Capella University is also featured in our ranking The Top 10 Online Business Degree Programs and Business Schools.
Capella University is one of the largest for-profit university systems in America. Established in 1993 as The Graduate School of America, Capella started life as a graduate school that offered programs for students with a bachelor’s degree. After the company in charge of the university system changed its name, all the schools in the system became branches of Capella University. To set itself apart from other for-profit colleges, the university changed its admissions requirements. The university now requires that students have a high school diploma or its equivalent to enroll in an undergrad program. Students will also need to submit standardized test scores and pay an application fee.
More than 70% of Capella students today are graduate students and doctoral candidates. Capella has its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota and operates out of a large building downtown that now bares its name. The university employs more than 1,500 professors and other employees who work with students on a daily basis. More than 80% of those professors have either doctoral degrees or terminal degrees in their fields.
It’s one of the only online schools that offers a free trial designed to help students make the transition into an online program. This trial also allows students to sit in on a class and see what the professors expect of them when they become students later. Capella University offers only online classes and programs and has an enrollment of more than 35,000 students.
Business Degrees
Capella University offers more online options for business majors than almost any other university in the nation does. Many students will want to start out in its Bachelor of Science in Business Program, which is available through its School of Business & Technology. It features a number of specializations for students who want to study a specific field of business like accounting, business administration, health care management or human resources management. Students can also choose a minor rather than a specialization. The university allows students to sign up for a free trial to learn more about this program and to see if they can handle the requirements of its online classes.
Students also have the option of earning a business certificate, which they can do while enrolled full-time or part-time in a program or before enrolling in a full program. Capella offers an accounting certificate for undergrads that teaches them basic accounting principles and skills. Graduate students can earn a certificate in human resources management or business administration.
The university offers both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management online. Its MS program focuses more on the skills that HR professionals need, including the laws that they must follow and the best ways of creating benefits packages for employees. The online MBA program is available as a self-guided program that allows students to pick classes and study a wide range of topics. They can also pick a specialization in project management, health care management or human resource management.
Capella offers one of the only Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs that students can complete online. This program is open to those with either a master’s degree or an MBA degree. The university allows students to pick a specialization in business intelligence, global operations and supply chain management or one of six other fields. Capella now offers a PhD in Business Administration too.
Capella University Accreditation Details
Though Capella is both a for-profit university and an online university, it has more accreditation than similar schools usually have. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) granted the university regional accreditation through its divisions that operate in different parts of the country. Its education, nursing and other programs have accreditation as well. Students enrolled in any of its business programs will learn that those programs have accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The university first received ACBSP accreditation in 2004.
Capella University Application Requirements
Capella recommends that students contact the university before they apply. It will pair each student with an enrollment counselor who walks the student through the application process. The counselor can also help students look at the requirements of each program to ensure that they are ready for online classes. Though the university offers a basic application, the requirements that students must meet will vary across levels. Undergrads need to take the ACT or SAT and submit their scores. They must also submit a high school transcript, fill out the online application and pay a $50 application fee. The university asks that undergrads have a high school diploma or its equivalent too.
Graduate students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and doctoral candidates must have both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from accredited school(s). Most of the university’s business programs ask that students fill out a disclosure form that lists some of the professional experiences they have. These students must fill out an extended goals section on the application that lists all the goals they have for the future. Upper level students will also need to submit a resume and up to three letters of recommendation. They may need to go through an interview also.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Capella University charges a set tuition rate that includes all its fees, which makes it easy for students to see exactly how much it costs to attend the university. Undergrads pay $402 per credit hour, while graduate students pay between $424 and $780 per credit hour. Doctoral students pay $525 to $925 per credit hour. Different programs charge different tuition rates. Some programs require that students complete a residency on one of its campus. The residency component will add around $1,500 to a student’s total costs.
Prior to enrolling, the university recommends that students talk with a financial aid counselor to find ways in which they can save on their tuition costs. Capella offers multiple scholarships that award students between $1,000 and $12,000 a year. While some of these scholarships only go to students studying specific disciplines, other scholarships are open to undergrads and older students majoring in any field. Scholarships are also available for both disabled and military students. Students can also look for federal and state grants. Capella University offers help for students who need loans to cover their remaining costs.