Colorado State University- Global is also featured in our ranking Top 10 Online Master’s in Education Degrees.
Colorado State University- Global is the online branch of Colorado State University. Commonly called CSU Global, it opened in 2007 after the CSU Board of Governors gave the founders a loan of more than $10 million. The Board hoped that the new school would use those funds to launch a virtual college that would appeal to nontraditional students. It went by the name of CSU-Colorado for several years before becoming CSU Global. The university paid back the loan awarded to the school during its early years and grew at a rate that few expected. It now operates as its own university and is the primary online university in the CSU school system.
Many of the students attending CSU Global transfer credits from another college. The university will accept credits earned at any school with regional accreditation. It also offers tests and exams that students can take based on their real life experiences. The scores they receive on those tests let them earn credits for their past work. Students can also earn credits for the time they spent in a branch of the military. CSU Global now offers 14 bachelor’s programs and 25 concentrations within those programs. It also offers 12 degree programs for graduate students with various concentrations attached to each program. Around 19,000 students take classes through Colorado State University- Global annually.
Online Master’s in Education
CSU Global offers a Master of Science (MS) in Teaching and Learning for students who want to work as teachers and in other positions in school settings. This program is available in three routes or tracks. The first of which has a concentration in education leadership. Students develop the leadership skills needed to work as school principles and other positions that require the management of others. Students applying to this program must have two years of professional experience and a valid teaching license. They must also pass a background check.
The university also offers its graduate program in teaching and learning with an emphasis on math education. Students who complete this program will meet some of the requirements that Colorado has in place for teachers, but graduates can get their teaching licenses in other states too. The program features courses on general education and on teaching math. Students take classes such as Technology and Innovation, Theory and Practice in Backward Design and Fundamentals of Research and Writing.
Online students can also get a graduate degree in teaching and learning with an emphasis on science education. This concentration helps students get a teaching license in Colorado. As the program is available online, it also helps students get a license in another state. It features some of the same courses as the math education program does. Students in either of these programs will need to do two student teaching experiences too. Though some students will do these experiences in the schools where they currently work. The university offers assistance for those who need help finding a school to work for in their own areas.
Colorado State University- Global Accreditation Details
Though CSU Global is an online university, it has regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and its North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS). Not only does this give students the right to bring credits to the university and take credits with them to other schools, but it also allows students to use financial aid from the federal government. The university also has accreditation and approvals from professional agencies and organizations for its online degree options.
Colorado State University- Global Application Requirements
Students with an interest in teaching who want to attend CSU Global can send in a request to get information from the university. The university will put the student in touch with a counselor from the education department. This counselor will help the student understand what the university expects of online students and what the program entails.
Those applying to a master’s program through this online system must have a bachelor’s degree at the time that they enroll. They must also have a 3.0 grade point average or higher. The university asks for an official college or university transcript that must list the student’s cumulative grade point average and the courses taken over the student’s college career. Though CSU Global has an online application, it also requires that students submit other information and paperwork beyond a transcript.
One of those documents is a statement of purpose. This gives students the chance to write about why they choose CSU Global, their goals, their reasons for studying online and what they hope to achieve while in the program. Students must also submit a current resume that outlines all the professional experiences that they have in the fields they want to study.
CSU Global also requires that students fill out something called the SmarterMeasure Assessment. They can log in with a user name and password provided and fill out this form in around 30 minutes. It essentially assesses the student’s skills to determine if that student can handle graduate level work done online.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Online students do not face any of the same fees that traditional CSU students do. The university charges a flat rate of $500 per credit hour. Students pay $1,500 for one class and $9,000 to take a full course load each year. CSU Global estimates that students pay $18,000 to complete an entire master’s degree program online. Online students are responsible for any of the supplies they need in their classes and for their textbooks and living expenses. Some education majors will do internships and fieldwork experiences too. Those students are responsible for covering their transportation costs to the schools where they work.
CSU Global has a corporate affiliation program that allows students who work for partner corporations and companies to get a discount on their tuition. A discounted tuition rate is also available for military students. All other students can use the FAFSA to obtain financial aid. Graduate students typically receive unsubsidized federal loans through a government program that lets them make payments on the money they borrow before or after they finish a degree program. Some Colorado State University- Global students also use alternative student loans that come from lenders who base interest rates and loan amounts on a student’s credit score and credit history.
