Degree Programs at Lander University
Lander University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Technologically Advanced Small Colleges.
Though Lander primarily offers traditional degree programs, it now has a few online options too. Nurses can enroll in the RN to BSN program and spend two years or less to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This program does not require any fieldwork. Another online program combines criminal justice with management to help students learn about the leadership roles in the CJ field. There is also a health care management program available online, though it lets students earn a certificate rather than a degree. All the online programs offered by Lander University are open to undergrads.
The university also offers a few graduate programs that include one that awards students a Master of Science in Nursing. This focuses on nursing leadership and prepares students for working with other medical professionals. The university’s Master of Science in Emergency Management ranks as one of the best programs of its type in South Carolina. It helps students train others on what to do and how to react in emergency situations. Also available is a program in Montessori education that looks at the history of this teaching method and how teachers can use the method in the field.
About Lander University
Lander University is a small university that primarily offers bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Greenwood, South Carolina, the university also offers a small number of graduate programs. When established in 1872, the university was in Williamston and known as the Williamston Female College. Samuel Lander was a local man who worked for the Methodist Church and helped found the college. He also helped the college form an affiliation with the Methodist Episcopal Church. When the college moved to Greenwood, it became Lander College in honor of his hard work. After separating from the church in the 1940s, Lander became a public university affiliated with the state. It became Lander University in 1992 and changed its admissions policy to make the university coeducational.
The Lander College Old Main Building is one of the oldest structures on the university’s campus and dates back to the founding of the new campus. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular tourist spot in the city. The campus also has four dormitories for students that allow them to live on their own or with other students. Some of those dormitories allow students to live in the same room for all four years. Lander University now offers three online programs and more than 70 majors and programs for undergrads and graduate students.
Lander University Accreditation Details
With accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Lander University can award incoming students financial aid packages that help them cover their costs of attendance. This accreditation is also why Lander can accept credits from students with IB/AP credits and those who already attended college. The Montessori education, nursing, music, theater and traditional education programs offered by Lander all have accreditation too from organizations such as the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Lander University Application Requirements
The university accepts incoming freshmen who have either a high school diploma or a GED. Students must provide a high school transcript or both a transcript and a score from the GED exam. Those who earned IB or AP credits in high school will also need to provide proof of the credits that they earned to the university. Lander also asks that incoming freshmen complete the online application and provide an SAT/ACT score. Students have the choice of providing one to two letters of recommendation, though the university does not require them from undergrads. It bases admissions decisions on factors that include class rank, test scores, hobbies and interests, GPA and high school curriculum. Freshmen must submit their applications by the first of August.
Prospective graduate students should check out the individual requirements for each graduate school program. Though all programs ask for a completed application and a college transcript, some ask for other information, including a resume and a transcript that shows a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The nursing program and others also require two letters of recommendation and an essay of up to 500 words on the student’s reasons for choosing the university and program. Graduate nursing students also need a valid nursing license. The program requires that students pass a criminal background check too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Lander offers resident and nonresident tuition rates for both undergrads and graduate students. Undergrads pat $5,350 per semester for full-time enrollment as a South Carolina resident and $10,150 per semester as a nonresident. Graduate students pay $5,900 per semester as a resident or $11,250 as a nonresident. The university estimates that students will pay $600 each semester for their textbooks. It also offers room and board packages that cost students between $4,250 and $11,250 each semester. The cost of room and board packages can vary depending on which meal plan and room type the student chooses.
To help students afford the cost of attending the university, Lander offers financial aid packages that can include a federal Pell grant. The Pell grant provides students with up to $6,095 each year. Students can also qualify for some grants that come from the state government, but most of those grants only go to full-time students. Based on the applications they submit, the university will find students who qualify for merit scholarships. Students can often renew those scholarships as long as they maintain a good grade point average and make progress towards finishing a degree. Lander University requires that students complete the FAFSA before it will create a financial aid package.