University Of Central Arkansas

Location and Contact Information

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

Overview

The University of Central Arkansas, or UCA, is a state-run institution located in Conway, Arkansas. It is the second largest university in the state in terms of enrollment.

UCA is also the third largest college system in Arkansas.

The university is noted for its programs in education, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Many students concentrate in therapy and counseling, medicine, music, and family and social work.

The 2006 edition of the U.S. News & World Report ranked UCA as 61st college in the South in academic excellence.

UCA offers more than 70 majors through the following academic divisions:

• College of Business Administration Business
• College of Education
• College of Fine Arts and Communication
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball and track. Central Arkansas is in the Southland Conference for major sports and proudly participates in 15 NCAA Division I Varsity Sports.

UCA is home to more than 15 Greek organizations and more than 200 registered student organizations. Students in the music department participate in more than 25 ensembles.

Notable alumni include Thomas Dale Alford, Sr., ophthalmologist, U.S. Representative; Raymond Burnett, professional football player, coach; Ken Coon, educator, psychologist and Republican politician; Jimmy Driftwood, songwriter and musician; Arthur Hunnicutt, stage and screen actor; Rebekah Kennedy, Green Party politician and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2008; Benjamin Travis Landy, former Arkansas Governor; and Jennifer Sherrill, Miss Arkansas 2004 and contestant in Miss USA Pageant.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in therapy and counseling, education and teaching, music, medicine, and family and social work.
• Large number of students.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Unusually high availability of athletic financial aid.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.
• Affordable tuition & fees.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities I.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Part-time classes are available.
• ROTC.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

Central Arkansas participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 89% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)

Similar Schools

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

Click a column header to sort.

Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 12,974 in 2009-2010 (11,389 full-time equivalent).

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

Undergrads are 84% of enrolled students and graduate students are 16%.

Students under 25 years old represent 82% of the student body. About 4% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 98% are full-time and 2% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

Room and Board

Central Arkansas provides on-campus housing for 3,896 of its 11,389 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Athletics

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

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 150 male students received the aid (men were 59% of those receiving aid) and 103 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 41% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Central Arkansas offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship).

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Doctorate, Professional Dominant.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (28 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (364 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Business/Commerce
• Finance
• Insurance
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (22 awarded)

• Computer Science
• Computer and Information Sciences

CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (8 awarded)

• Environmental Studies

DESIGN (19 awarded)

• Interior Design

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (6 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (380 awarded)

• Business Teacher Education
• College Student Counseling and Personnel Services
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Education
• Educational Administration and Supervision
• Educational/Instructional Media Design
• English/Language Arts Teacher Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
• Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Reading Teacher Education
• Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
• Social Studies Teacher Education
• Special Education and Teaching
• Superintendency and Educational System Administration
• Teacher Education/Profess Development, Levels & Methods

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (160 awarded)

• Community Organization and Advocacy
• Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
• Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies
• Public Administration

LIBERAL ARTS (301 awarded)

• African-American/Black Studies
• Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• English Composition
• English Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• General Studies
• Geography
• History
• International/Global Studies
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Library Science
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies

MATHEMATICS (30 awarded)

• Applied Mathematics
• Mathematics

MEDIA (61 awarded)

• Journalism
• Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (0 awarded)

• Health/Health Care Administration/Management

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (109 awarded)

• Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
• Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
• Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist

MEDICINE (109 awarded)

• Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences

MUSIC (27 awarded)

• Music Performance
• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (102 awarded)

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

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (78 awarded)

• Athletic Training/Trainer
• Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Occupational Therapy/Therapist

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (27 awarded)

• Cinematography and Film/Video Production

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (9 awarded)

• Philosophy
• Religion/Religious Studies

SCIENCE (91 awarded)

• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (258 awarded)

• Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
• Counseling Psychology
• Physical Therapy/Therapist
• Psychology
• School Psychology
• Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling