Bellevue University

Fact:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults age 18 and over with a Bachelor's Degree earned an average of $40,478 a year, while those with only a high school diploma earned $22,895. In addition, Graduate degree-holders made about $63,229.

A view of the Bellevue Tower

Welcome to Bellevue University

Bellevue University's online degree programs and courses are designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to meet their career and educational goals. Students are encouraged to take advantage of prior learning including existing college credit, professional/military training, and professional certification.

Affordability

Compare our tuition costs with those of other online universities and you will find that Bellevue University is one of the most affordable online. That's because we are a non-profit university. Our mission is education, not making money. So we work hard to keep our tuition rates affordable, and to find financial aid for all who need it.

Acceleration

Because adults don't have the ability to drop out of life to attend school, we make learning accessible and accelerate degree completion. If you have an associate's degree or about 60 credit hours, you can complete your Bellevue University bachelor's degree in as little as 15 months. If you have fewer credit hours, we offer many cost-effective and time-saving options for earning the credits you need.

Accreditation

Bellevue University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, the same organization that accredits Big Ten Universities. Bellevue University degrees are accepted and respected by employers and graduate schools throughout the world.

Accessible Learning

You don't have to be computer-savvy to take advantage of online learning from Bellevue University. Our Cyber-Active® Learning Classroom is engaging, interactive and easy-to-use. As a student at Bellevue University, you learn in the company of motivated adult classmates, who share their career experiences with you. The familiarity you gain with your classmates and with your professors helps you relate more positively to each other, and the concepts taught.

Bachelor's Degrees

Business

Health

Law & Criminal Justice

Liberal Arts & Humanities

BS in Corporate Communications

Social Science

Technology & IT

Master's Degrees

Business

Health

Social Science

Master of Public Administration

Technology & IT

Online Education at Bellevue University

Online education is about getting all class materials and earning your degree through the Internet. With Internet access, students go online, take classes, participate in discussions with fellow learners and professors, conduct research at the online library, and talk to their online advisor.

Online classes are small to give the active-learning advantage that is Bellevue University.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the bachelor's degree completion program work?

A: Students who enter a Bellevue University degree completion program must have an associate's degree or about 60 credit hours. This ensures that all students in the program have the academic background necessary to tackle the content of the major area of study. It also ensures that your classmates have the same level of preparation that you do.

You are assigned to your program with your class. You then move through the program with that same class until completion of your major. This takes 12 months.

All undergraduate students at Bellevue University also are required to take a cluster of courses on American Vision and Values called The Kirkpatrick Signature Series. The Signature Series takes three months to complete. While some students enroll in the Signature Series simultaneous to their major program, it is not advised. Completion of the Signature Series takes three months. That is how we derive the 15-month timeline.

Q: You mentioned "cost-effective and time-saving options for earning credit." What are those?

A: Chief among cost-effective ways of earning credit are CLEP and DANTES examinations. Both of these organizations offer a series of for-credit exams, which give you the opportunity to demonstrate college-level learning by passing a 90-minute, multiple choice examination. CLEP and DANTES exams are offered at numerous locations throughout the country, including many college and university campuses. The Bellevue University campus is the site of the most CLEP tests administered in the United States.

Additionally, Bellevue University offers many single courses online in our ONCourse program. The ONCourse classes are delivered on the Cyber-Active® Learning Platform - which means they're easy to access and available 24/7.

Bellevue University recognizes that college-level learning can be achieved in many ways. We have the ability to assess learning you have gained on the job or through other life experience for college credit. We also award college credit for many professional certifications and corporate training programs.

Q: How many credits are required for graduation?

A: Bellevue University requires 127 credits for graduation. Students in the degree completion program typically start with 60 credit hours. The major is 36 credit hours, and the Signature Series is another 9 credit hours. That leaves an additional 22 credit hours that must be completed. Many students find that these can be earned through work experience they already have, certifications, corporate training, and/or for-credit examinations, such as CLEP or DANTES.

Q: Do Bellevue University faculty have master's or doctoral degrees?

A: All Bellevue University online faculty have master's or doctoral degrees. Further, all have participated in Bellevue University's online learning school, which gives them the background and tools they need to be effective online teachers. Additionally, many of the online faculty currently work professionally in their area of teaching, so you can be assured they understand what's relevant to today's work world. Most recently, the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) awarded Bellevue University Gold for individual online teaching.

Q: How often do I have to be online for class?

A: Students must post homework assignments weekly. This assures us that you are assimilating the learning offered, can apply it to your work situation, and are keeping pace with your class. Most of our students logon far more than once a week, however. In fact, Bellevue University students have among the highest volume of online content posted by students.

When you log on during the week is entirely up to you. You choose the time of day or night - and from where you log on. You have total access to your class information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Q: What if I need study references?

A: You have access to one of the largest academic libraries in the world - via your computer. Start with access to the Bellevue University library collection of more than 100,000 volumes, and 5,200 current periodical titles. You also can access many more reference works through Internet Subscription Databases and reciprocal agreements with numerous other libraries - all available online 24/7.

Q: What kind of computer do I need? What if I'm not a techie?

A: You need not be computer-savvy to study online at Bellevue University. Our Cyber-Active® Learning Classroom is easy to enter and easy to participate in. And, if you need technical assistance, our Online Learning Student Service Representatives are available for support.

Bellevue University's online classes are delivered through an easy-to-use, web-based course management tool. You will need a computer with a minimum 64MB RAM, Windows 98® or higher, Mac OS 10.2 or higher, an Internet provider, and an email address to access the web.

Q: How much is tuition at Bellevue University?

A: The online bachelor's degree completion program - comprised of the 36-hour major - costs $11,670 ($330 per semester credit hour.) The Kirkpatrick Signature Series 9-hour cluster course costs $330 per semester credit hour, as do other individual online courses.

Online graduate tuition is $405 per semester credit hour. Graduate cohort programs (15-month or 18-month, 36-hour programs such as the Master of Arts in Management) cost $13,470 for the entire program.

Compare Bellevue University's online tuition rates to those of other colleges and universities and you will find that we are among the most affordable online.

Q: What if I need financial aid?

A: Bellevue University works very hard to assure that financial need is not a deterrent for anyone seeking a college education. Nearly 70% of our undergraduate students receive financial aid of one kind of another. Our financial aid specialists will work with you to help assure you receive the financial aid to which you are entitled.