Harding University

harding-university

Degrees Offered at Harding University

Harding University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Online Christian Colleges for Future Missionaries.

Harding University in Arkansas offers more than 100 options for undergrads, including different minors that they can complete while working on their degree requirements. Students with an interest in art and design can choose majors in art education, fine art, interior design or graphic design. Many of these programs help students complete work that they can add to their portfolios. Students also have the option of working in art galleries and advertising companies to gain more experience. The broadcast journalism major includes similar opportunities. Students can either work on productions on the university’s campus or on productions through major studios. The university’s electronic media production program includes practical experiences too.

Students can also major in different technical and science fields too. Computer science majors can join a CS team and compete in national groups. That team placed first in a competition held in the southeast in 2019. Kinesiology majors can enroll in the university’s traditional program or a separate program in kinesiology and health, which helps them earn an exercise science license. A similar major focuses on sport and recreation management. Other majors and fields of study available at the university include nursing, psychology, web design, public administration, physical therapy, and criminal justice.

Harding University offers 22 graduate degree programs through several colleges too. The College of Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching with a licensure track for students who have a bachelor’s degree but no teaching experience. Licensed teachers can earn graduate degrees in curriculum and instruction, leadership, reading, special education, and other fields. The university’s marriage and family therapy program includes a counseling internship that shows students exactly what they will do in the field. They learn about the issues that can occur when working with patients and how to overcome the challenges they face. Students can earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) too before working for others or creating their own business plans. Other graduate programs offered by Harding include nursing and pharmacy majors.

About Harding University

Harding University is a private university that offers degree programs for students on its campus in Searcy, Arkansas. Established in 1924 after the merger of Harper College and the Arkansas Christian College, it chose the name Harding after James A. Harding, who was a minister working for the Church of Christ. It would remain a college for several decades before becoming Harding University. Harding also owns a School of Theology, which offers programs in seminary subjects in Memphis, Tennessee.

The university has a strong affiliation with the Church of Christ and has a large enrollment of students who are members of that Church. Its campus is home to the American Studies Institute, which offers multiple programs for students that emphasize conservative beliefs. One of those programs offers opportunities for Hispanic students who are underrepresented in Arkansas colleges. U.S. News and World Report ranks Harding within the top 20 of southern colleges in the United States, and Princeton Review ranks the university as one of the best southeastern American colleges. Nearly 6,000 students attend Harding every year.

Harding University Accreditation Details

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) awarded Harding full accreditation for all its nursing degree programs. It also has accreditation for its marriage and family therapy, pharmacy education, physical therapy, education, music, theology, and speech and language programs. The institutional accreditation held by the university comes from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Harding University Application Requirements

Spring Sing is just one of the annual events that are open to the general public and prospective students. Those students can attend an open house or take a campus tour too. Undergrads will pay a $50 application fee and submit an application, but they’ll also need to supply their official transcripts and an ACT or SAT score. Harding requires that students pay a $140 deposit if they want to live in one of its residence halls. It will refund this deposit if the student changes his or her mind later. Those students will also need to complete housing forms that help the university decide where to place them.

The university has several deadlines for each of its graduate programs. Those applying to the MBA program can submit their applications by July 19 to apply for the first block in the fall semester or by September 13 to apply for a spot in the second block of that same semester. This program asks that students submit their applications through a separate website and that they provide other information directly to the university. That information includes official transcripts and three letters of recommendation. Harding also requires a resume, writing sample and GRE score. Most programs will accept a GMAT score instead. For full acceptance, grad students must meet all these requirements and have a GPA of at least 3.0 in a bachelor’s program. Harding grants provisional acceptance to students with a lower GPA.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Harding has an estimated cost of attendance for undergrads of $27,905 per year. This includes a room and board fee of around $7,000 a year. The remaining costs include tuition and fees. Harding does not offer an estimated cost for graduate students because their costs will vary between each program. The university’s education program charge rates of $470 per credit hour, but this price can rise to more than $900 per credit hour in other programs. Some programs charge full-time students more than $18,000 a semester.

One of the best ways for graduate students to pay for college is with an assistantship. These programs provide students with scholarships that cover some of their tuition costs and a stipend that pays them for the work they do every week. Loans also go to graduate students but only to those who file the FAFSA. The FAFSA provides help for undergrads in the form of federal work-study, grants, and loans. Future and current Harding undergrads should also apply for scholarships. More than 96% of its students receive more than $60 million in institutional aid every year. The university also offers discounts for ministers and missionaries and their children and anyone who works for a Christian church. Harding University offers a wide range of financial aid programs that meet the needs of students enrolled in its degree programs.

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