
Quinnipiac University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Online Master’s in Instructional Design.
Quinnipiac University strives to get prospective teachers ready for the workforce faster than other universities. To that end, they do not offer a standard bacehlor’s program in education. Instead, the university provides students with a chance to get both a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science at the same time as earning a Master of Arts in Teaching. Doing so requires five years instead of six or seven.
The Master of Arts in Teaching is a “hands-on” degree devoted to developing teaching strategies for career advancement in the classroom. It is not the same thing as a Master of Education, which is more theoretical and research-based. At Quinnipiac University, students may select the dual program with a focus in either elementary or secondary education.
If students wish to study online, they may earn a certificate of Special Education to complement their teaching degrees. There is also a certificate in Online Course Design available for those interested in curriculum.
Students who wish to earn a master’s degree in an educational field may select from among five choices, not including the dual degree. The fields are Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Special Education, Educational Leadership, and Instructional Design. The leadership degree is tailored toward those students who wish to go on to administrative careers like principal or superintendent.
Students who want to pursue a dual degree in Secondary Education must pick their area of expertise and major in it. This can be any high-school subject outside of specialized classes like band, music, art, or physical education, all of which require extra training. The student will then take core classes, classes related to the relevant major, classes that focus on education, and electives. The total number of credits will depend on the selected major and the graduate-level courses the student will take in years three, four, and five.
About Quinnipiac University
The school began as the Connecticut College of Commerce in 1929. As a tiny business school, it quickly outgrew its modest space and curriculum and moved only a few short years later from New Haven to its current home in Hamden.
The growth was swift and massive. From its humble beginnings, the university grew to be the home of more than 10,000 and the area of its campus from less than 100 acres to more than 700 today. Still, the campus has never lost its Middle Atlantic charm with a touch of New England.
Today, U.S. News and World Report ranks Quinnipiac University at No. 13 in the North Region. The school takes care of veterans, too, which can be seen in its No. 5 ranking. It’s forward-thinking curriculum and educational philosophy led it to a No. 3 ranking among “Most Innovative Schools.” Similarly, veterans have a great experience studying online at Quinnipiac University. The school ranks No. 14 there.
The school is quite selective. Out of more than 23,000 students who applied, fewer than 2,000 enrolled. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17-to-1, and more than 85 percent of freshmen give the school high marks upon entering their sophomore year.
Quinnipiac University Accreditation Details
Aside from the regional accreditation awarded by the New England Commission of Higher Education Inc., Quinnipiac University holds academic accreditation from the following awarding organizations:
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- The American Bar Association
- The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Quinnipiac University Application Requirements
Incoming freshmen must have taken the standard slate of high-school courses, which include four years of English, three years each of social studies, science, and math, and two years each of the same foreign language and music or art electives. Most students who apply can do so without taking either the SAT or the ACT, but students pursuing the dual bachelor’s and master’s degree in education are strongly encouraged to take either of the two tests.
The median score on the SAT is 1,180, and the median score on the ACT is 24 among freshmen applicants. Students may submit unofficial scores and transcripts by themselves and wait until they have conditional acceptance before reporting official scores and transcripts.
Graduate students must meet the specific requirements of their chosen field of study. Students should check the website to see what’s required beyond transcripts. Some students may have to take one of the three big graduate school tests: the Graduate Record Examinations, the Graduate Management Admission Test, or the Miller Analogies Test.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The basic costs for undergraduates at Quinnipiac University include $46,790 for annual tuition. Room and board come to $15,140, and the assorted fees total $2,490. Books, travel costs, and other incidentals are estimated to be about $3,000, making the total annual cost to attend the university $67,420.
Graduate tuition is charged by the credit hour. As an example, the School of Education costs $1,055 per credit hour, with the exception of the sixth-year certificate in Educational Leadership. That costs $850 per credit hour. Students should check the website for further information about the cost of their chosen fields of study.
Financial aid at Quinnipiac University begins, as it does almost everywhere, with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is the tool that the government and the school use to determine the amount of need-based aid to which each student is entitled. That aid takes the form of scholarships, subsidized loans, and grants. Grants include work-study programs. Students may also apply for private financial aid, such as loans from their local credit unions, private scholarships, and the like. They must remember, however, that these loans will count as assets on the FAFSA and might reduce the amount of need-based aid received.
Quinnipiac University has always taken pride in being small but mighty in the shadow of the Ivy League, but its commitment to both innovation and superb excellence continues to set it apart.