National University (NU) is a private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California. Founded in 1971, National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California, United States. National University offers academic degree programs at campuses located throughout the state of California, one campus in Nevada, and online.
National University is organized into four professional schools and two colleges: the College of Letters and Sciences; the Sanford College of Education; the School of Business and Management; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies. National University's online academic programs are interactive with streaming videos, real-time discussions, multimedia learning material, and online classrooms.
Programs at National University are concentrated (typically 4 weeks in length) and are designed primarily for adult learners. On campus classes are mainly scheduled during weeknights with an occasional Saturday.
Academics
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National University's academic programs include associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, teaching credentials, and certificate programs.
National University is organized into four professional schools and two colleges: the College of Letters and Sciences; the Sanford College of Education; the School of Business and Management; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies. The university offers over 130 undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as 23 teacher credential/certificate programs. Participating in online education since 1996, National University offers more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs and over 1,500 courses online.
College of Letters and Sciences
National University’s College of Letters and Sciences provides the undergraduate general education courses to the students enrolled in all of the schools of National and the college itself offers liberal arts programs from bachelor's degrees in biological science, history, and psychology to master's degrees in creative writing, English, film studies, gerontology, and strategic communications.
The College of Letters and Sciences has four departments and offers an Associate of Arts degree and various bachelor's degree majors and master's degree fields of study, as well as bachelor's degree minors:
School of Business and Management
The School of Business and Management offers business degree programs on campuses and via online in an interactive learning environment. The school is composed of three departments and offers various bachelor's and master's degrees. Examples of programs offered by the school include Bachelors in Business Administration, Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Masters of Accountancy, and Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership.
Sanford College of Education
National University's Sanford College of Education offers bachelor's degrees, master’s degrees, certificates, and education credentials in areas including teaching, school counseling, school psychology, special education, early childhood education, and school administration. National holds teaching contracts with 643 California school districts and approximately 70% of the 26,000 teachers in San Diego County earned their credentials at National University. Programs are offered on campus and online.
At the Henderson, Nevada campus, the Sanford College of Education offers Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree teacher licensure programs in elementary education, secondary math, and secondary English.
In 2015, National University renamed the School of Education to the Sanford College of Education in honor of philanthropist T. Denny Sanford.
School of Engineering and Computing
The School of Engineering and Computing offers degree programs in engineering, technology, computer science, and related fields. Students can focus on management information systems, construction engineering, electrical engineering, and information technology management.
School of Health and Human Services
Healthcare undergraduate and graduate degree academic programs offered to students include clinical health sciences careers, healthcare administration programs, nursing degrees, public health, allied health, clinical laboratory science, radiation therapy, clinical regulatory affairs, and more.
School of Professional Studies
The School of Professional Studies offers several graduate and undergraduate academic degree programs such as digital media, law, criminal justice, and continuing education programs.
Campus locations
National University is geographically dispersed, with its academic and administrative centers located in La Jolla, California. These centers include all administrative offices of the president, vice presidents, school deans and department chairs, financial aid, registrar, and admissions. From its administrative center, the university maintains more than 28 academic campuses throughout urban areas in California and one in Nevada. Campus locations include:
Organization
The Board of Trustees of the National University System is the governing body and consists of 25 voting members. Two ex-officio members, the president of the university and the chancellor of the system, also have voting privileges. The Board meets three times a year in San Diego.
Student body
National University has an enrollment size that represents the second-largest private, non-profit institution of higher education in California. The average age of a NU student age is 32 and roughly 23,000 full-time undergraduate and graduate students are currently enrolled. Nine percent of the student body are in the military. National University ranks as one of the largest graduate student institutions of higher education in the United States with 23,909 students officially enrolled.
There are approximately 135,000 National University alumni in all 50 states and around the world.
Graduation rate
National's graduation rate for the 2014 academic year is 71% at undergraduate level and 65% at the graduate level.
Sanford Education Center
National University is the home of Sanford Education Center.
Harmony Program
The Sanford Harmony program promotes respect and understanding of differences among children. The goal is to expand understanding and acceptance of gender differences at an early age with a result of positively affecting adult relationships.
Institute of Philanthropy
The Sanford Institute of Philanthropy offers a Master of Arts in Cause Leadership, a Certificate in Cause Sales, and a Certificate in Education Foundation Leadership (in partnership with the National School Foundation Association.
History
National University founder David Chigos, a retired United States Navy lieutenant commander and a director of employee training for General Dynamics Corporation in San Diego, saw a need for a non-traditional university education format with relevant and high-demand degree programs to serve working adults. In November 1971, National University was organized as a private, non-profit institution with 27 students attending classes in 1972. National's first commencement ceremony included 143 graduates.
In 1975, National purchased two properties on Camino del Rio South in Mission Valley.
Two years later, in 1977, National opened up facilities in Kearny Mesa and then expanded in San Diego County. At that time, National had some 1,000 alumni. It also received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
By 1979, National had a 15-acre (6.1Â ha) campus with 110,000 square feet (10,000Â m2) of classroom and library space and some 3,500 alumni. Also in 1979, National acquired the Cabrillo Pacific College of Law, becoming National's School of Law.
During the 1980s, National expanded with campuses in California's largest cities. National's School of Education was established in 1980. In 1988, Chigos retired as president, with approximately 7,000 students enrolled at 35 established campuses in California, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Costa Rica.
Jerry C. Lee was National University’s second president from 1989 until 2007. During his tenure, the number and locations of the university's campuses were restructured, the university’s finances were stabilized and strengthened, National’s academic programs were further enhanced and reviewed by outside specialized accrediting bodies for quality and rigor, and affiliate educational institutions were added to the university.
In 1991, a tiered faculty structure model was developed. National University's School of Law was dissolved.
In 1996, the academic and administrative headquarters was moved from Mission Valley to La Jolla. Online classes and academic degree programs became available.
In 2000, over 17,000 students were enrolled at National.
In 2001, the Board of Trustees established the National University System and Lee was appointed Chancellor. The National University System is a multi-tiered alliance of individual educational and research institutions with each of its respective leaders (including the National University president) reporting to the chancellor.
In 2007, Dana Gibson was appointed as National's third president, and Lee became President Emeritus.
In 2009, Gibson left National, and Patricia E. Potter served as Interim President. Michael R. Cunningham became President on July 1, 2013.
As of 2010, National University was the second-largest private, non-profit institution of higher education in California and the 12th largest private, non-profit in the United States.
In 2011 and 2012, National University had its 40th anniversary with an endowment of over $400 million and real estate property valued at over $145 million.
As of 2014, National had over 24,000 enrolled students with over 130 undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs and 23 teacher credential programs at 28 campuses in California and one in Henderson, Nevada, with over 100 academic programs offered online.
Recognitions
National University is one of the "great colleges to work for" (Honor Roll) according to a 2010 survey of university professors and instructors in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
According to an annual report by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) released October 11, 2011, National University prepared more candidates for teaching credentials than any other university in California for the school year 2009-2010.
In 2006, National University earned an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Pacific Southwest Chapter, for its "One University" commercial.
Accreditation and approvals
National University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
In addition to being accredited by WASC, National University also is:
- Accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
- Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Notable alumni
- Lloyd Bryan Molander Adams, co-founder of Extreme Sports Channel
- Chris Brown (California politician), controversial Mayor of Hawthorne, California
- Ocky Clark, runner
- Thomas S. Crow, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy from 1979â€"1982
- Duke Cunningham, US Navy fighter pilot ace and 7 term US Congressman, awarded the Navy Cross, 2 Silver Stars, and the Purple Heart
- Gerry Czarnecki, high-profile business executive, author of books on leadership principles
- Marti Emerald, local television journalist and multi-term member of the city council of San Diego, California
- Brian Graham, major league baseball coach
- Otto Guevara, Costa Rican legislator and presidential candidate
- Isadore Hall III, California state senator
- Waad Hirmez, US professional soccer player
- Hanna Jaff, Mexican Deputy Secretary of Immigrants from 2013â€"2014
- Lin Junq-tzer, Governor of Taiwan Province
- Chief Phil Lane, Jr., a leader of American indigenous peoples
- Steven Paul Logan, United States District Judge, who being a Marine Corps Colonel (United States) (now reserve) concurrently serves on the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals
- Weston Ochse, author
- Frank Pastore, major league pitcher, radio host and author
- Jerry Sanders (politician), former mayor and earlier chief of police of San Diego, California
- Erick Thohir, Indonesian businessman, a majority owner of two professional soccer teams
- Billy Pat Wright, multi-term member of the Missouri House of Representatives
- Ryan Zinke, US Secretary of the Interior, Navy SEAL, US Navy Commander, Special Operations commander during Iraqi War, later elected the US Representative from Montana, awarded 2 Bronze Star Medals and 4 Meritorious Service Medals
National University System
National University is the flagship institution of the National University System, which was established in 2001.
In addition to National University, the affiliates of the National University System are:
- City University of Seattle, Seattle, Washington (affiliated since 2013)
- John F. Kennedy University, Pleasant Hill, California (affiliated since 2009)
- National University Academy, Vista, California (established 2008)
- National University Virtual High School, La Jolla, California (established 2003)
- WestMed College, San Jose, California (acquired 2007)
Other entities in the National University System include:
- the Center for Performance Psychology
- the National University System Institute for Policy Research
The NU System is governed by a Board of Trustees and is headquartered in La Jolla, California.
References
External links
- Official National University website