Located in Salisbury, North Carolina, Catawba College is a small private college that offers a focus on the liberal arts. The North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church founded the college in Newton in 1851 and named it Catawba after the same county that surrounded the college. To stay afloat during the Civil War, when fewer students could afford to attend, the college functioned as a high school. It discontinued its high school classes in 1885 and went back to a standard college campus. Though originally a school for men, it admitted women in 1890 and moved to its current location in the 1950s. Catawba College now has an affiliation with the United Church of Christ, which is the successor to the church that helped found the college.
Catawba offers a combination of undergrad degree programs, minors and special programs that are available from some of the learning centers on its campus. It offers more than 70 minors for undergrad students that include environmental science, education, sociology, business and sacred music. The honors program is open to incoming freshmen who have a 3.5 or higher grade point average and scored 25 or higher on the ACT or at least 1150 on the SAT. Enrollment at Catawba is around 1,300 students, and the college has an acceptance rate of below 40%.
Catawba College Accreditation Details
The only type of specialty or program accreditation that Catawba College has comes from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NTATE), which covers both its bachelor program in education as well as its programs at the graduate level. This type of accreditation shows that it teacher education program fully prepares students for working in the education field. Catawba College also has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS accreditation is especially important for students who may want to transfer credits to or from Catawba as well as those who need financial aid.
Catawba College Application Requirements
As Catawba College has such a low acceptance rate, you should find out what admission requirements in has in place and what it looks for in new students. The college recommends that students take four units of English, two units of foreign language and three units each of math, social science and laboratory science classes while in high school. At least one of the math classes you take should be algebra II or a higher math course that better prepares you for the advanced math classes required in college. Accepted students typically have an SAT score of 910 or higher or score at least 19 on the ACT, and the majority of students have a 3.11 GPA or higher. Those with a GPA of above 3.25 can sign up for the Catawba testing program, which lets them take multiple tests to determine where they should start in different subjects and whether they can skip certain introductory classes.
Other requirements include the completion of the online application, which you can usually finish in around 60 minutes. The college asks for some paperwork to document the facts you stated on the application. You’ll need to submit a high school transcript, proof that you passed the GED or a certified diploma that shows you earned your diploma through an adult education program. Catawba College also requires an official ACT or SAT score, though if you have a GPA of 3.25 or higher, you can submit an educational resume in lieu of a test score. The college may also ask for a personal essay statement of between 500 and 600 words.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at Catawba College starts at just under $30,000 a year. When you add the cost of a meal plan and dorm room, you’ll spend a little over $40,000 a year to attend this North Carolina college. This tuition figure applies to all full-time students, but if you enroll as a part-time student, you pay a rate per credit hour. Most programs charge $360 per credit hour, but some programs charge more or less. A full-time student must take no more than 12 credit hours of courses in a single semester.
Catawba College has its own payment plan that lets you enroll after paying a set amount of money, and you’ll then pay more on your tuition each semester. Students can also take out alternative students loans, but the college recommends that students fill out the FAFSA first. Students may qualify for an educational grant worth $1,000 or a Pell grant of a higher amount as well as subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. North Carolina offers two scholarship programs for residents of the state who have more financial need, and the college itself has merit scholarships available for students. The college will also accept the PLUS loans that are available to parents of college students.
BS in Sport Management
Getting a degree in sport management from Catawba College lets you explore the world of sports in North Carolina and other states. Its BS in Sport Management program includes the same general education requirements as other programs. You’ll take courses in math, science, communications, social sciences and humanities to get a better background in those subjects. The program includes 54 required credits in courses like sport philosophy and ethics, management of sport facilities, principles of management, principles of marketing and fundamentals of speech. You will also take classes on sport psychology, journalism and management information systems. The program includes two electives in sport management that you can choose from courses that include business law, recreation management and legal environment of business.
All sport management students do an internship that is worth six credits. The college can help you find a place to work during the school year or over your summer break. Many students work for one of the professional sports organizations around the state, but you can also work in an athletic complex, for a small school or with an athletic trainer. Students must also complete some apprentice work and take a seminar course. During the seminar, you’ll have the chance to study and learn more about an advanced management subject and then design a paper or project around the subject that you submit at the end of the semester. Catawba College encourages sport management student to get experiences outside of their classes.
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