Columbia Southern University Online

Columbia Southern University

• Private distance learning university founded in 1993
• One of the nation's first completely online university
• Growing university with more than 17,000 students
• Open enrollment to begin courses anytime
• Maximum transfer credit for prior academic credit and training
• Asynchronous, self-paced courses for maximum flexibility
• Students have 24-hour access to course assignments
• Affordable, competitively priced tuition
• Financial aid assistance for qualified students

About Columbia Southern University

Founded in 1993, Columbia Southern University (CSU) was one of the nation's first online universities, offering students a flexible way to achieve a higher education. All programs at CSU are offered entirely online, with students completing programs at their own pace. The University offers associate's, bachelor's, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in a wide variety of fields including business, safety and emergency services, criminal justice, information technology, psychology, and general studies, among others. CSU also has partnerships with other universities, allowing CSU students the option of transferring credit for further educational opportunities. CSU is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), and a recognized member of the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Academic Programs

CSU offers online programs designed for busy professionals. Programs are divided among three schools, with associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs offered. The three schools along with a sampling of degree offerings are as follows:

• College of General Studies - A.A. in General Studies, B.S. in Psychology, IT Certificate
• College of Business - B.S. in Business Administration, B.S. in Health Care Administration, M.B.A., among others
• College of Safety and Emergency Services - A.A.S. in Fire Science, B.S. in Criminal Justice, M.S. in Emergency Services Management, among others

Learning Options

Courses at CSU are self-paced, with open enrollment to begin coursework at anytime. Students have 24 hour access to courses and are allowed 10 weeks to complete their work and submit it by the due date.

Faculty

The faculty members at CSU are highly qualified in their respective fields, many of whom have earned degrees from prestigious universities. Students receive individualized attention throughout their studies.

Student Life

CSU has a student portal called myCSU, which offers tools to assist students, such as writing and math tutoring, events calendar, news and announcements, course information, student e-mails, among others. CSU also has many university partnerships allowing students to transfer credit to another university to continue their education. These schools may also offer benefits to CSU students such as tuition discounts, application fee waivers, and advising services.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Interested applicants should complete an application for admission and submit any transcripts to the school for review. Undergraduate programs require a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Graduate programs require an accredited bachelor's degree, and doctoral programs require an accredited M.B.A. as well as two years of professional experience post baccalaureate. Once CSU received all information, an evaluation report is prepared within seven to ten working days, which includes any recommended courses to take as well as accepted transfer credit.

CSU offers competitively priced tuition to make it as affordable as possible. Federal financial aid is offered, and includes Pell Grants, PLUS loans, Stafford loans, among others. In addition, CSU offers tuition discounts for military, veterans benefits, and payment plans.