Harding University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a town not particularly near any major cities.

Overview

Harding University is a private, co-educational Christian university located in Searcy, Arkansas. It was established in 1924 as Harding College in Morrilton, Arkansas. The University now stretches over more than 200 acres of rural land in Searcy, and offers admission to around 6,000 students every year.

The schools and colleges under Harding University include:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Nursing
• College of Pharmacy
• Graduate School of Religion
• Honors College

The athletics teams at HU are nicknamed the Bison. Its men's teams participate in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field. HU also fields women's teams in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field and volleyball. The university also has a cheerleading squad.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Churches of Christ religious affiliation.
• Many students concentrating in religion and philosophy and education and teaching.
• High percentage of students are from out-of-state.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• Large number of students.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Many mature (40+ year old) students.

School characteristics:

• The school is private, not-for-profit.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities II.

Features of note:

• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Weekend study is an option.
• Part-time classes are available.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Harding:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 6,446 in 2009-2010 (5,212 full-time equivalent).

About 44% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 56% of the class.

Undergrads are 74% of enrolled students and graduate students are 26%.

Students under 25 years old represent 65% of the student body. About 15% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 100% are full-time and 0% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

Harding provides on-campus housing for 3,428 of its 5,212 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 21 meals weekly.

Athletics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball, and track. The school is in the Gulf South Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 145 male students received the aid (men were 70% of those receiving aid) and 63 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 30% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Harding offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship & Professional Practice).

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Postbaccalaureate Professional (Education Dominant).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (291 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Business/Corporate Communications
• Fashion Merchandising
• Finance
• Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
• Marketing/Marketing Management
• Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (30 awarded)

• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Information Technology

DESIGN (23 awarded)

• Graphic Design
• Interior Design

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (1 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (351 awarded)

• Art Teacher Education
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Education
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
• French Language Teacher Education
• Health Teacher Education
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Music Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Social Studies Teacher Education
• Spanish Language Teacher Education
• Speech Teacher Education
• Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

ENGINEERING (3 awarded)

• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (55 awarded)

• Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
• Housing and Human Environments
• Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
• Public Administration
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (10 awarded)

• Fine/Studio Arts
• Painting

LIBERAL ARTS (125 awarded)

• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• General Studies
• History
• Humanities/Humanistic Studies
• International/Global Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Social Sciences
• Spanish Language and Literature

MATHEMATICS (3 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (37 awarded)

• Advertising
• Broadcast Journalism
• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
• Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
• Journalism
• Public Relations/Image Management

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (11 awarded)

• Health/Health Care Administration/Management

MUSIC (5 awarded)

• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (60 awarded)

• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (53 awarded)

• Athletic Training/Trainer
• Dietetics/Dietitian (RD)
• Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (82 awarded)

• Bible/Biblical Studies
• Divinity/Ministry (BD, MDiv)
• Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology
• Pastoral Studies/Counseling
• Religious Education
• Theology/Theological Studies
• Youth Ministry

SCIENCE (29 awarded)

• Biochemistry
• Biochemistry/Biophysics and Molecular Biology
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (17 awarded)

• Corrections and Criminal Justice

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (69 awarded)

• Art Therapy/Therapist
• Communication Disorders
• Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling
• Mental Health Counseling/Counselor
• Psychology