Strayer University is also featured in our ranking The Top 10 Online Business Degree Programs and Business Schools.
Strayer University is a for-profit chain of university campuses that operates in the United States. Established in 1892 as Strayer’s Business College by Dr. Strayer, it opened with a single campus in Baltimore. The college served as the first school in the region dedicated to the training and education of former agriculture workers. As the industry in the region changed, those workers needed more training as they searched for new jobs. The school was so successful that it opened a second campus in Washington DC just a few years later. Strayer continued growing as the need for business professionals grew and as women joined the workforce. It operated as Strayer College for a number of years before becoming a university.
Though Strayer operates a large number of campuses across the country, more than half of its student body enroll in its online programs. Some of those students also take classes on one of its campuses. Strayer establishes campuses in business parks and in downtown areas that allow students to easily attend. With a total enrollment of nearly 50,000 students, Strayer ranks as one of the largest online colleges in the nation.
Business Degree Programs
Strayer University offers an Associate in Arts in Business Administration program that takes students just two years to complete. Students take 20 classes total to earn their degrees. They can then transfer their credits into the university’s bachelor’s program in business. The associate program give students a strong background in business fundamentals and provides them with the skills needed to work for others or to open their own companies. Students will take classes like Principles of Economics, Principles of Finance, Business Law and Business Ethics.
The university also offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration that allows students to customize their programs after selecting a concentration in one of 13 areas. Its human resource management concentration focuses on employment laws, benefits packages and other HR fields. Students can pick a concentration in retail management and learn about the retail sector or a concentration in social media marketing to learn more about the ways in which companies advertise online. The program features a business core that all majors must complete. Students who completed the university’s associate program will take some of these classes at the lower level.
Strayer students can also earn an MBA through the university’s online system. The university offers 15 concentrations for MBA students, including sales, IT security management, finance, global management and marketing. An executive version of this program awards students some credits based on their professional experience. This reduces the number of credits that they need to take to finish the MBA program. MBA students take classes over the course of four terms each year. They can log in at anytime and get support and help when needed. Strayer allows MBA students to work at the pace that is right for them.
Strayer University Accreditation Details
Strayer University has regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which allows students to use traditional types of financial aid, including loans and grants. This type of accreditation applies to some of its traditional campuses and to its virtual campus. Students thinking about taking classes on any of the Strayer campuses should look at the accreditation that each campus has. Some Strayer campuses also have accreditation for their teaching and business programs.
Strayer University Application Requirements
The university offers an online application that consists of just one page, which makes it easy for students to apply. It features a personal information section that asks students to enter their full names, home addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers and email addresses. The application also asks for the best time to contact each student because a representative from the school will talk to each student who applies. This allows students to find out about financial aid opportunities, the classes that they will take and how long it will take to complete a degree program. Strayer also accepts students who do not have a social security number.
Strayer’s application also asks students to pick the campus where they want to study. Those interested in its online programs can select a campus near them or choose the online option. Many students use the resources available on their local campuses in their classes. Students will also need to click next to a series of three boxes, which shows the university that they understand what sending in an application means, that they read the university’s code of conduct and that they consent to a representative of the university contacting them. Strayer uses one application for all its degree programs. Those applying to one of its MBA programs must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and supply a transcript that shows the student had an undergrad GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Tuition and Financial Aid
As Strayer offers associate, bachelor and graduate degree programs, the tuition that students pay depends on which degree they want to earn. Both associate and bachelor programs charge $1,450 per course. The university charges a rate based on the number of classes that students take rather than the number of credits that they take. Those enrolled in one of its MBA programs pay a rate based on where they live and attend school. Residents of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia pay $2,000 for each course they take. Students living in Pennsylvania and North Carolina pay $2,450 per course. Those living in any other state pay a per course rate of $2,940.
Strayer offers multiple scholarships for transfer students. Those who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher qualify for a scholarship that cuts their tuition in half. The university lets students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher who transfer in credits from another school take two classes for free. It also has a legacy scholarship that awards a $1,000 scholarship to students who have family members who also attend the university. The university will work with students to help them understand the financial aid process and to show them the different ways they can pay for their education. Students can use tuition reimbursement plans from their employers, apply for grants for the coming school year and use student loans. Strayer University offers assistance for students who need private loans to cover their costs.