Columbia College

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Updated December 2, 2022 · 3 Min Read

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The Christian Female College was chartered in 1851 by the Missouri Legislature. Students began their day at 6 AM, gathering for chapel after their morning walk. After attending classes until late afternoon, they wrote a daily composition, studied and completed required chores before attending a Bible lecture each night. The school was the first women’s college west of the Mississippi chartered by state legislature. Courses included math, grammar, philosophy, composition, the five books of Moses, as well as ancient history and geography. By 1856, 150 students were enrolled at the college with 85 of them boarding at the school.

Unlike many institutes of higher learning, the college remained open during the Civil War due to the dedication of faculty members who continued teaching despite the understanding that they may not be paid for their services. During the years of the war, the college never missed a day of class. After the war, in 1866, the college experienced the largest enrollment since they opened with 182 students.

Under the direction of Luella St. Clair, one of the country’s first female presidents, the institution added four new buildings in 1891. They included St. Clair Hall, Dorsey Hall, Launer Auditorium ad Missouri Hall, which are still in use today.

In 1970, the school transitioned from a two-year, all-female institution to a four-year co-educational college and the name was changed to Columbia College. In 1973, it became one of the first colleges in the country to extend campuses to military bases in order to education military personnel at the request of the military. In 1975, much earlier than other colleges began doing so, Columbia College offered an Evening Campus, geared to adult learners who wanted to advance their education. In 2000, the college began offering online courses.

Today, there are more than 1,100 students attending the day campus and over 2,000 attending the evening campus. In addition, there are more than 6,000 online students and 1,600 graduate students enrolled at Columbia College. The college offers 77 undergraduate and graduate degrees and more than 800 undergraduate courses through the online program leading to 29 degrees.

Columbia College Accreditation Details

Columbia College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1918. Specific programs at the college are also accredited by specialized accrediting agencies.

Columbia College Application Requirements

Students who wish to attend the evening campus must complete an online application. New freshmen entering the school must rank in the 50th percentile in their class or on either the SAT or ACT. They must also have a 2.0 grade point average. Students who graduated from high school more than two years before application may not have to submit SAT or ACT scores. Transfer students must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and, if more than 24 college credits have been earned, may not have to provide high school transcripts.

Students who plan to attend the Day Camps must have a 2.5 or higher GPA. They must have a score of 21 or higher on the ACT, although an equivalent score on the SAT may be accepted, rank in the top half of their graduating class or have completed 12 units of college credit with a “C” or better.

Graduate programs have their own admission requirements. In general, students must have a grade point average of 3.0 in undergraduate studies and must provide official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. Students must provide three letters of recommendation, provide a personal statement of between 300 and 500 words plus a current resume.

Columbia College Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition is $275 per credit hour and graduate tuition is $375 per credit hour. Financial aid is available. In order to qualify, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which must be received by the college by March 1 for priority decisions and by April 1 to qualify for Missouri state aid. In order to remain qualified for financial aid, students must meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress in a degree program. Aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships and federal loan programs. The college may also assist in identifying state financial aid. Columbia College may also offer work-study programs to offset the cost of a student’s education. Federal parent loans are also available. Columbia College also accepts veteran’s benefits and employer-funded tuition.

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

Columbia College Online Degree(s) Available

Online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Students who choose the field of psychology seek to observe, describe, understand, predict and control the behavior of others through the psychological profile. Students at Columbia College who enter the online psychology program study courses that include:

  • Human development
  • Personality theory
  • Neuroscience
  • Learning
  • Memory and cognition
  • Emotion
  • Sensation and perception
  • Relationships
  • Abnormal behavior
  • Psychotherapy

Students may choose to either practical or experimental specializations. Practical specializations include clinical, school or counseling. Experimental specializations include neuroscience, developmental, social and cognitive. Students may also choose to minor in anthropology, criminology or women’s studies while earning their undergraduate degree in psychology.

Internships are required in order to complete the degree. This provides students with the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences. Internships must be approved by a full-time psychology instructor at least one semester prior to enrollment. A maximum of three hours of internship credits are permitted each semester with a maximum of six hours permitted during the entire degree program. Students must complete 45 hours of experiential work for each credit hour. Internships are not graded but are given a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory rating.

Students who have successfully completed the online degree have succeeded in obtaining careers in psychology or advancing in a position they already held. Others have continued their education at the graduate level with great success.

Columbia College lists many firsts in their long and storied history, being the first female college west of the Mississippi chartered by legislature, one of the first to appoint a female president and one of the first to offer evening classes for working adults who wanted to achieve their higher education goals. Today, Columbia College is ranked as one of the best colleges for veterans and U.S. News and World Report ranked them as one of the best online colleges in the country.

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