enrolled in its seminary programs. Those students pay between $460 and $530 per credit hour and fees of $160 each semester.
When Fresno Pacific receives the FAFSA that shows a student’s information, it will use that information to design a financial aid package. That package can include the Cal Grant and any other state programs that the student qualifies for as well as work study and grants. Most students also get federal loans and can use private loans too. Students applying to any degree programs offered at Fresno Pacific University can get scholarships too such as one of the university’s scholarships that use funds from alumni donations.