Degree Programs Offered by Aspen University
Aspen University appears in our ranking of the Top 30 Most Affordable Master’s in Finance Degrees Online.
Aspen University offers online degree programs for students who cannot or do not want to attend a traditional college. Though many of its students are in the military, it also welcomes students who want to study from home and those who have full-time jobs. Students can transfer credits into a program such as the university’s Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Early Childhood Education. Graduates learn how to work with young children and how to manage kids in a school setting.
Though the university only offers one associate program, it offers several bachelor’s programs. Some of these are competition programs designed for students who already completed some college credits. They can major in business, nursing, and other fields and finish their degrees online. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) is open to students who have no experience too. There is a bachelor’s program in nursing that helps students meet the requirements for getting a nursing license. This program also prepares them to take the national license exam required of all nurses. Aspen University also offers a bachelor’s program in criminal justice with tracks in criminal justice administration and major crime investigation procedure.
Graduate programs are available in six fields such as psychology and addiction counseling. Suitable for students who want to work as counselors in treatment centers, it includes two exams and a practicum. Students take one exam after completing half of the program and the second at the end of their studies. They also take courses that include Substance Abuse Prevention, Psychology of Addiction, Counseling Ethics and Diagnosis and Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders. The university’s Master of Education is available as a general program or with a track in education technology, leadership, elearning, or curriculum development and outcomes assessment. Aspen University also offers online graduate programs in technology, business, criminal justice and nursing. Students can earn a certificate online without enrolling in a degree program or as part of their studies.
About Aspen University
Aspen University is one of the only schools of higher learning in the United States that operates entirely online. The International Academy opened in the 1960s and served as a small college. This academy would develop the Information Institute in the 1980s and become the International School of Information Management. Also called ISIM, it offered programs on new forms of technology. Graduates of its program worked in tech companies around the world and launched tech firms of their own. To reflect its commitment to all types of students, ISIM became Aspen University in 2003. The name change coincided with the university adding new programs to its catalog and curriculum.
This private university is part of an education company based out of New York City that also owns the United States University. It has the approval to operate in Colorado and offer opportunities for those students. As the university does not have regional accreditation though, students may face issues if they want to transfer to another school. Aspen University offers full degree programs at all levels and has a few certificate programs too. More than 3,600 students take online classes from this university every year.
Aspen University Accreditation Details
Aspen has approval for its project management program and accreditation for its nursing programs. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) also approved the university and allowed it to operate in the state. Though Aspen does not have regional accreditation, it does have accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). It offers financial aid packages for students and will accept credits earned at other schools.
Aspen University Application Requirements
Aspen University has basic admissions requirements for incoming students and bases those requirements on the type of program the student wants to study. The associate program accepts students who have a high school diploma or an equivalent certificate. Those who bring at least 15 credits into the program do not need to submit proof of their diplomas. They will need to submit their applications and transcripts that show they earned those credits and maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher. These are the same requirements for students applying to a certificate program.
Prospective bachelor’s degree students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and either a high school diploma or its equivalent. They can also bring 15 or more credits into a program, but they will need to submit official transcripts and applications. The nursing program asks students to sign and submit a form and requires a GPA of 2.75 or higher in either high school or college. Students applying to a completion program need to submit transcripts to show that they earned a two-year degree or finished 60 credits or more of work from an accredited school. Most of the university’s graduate programs require that students have a bachelor’s degree and a college GPA of 2.5-3.0 or higher. Some of these programs have prerequisite courses that incoming students must take too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
All undergrads, including those in two-year and four-year programs, pay the same tuition at Aspen University. This starts at $150 per credit hour. The total cost of completing the associate program is $9,000, but those in a bachelor’s program will pay at least $18,000 to earn their degrees. Aspen estimates that undergrads will pay several thousand dollars for their textbooks too. Graduate students pay $325 per credit hour. The total cost of completing one of these programs will range from $11,700 to $18,525, which does not include their books or other expenses.
Students can apply for an Aspen University payment plan and pay only $250 to $375 per month to pay off their tuition. The university also offers an installment plan that allows students to take one class and make payments on that class at the beginning of each month. This plan reduces the amount that students need to pay at the start of the year and lets them make three low monthly payments instead. Grants and loans are also available but only to those who submit the FAFSA and use the Aspen school code. Many students will also apply for private and alternative loans. Though Aspen University does not have regional accreditation, students attending the university can still use federal funds in addition to a payment or installment plan to pay for an online program.