Diverse UCCS Degrees On-Campus and Online
Check out our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable Online MBA Degree Programs.
Ranked America’s 190th top public school by Forbes, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs currently grants 47 bachelor’s, 23 master’s, and five doctoral majors, including 21 online programs via UCCSConnect, at a 16:1 student-faculty ratio with 72 percent retention. For example, the 120-credit Inclusive Elementary Education BA chaired by Dr. Valerine Martin Conley fulfills Praxis exam requirements for teaching children aged 5-12 with over 800 pre-service hours at schools like Steele Elementary and Cheyenne Mountain Academy. Since Fall 2016, the Sociology BA has delivered a 60-credit 2+2 transfer track online with Peak Learning Experiences at partners, such as Adam’s Camp, Bijou House, Centro de la Familia, Fort Carson, and the Colorado Autism Center.
Founded in 1996, the Online MBA at Colorado Springs is among the oldest 36-credit, AACSB-accredited business degrees providing digital emphases in Finance, Health Care, Innovation, International Business, Management, Marketing, and Project Management for 90 percent job placement. The 48-credit MSN Nurse Practitioner headed by Dr. Amy Silva-Smith immerses registered clinicians from 17 states in three online tracks for Adult/Gerontology, Primary Family Care, or Psychiatric-Mental Health with 630 practicum hours at their local hospitals. Other degrees include the Philosophy BA, Communication BA, Criminal Justice BA, Film Studies BA, Computer Science MS, History MA, Public Administration MPA, Educational Leadership MA, Psychology PhD, and Engineering Security Ph.D.
About the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs originated in 1902 when Medal of Honor recipient William Jackson Palmer funded Cragmor Sanatorium, or the “Sun Palace,” for the chronically ill. During the 1950s, it was acquired by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Navajo tuberculosis treatment. On March 4, 1961, the site changed hands again to the University of Colorado system. In 1965, the Colorado Springs Extension was formally opened for STEM and business programs. In 1972, George J. Dwire Hall was erected atop its 521-acre Austin Bluffs campus near the US Olympic Training Center. In 1997, UCCS merged with the Helen and Arthur Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing & Health Sciences. Fast forward to 2019 and 38 percent of students are enrolled in UCCSConnect courses online.
Generating $600 million yearly, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs now employs 821 faculty teaching 12,572 Mountain Lions from 81 nations online and in the Rockies with 100+ clubs like Future Health Professionals. In 2018, UCCS received the Southern Colorado AFP Chapter’s Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award. Two years earlier, the UCCS earned the Colorado Department of Education Green Ribbon School Award. The U.S. News & World Report placed Colorado Springs 22nd for online criminal justice, 59th for online nursing, 90th for online business, and 100th for online teaching programs. On Niche, UCCS boasts the 388th best psychology degrees, 418th best campus, and 514th top professors. Washington Monthly also picked UC-Colorado Springs 281st among master’s universities.
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Accreditation Details
On March 2, 2017, the Higher Learning Commission on North Central Association (HLC-NCA) Institutional Actions Council sent the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs formal notification that the Level VI accreditation was reaffirmed through 2026-27 under Chancellor Venkateshwar Reddy, Ph.D., who earned the College of Business Outstanding Teacher Award twice. Located 1,067 miles east via Interstate 80 in Chicago, Illinois, this 19-state Rocky Mountain Region accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE). The Institutional Research Office also lists these specialized accreditations:
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
- Council of the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Application Requirements
Getting into the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs is classified “moderately difficult” though 9,197 of the 9,909 Fall 2017 applicants were selected for 93 percent acceptance. First-year Mountain Lions should fulfill expected high school coursework with four units of English plus three units of Math and Science. Most rank in the upper 30th percentile of their class with an average 3.37 GPA. Freshmen typically need at least a 25 ACT or 1120 SAT score. Transfers must have 24-90 previous credits from accredited colleges with GPAs above 2.4. The College of Engineering & Applied Science seeks 3.0 GPAs with a Calculus I prerequisite. Graduate School entrants generally need overall GPAs of 3.0 and higher in bachelor’s preparation. Online MA in Curriculum & Instruction cohorts must pass K-12 certification and a background check. The Online MEEM program requires 2+ years of engineering experience. Registered nurses entering the Online MSN must hold a 3.3 bachelor’s GPA and Health Assessment prerequisites.
The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs has convenient rolling admission until August 1st for Fall, January 1st for Spring, and May 1st for Summer starts. The Graduate School mandates degree-specific deadlines though. For example, the Chemistry MSc considers cohorts until July 1st, December 1st, and May 1st. The Counseling and Human Services MA has a firm January 28th deadline. Geography MA candidates must apply before February 1st. The Health Promotion published a January 20th priority and April 15th final date. Accordingly, submit the $50 ($60 if graduate) UCCS Application online. Registrars mail official transcripts to 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, CO 80918. For testing, select SAT/GRE code 4874 or ACT code 0535. Supplemental materials might include the personal essay, Western Undergraduate Exchange form, 1-3 references, work/activity history, ESL proficiency verification, and audition portfolio. Please contact (719) 255-3084 or [email protected] to learn more.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs charged Centennial State undergrads $10,462 annually full-time. Non-resident bachelor’s tuition was $24,892 by year. The Western Undergraduate Exchange reduced costs to $18,712 yearly. Living at the Colorado Springs campus’ dorms like Summit Village added $9,800 to $13,400. Traditional annual attendance equaled $25,843 in-state and $37,387 out-of-state. Online UCCSConnect bachelor’s courses were $380 to $776 per credit. The College of Letters, Arts and Sciences billed online graduate tuition of $684 to $930 per credit. Online business and engineering master’s programs cost $858 to $1,064 per credit. The Online MSN cohorts spent $724 to $1,038 per credit.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office at Cragmor Hall Room 201 gets 49 percent of UCCS Mountain Lions tuition assistance averaging $5,994 each for $31.02 million combined. University funds include the Peak Scholarship, Reisher Transfer Scholarship, Kane Family Scholarship, Clement Family Scholarship, Saponas Scholarship, LIVE Leadership Scholarship, Bastiat Society Scholarship Brad Stoehr Memorial Scholarship, Ed Burke Memorial Scholarship, Malcolm Erickson Scholarship, Karen Possehl Women’s Scholarship, Nadia Babish Scholarship, Penrose Nurse Scholarship, and Ruth Ann Fenell Counseling Scholarship. The Chancellor’s Award gifts $2,500 yearly to freshmen exceeding the 1130 SAT or 23 ACT minimum. The $4,000 Out-of-State Graduate Scholarship has a May 1st deadline for master’s students with GPAs above 3.5. Completing FAFSA forms coded 004509 opens need-based federal aid like the Pell Grant and Subsidized Stafford Loan. In-state residents also pursue the Colorado Student Grant, Critical Colorado Career Graduate Grant, White Rose Scholarship, and more.
Keep exploring the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at the UCCSConnect Quality Online Education website.