This school appears in our ranking Top 30 Most Affordable Master’s in Nursing Education Degrees Online 2018.
Walden University is a private, proprietary university, meaning it is run as a profit-seeking business. It was created by two teachers in 1970 to provide educational opportunities to working adults. Walden originally concentrated on giving people earning degrees a place to find a dissertation topic and to have the benefits of collaborating with peers. The school was granted permission to award Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees in 1979. In 1995, the university created the first fully-online MS in Education degree in the nation. Sylvan Learning Systems corporation gained controlling interest in Walden University in 2001. The thing that sets the school apart, according to its website, is its commitment to lifelong learners.
The school grants 19 undergraduate degrees in ten areas of study. Students can earn degrees in Business, Management and Marketing; Communication and Journalism; Computer and Information Sciences; Education; Family, Consumer and Human Sciences; Health Professions; Homeland Security, Law Enforcement and Firefighting; Multi/ Interdisciplinary Studies; Psychology and Public Administration and Social Service. Walden University had more than 57,000 students worldwide in 2016.
Walden is unranked by the US News & World Report. The school touts its focus on relevance in education as one of its prime accomplishments. Because all of the degrees offered at this school are online, the school points out its 24/7 tech support system that offers assistance through its writing center, career counseling and other services.
Walden University Accreditation Details
Walden University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools of the Higher Learning Commission. Additional accreditations include:
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
- Council on Social Work Education
- Accreditation Board for Information and Technology
Walden University Application Requirements
Students applying to Walden University for the first time must create a student account online. Once that is complete, they will have access to the free online application form. The form allows the student to build a profile and to select the program in which they are interested. The student should arrange to have their high school transcript sent to the school. In addition, they must submit a resume of work history and a summary of education. There is no application fee. Additional documentation may be required by specific departments.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The average tuition for all students at Walden University is $12,075. In addition, the school estimates students will need to budget another $1,200 for books and $4,500 for miscellaneous and personal expenses. Most students earning university or college degrees rely on financial assistance to meet their tuition and other school debts. Students begin this process by completing the FAFSA. This is a government program that awards grants, loans and work-study opportunities to people with financial need. Most people will qualify for at least a student loan.
The university has a great number of tuition rebates, scholarships and grants that are available to students. For instance, incoming students who reside in the United States, register by a certain date and complete at least one Straighterline course can qualify for 10 percent tuition reduction. Military personnel may get a 15 percent reduction. There is also a $200 book voucher that most people earn.
In addition, there are many departmental scholarships and grants. For instance, students in the Post-Doctoral Bridge to Management certificate can get a $1,000 grant. The College of Management and Technology offers a $1,000 grant to students in several of its degree programs as well, and students in certain Data Security programs can qualify for a 50 percent tuition reduction.
Private individuals and corporate bodies, service organizations and cultural groups also fund scholarships. These can be found by searching for scholarships online. Students who use all available grants and scholarships and find they still have a financial obligation may apply for student loans. These are loans with low interest and an option to defer repayment until after graduation. The FAFSA program awards these, but there are also some student loans available through private lending institutions.
Online Degrees Available
All of Walden University’s degree programs are online. Because the school allows such diversity in the credits it allows for transfer and for life experience and military and job training, the number of credits needed for each program can vary. In addition, Walden offers an innovative “competency” format that allows students to subscribe to blocks of learning so that they can learn as much as they can in a certain time period. That variance also affects the duration of a program and the courses involved.
Master of Science in Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing degree program is taught by a doctorally prepared faculty in an interactive online environment. There are eight specializations offered. Students may earn the degree with specializations in:
- Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Leadership and Management
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Informatics and
- Public Health Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing degree can be earned in one of three tracks: RN-BSN-MSN; RN -MSN and BSN-MSN.
Bachelor of Social Work
The Bachelor of Social Work degree program uses documentary-style videos produced by Walden University for its case studies. The department has a work skills lab and the program includes a supervised 400-hour field experience. Students in the program study policy and advocacy; diversity and multiculturalism and human behavior in social environments. There are five optional concentrations. Students can specialize in addiction; forensics and the criminal justice system; crisis and trauma; courts and the legal system and healthcare settings.
Master of Business Administration
The competency-based Master of Business Administration allows students to choose between two specializations: healthcare management and project management. Healthcare management gives students an understanding of the healthcare system in America and of its financial management. The program is self-paced and students subscribe to the program for three months at a time. During that subscription period, they learn as much as they can from the competencies offered. Then they renew the subscription for another three months.
Some of the competency areas are: fostering a culture of innovation; marketing for competitiveness; accounting for management decision-making; dynamic leadership; managing people and promoting collaboration; managing business information systems; improving business performance and managerial finance. The capstone of the program is sustainable business practices and strategies.
The other specialization, project management, contains the same competency areas but includes practices in project management; enterprise and project risk management and stakeholders management and organizational behavior.
Walden University website