Shorter University is a small private and liberal arts university with a campus in Rome, Georgia. Founded in 1873 as the Cherokee Baptist Female College, it originally offered classes just for women. After a local couple named Shorter donated a large sum of money to the college, it became Shorter College to show respect for that couples. Classes did not meet on Mondays or Tuesdays, but students had the chance to study math, science and other technical classes that many female colleges at the time did not offer. The college began accepting males in the 1950s and quickly built residence halls to house those students. It has an affiliation with the Georgia Baptist Convention, which helps run the university.
All students enrolling in Shorter University must sign two documents. One of those shows that they have a commitment to their faith. The second is an official contract that forbids students from engaging in certain activities. They cannot use or have illegal drugs, drink alcohol around other students or engage in certain types of sexual activities. Any student caught violating any of these rules face expulsion. Many students willingly sign these contracts because they want to attend a university that lets them focus more on their faith and religious beliefs as they earn a degree.
Shorter University Accreditation Details
Though Shorter University is a religious university, it has the type of regional accreditation usually found on secular campuses. This regional accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS accreditation is perfect for students who want to transfer credits back to the campus. They can take summer classes on a campus closer to their own homes and transfer those credits back in the fall. SACS accreditation also qualifies students for federal and state financial aid, though students must still complete the FAFSA and list Shorter University on that form.
Shorter also has two types of specialty accreditation. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited its degree program in nursing, which allows students to gain practical nursing experience before they graduate. Its programs in music, which include performing arts programs, have accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Shorter University Application Requirements
Students applying to Shorter University have the option of completing the application all at one time or coming back to fill out some sections later. Those who want to return to the application can click a save icon on the page. The university will send a key code to the student’s registered email address that he or she can use to log back in and pick up the application. Prospective students also have the option of creating an account and linking that account to the application. Those hoping to start in the fall must complete the application by May 1.
Once a student receives an acceptance letter, he or she must submit an intent to enroll form, pay a $100 enrollment fee and put down a $125 registration fee. The university asks those who want to live on campus to fill out a housing form that helps the school assign roommates. Students must also submit a final high school transcript. This transcript should match the class ranking, course list and GPA that the student supplied on his or her application. Home schooled students will need to submit an official document that describes the classes they took to ensure that they meet the basic requirements for attending college. Students may need to submit an ACT or SAT score too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergrads attending Shorter University can expect to pay around $21,300 a year for tuition alone. This includes a tuition rate of $310 per credit hours as well as activity and technology fees. The cost for students taking online classes is $350 per credit hour plus fees. Short estimates that students will spend around $31,000 a year to take a full course load and live on campus.
Shorter University offers a number of financial aid programs for certain types of students. Dependents of a parent or parents doing missionary work can apply for a scholarship to attend Shorter. A separate scholarship is open to minority students who are Hispanic or Latino. The Shorter Scholars program, which awards students more financial aid, is available for those who scored highly on one of the standardized tests and had a high GPA.
Students can also apply for traditional financial aid via the FAFSA. This form uses the tax records of the student’s parent, but student’s can use their own financial information in some cases. Many students attending Shorter receive some type of financial aid. The most common form of aid given is a grant, but students can also apply for subsidized government loans. There are loan programs open only to the parents of college students as well.
BBA in Sport Management
Shorter University offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Sport Management, better known as its BBA in Sport Management program. Designed for those who want to work closely with professional or amateur athletes, this program can help graduates work as event and recreation managers as well coaches and trainers. It emphasizes both the religious beliefs that students have as well as the business principles needed for working in sport management. Students must take six credits of courses on the Old and New Testaments, nine credits of history and social perspective classes, 12 credit hours of communications courses and three credit hours of art studies. Other general education requirements include classes on reasoning, health and wellness and the community.
This program requires that students take a total of 120 credits. They will take 31 credits of core business courses that include microeconomics, principles of financial accounting, principles of managerial accounting, statistics for business and principles of marketing. Students must also take a written exam that shows they have a good understanding of those topics before they can move on to the sport management program.
The 36 credits of sport management classes that students take include legal aspects of sport, ethics in sport and event and facility management. They must also take an internship that is worth 12 credits. Shorter University offers students the option of taking electives too like sport psychology, sport governance, sport economics, sport marketing and sport coaching.
