Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University is also featured in our ranking of the Top 50 Most Affordable Bachelor’s in Elementary Education or Early Childhood.

At Building 27, the College of Education led by Dr. Ramona Mellott grants a 120-unit BS in Elementary Education for Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks at 12 campuses to complete hands-on courses like Evaluation of Learning with field practicum for a 98 percent certification rate. Chaired by Dr. Shadow Armfield, the BS in Special Education builds a 120-unit, CAEP-accredited track to K-12 licensure where majors can intern in Flagstaff Unified School District, pledge Kappa Delta Pi, volunteer with Special Olympics, and attend the TARIAT Conference. Other undergrad options include the BAS in Early Childhood Education, BS in Career & Technical Education, BS in Learning & Pedagogy, BS in Secondary English Education, BS in Secondary History Education, and BS in Physical Education.

Online on Blackboard Learn, the MEd in Bilingual & Multicultural Education shapes a 30-unit, 18-month sequence headed by Dr. Pam Powell for College of Education post-grads to add Arizona’s ESL Endorsement after 600-level courses like Structured English Immersion with 24/7 tech support. Directed by Dr. Kathy Bohan, the Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction has customized concentrations, such as Higher Education and Education Technology, for 60-109 Flagstaff units that involve intensive dissertation work at the state-of-the-art COE Research Center. Additional graduate offerings include the MEd in Elementary Education, MAT in Science Education, MAT in Math Education, MEd in Human Relations, MEd in Mild/Moderate Disabilities, MEd in School Counseling, and EdD in Educational Leadership.

About Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University originated on September 11, 1899, when President Almon Nicholas Taylor welcomed an inaugural class of 23 women to the Northern Arizona Normal School. In 1901, the first four ladies graduated with initial teaching certificates. In 1925, Governor George W.P. Hunt signed legislation authorizing the Normal School for education bachelor’s degrees. Four years after, it was renamed the Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff. In 1937, the Graduate College was formed for the earliest Master of Education. During World War II, it participated in the Campus Civilian Defense Program. In 1957, President J. Lawrence Walkup assumed leadership and started the Education Specialist degree. On May 1, 1966, the Northern Arizona University name was officially adopted. By 2006, NAU formed partnerships with community colleges like Yavapai and Coconino. In 2013, NAU debuted Personalized Learning for competency-based study online.

Endowed for $170.9 million, Northern Arizona University now employs 1,151 full-time faculty teaching 31,073 Lumberjacks from 65 countries online, on the 707-acre Flagstaff campus, and at 22 statewide extensions with 375+ organizations like Future Teachers Club. In 2016, NAU earned the Online Learning Consortium’s Digital Innovation Award. In 2019, NAU won the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s Green Light Award. Northern Arizona University accepted the 1999 Boeing Outstanding Educator Award too. The U.S. News & World Report ranked NAU the 143rd best education school with the 126th best online programs. On Niche, NAU boasts America’s 244th top teaching degrees, 239th most diversity, and 188th top public education. Forbes placed Northern Arizona 205th for most impactful research. Washington Monthly declared NAU the West’s 90th best value.

Northern Arizona University Accreditation Details

On February 20, 2018, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA) Institutional Actions Council formally notified Northern Arizona University that the Level VI accreditation status was successfully reaffirmed through 2027-28 under President Rita Cheng, Ph.D., who received the Victoria Foundation’s Advocate for Educational Diversity Award. Located 1,657 miles east via Interstate 40 in Chicago, this mammoth 19-state Midwest Region accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Education Department to review NAU’s 95 baccalaureate, 60 master’s, 15 doctoral, and 77 certificate programs. Further, the College of Education was accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in October 2017. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) approved Northern Arizona through 2021. The BS in Elementary Education is recognized by the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI).

Northern Arizona University Application Requirements

Enrolling at Northern Arizona University is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s because just 29,812 of the 36,875 Fall 2017 applicants were chosen for 81 percent acceptance. First-year Lumberjacks must fulfill the Arizona Board of Regents’ competencies with a high school or GED diploma. Four years each of English and Mathematics are strongly preferred. Core GPAs of 2.5 and higher with no more than one deficiency area are required. The Class of 2021 presented a mean 3.52 GPA. The middle 50th percentile had ACT composite scores of 20-25. Mid-range admitted SAT scores were 1030-1230. Test-optional transfers are reserved for students with 24+ college-level credits and GPAs over 2.0. International entrants need a minimum 6.5 IELTS or 80 TOEFL iBT score. The MA in Teaching English as a Second Language raises the bar to 7.0 and 92 marks respectively. Graduate College cohorts must culminate four years of accredited bachelor’s prep with 3.0 GPAs on the four-point scale. Some programs, such as the EdS in School Psychology, demand GRE scores above 297.

Northern Arizona University has a freshman enrollment deadline of May 1st. College of Education transfers are welcome until July 1st for Fall or December 1st for Spring starts. Non-U.S. residents should apply by March 1st. Graduate programs generally have rolling admission year-round. However, the Ph.D. in School Psychology closes on December 1st each year. MEd in Student Affairs Counseling cohorts must file by February 15th. The EdD in Educational Leadership considers candidates until the first Friday of December. The MAT in Spanish Education has April 21st and October 21st deadlines. Prospective Lumberjacks complete the $35 ($65 if graduate) NAU Application online. Official transcripts are forwarded to PO Box 4084 in Flagstaff, AZ 86011. Testing reports are generated with SAT/GRE code 4006 or ACT code 0086. Contact (928) 523-7139 or coe-dean@nau.edu to learn supplemental steps.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, Northern Arizona University is charging full-time Copper State undergrads $10,650 annually. Non-resident bachelor’s tuition costs $25,270 each year. The Western Undergraduate Exchange drops the price to $15,975. Mandatory bachelor’s student fees total $1,246 yearly. Living at the Flagstaff campus’ dorms like Sechrist Hall adds $5,696 for housing. Standard meal plans for DuB Dining District are $4,838 extra. NAU budgets $1,000 for books, $2,520 for transport, and $2,200 for miscellaneous. Annual undergrad attendance equals about $28,150 in-state, $33,475 for Westerners, and $41,530 out-of-state. Online BA/BS courses are priced $435 per credit. The Graduate College traditionally bills Arizonans $520 and non-residents $1,360 per credit. Online master’s or doctoral students always spend $575 per credit.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid in Gammage Building 1 connects 69 percent of full-time NAU Lumberjacks to tuition assistance averaging $9,380 each for $175.54 million combined. College of Education funds include the Lillian Jane Baker Teacher Scholarship, Silverio Barreras Scholarship, Alpha Delta Kappa Pi Chapter Scholarship, Doris Dunford Memorial Scholarship, Margaret Hall Clements Scholarship, Richard Kauzlaric Memorial Scholarship, Carol Lorek Scholarship, Christa McAuliffe Scholarship, Mary Lou Thompson Arnold Scholarship, and Jack & Louise Utley Scholarship. The President’s Resident Tuition Scholarship gifts $7,000 annually to in-state freshmen meeting the 3.5 GPA minimum. The $4,000 Founder’s Non-Resident Blue Tuition Scholarship rewards Western Undergraduate Exchange students with at least 990 SAT or 19 ACT scores. Federal resources, such as the TEACH Grant and Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, need FAFSA forms coded 001082. Arizonans also access the LEAP Grant, Early Graduation Scholarship, Mary Kay Haviland Scholarship, FTF College Scholarship, Gardner Family Teacher Scholarship, and more.

Find out more about Northern Arizona University at the College of Education website.