Christian Brothers University was first founded in 1871 by Brother Maurelian and other De La Salle clergy members for high school and collegiate courses. By 1953, the college expanded to a four-year liberal arts curriculum and joined over 100 Lasallian institutions in the United States. As Memphis’ oldest degree granter, CBU is a comprehensive private, non-profit Roman Catholic institution devoted to “Character and Knowledge.” Annually, CBU enrolls more than 1,400 undergraduate and 325 post-graduate students in four academic schools. Christian Brothers University is located on a 76-acre urban campus in Midtown just four miles from downtown “Blues City” in southwest Tennessee.
According to the U.S. News, Christian Brothers is the 27th best regional college, ninth top value university, and 22nd best school for military veterans in the South. CBU placed fourth regionally for most campus ethnic diversity. Christian Brothers University was also selected among the “A+ Schools for B Students.” With a financial grade of “C,” Forbes ranked CBU as America’s 368th top private college and the South’s 148th best college. Consistently, the Princeton Review lists CBU within its “Best Southeastern” schools. Christian Brothers University was named the country’s 130th best master’s institution for social mobility and service in Washington Monthly.
Christian Brothers University Accreditation Details
Last reaffirmed in 2011, Christian Brothers University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) at Level III. This is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). Specific degrees have also earned programmatic accreditations from the:
• Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA)
Christian Brothers University Application Requirements
Getting into Christian Brothers University isn’t simple with the more selective acceptance rate of 49 percent. First-year students must be graduating high school seniors earning a diploma or GED equivalent. Following a competitive, college-prep curriculum with at least 16 combined units in English, math, science, history, and foreign language is required. Scoring at least 3 on AP or IB exams will qualify freshmen for credit. CBU students have an average secondary GPA of 3.73. More than half of admitted learners rank in the top 25 percent of their class. Freshmen also achieve a mean composite ACT score of 24.
Undergraduate transfers can move to CBU from other regionally accredited two- or four-year colleges. Transfer students must have completed at least one full-time semester with a minimum collegiate GPA of 2.5. Associate degree holders can follow the TN transfer pathway for accounting, art, business, English, history, or psychology. At least 30 credits must be completed in residence at Christian Brothers. International students must score above 520 (paper-based) or 68 (Internet-based) on the TOEFL. Graduate applicants must be finishing a four-year bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 credits. Official GRE or GMAT scores no more than five years old are required.
Christian Brothers University has a rolling admissions policy to continually accept completed online application forms with the following:
• $25 non-refundable application fee
• Official transcripts of all coursework
• Standardized testing score reports
• Documentation of English proficiency
• One or two recommendation letters
• Typed personal essay on career goals
Tuition and Financial Aid
Daytime undergraduate students will pay $14,658 per full-time semester at CBU. Part-time undergraduates are charged $1,050 per credit hour. Summer school tuition is an additional $430 each credit. Room and board is estimated to cost $3,500 (double occupancy) or $4,700 (single occupancy) per semester. Students must pay the $170 activity fee, $300 enrollment fee, $225 technology fee, and $100 experiential credit fee. Evening undergraduate programs have discounted rates for $395 per credit. Graduate tuition costs an average of $695 per credit hour. The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies bills a flat-rate $11,300 tuition per term.
Approximately 96 percent of full-time students at Christian Brothers University receive tuition assistance. Financial aid packages provide an average of $23,553 yearly. Exceptionally needy students could earn the Federal Pell Grant or FSEOG Grant. In-state residents should apply for the Tennessee Student Assistance Award or Educational Lottery Scholarship. There’s a need-based University Grant available too. With interest, students can borrow Federal Direct, Perkins, and Graduate PLUS loans for repayment. Active duty veterans qualify for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Federal Work-Study (FWS) is granted for 10 to 20 hours weekly. CBU scholarships are also numerous, such as the Lasallian Scholarship, Rozier Scholarship, Leadership Scholarship, and Latino Achievement Award.
Student Experience
Christian Brothers University is a Catholic, liberal arts academic powerhouse currently offering 39 undergraduate and eight graduate programs. In the School of Business, there’s a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Sport Management available. This four-year program covers a wide spectrum of sports-related topics, including facility management, ticket sales, sponsorship, marketing, financial management, and athletic administration. For graduate students, the 35-credit Cohort MBA offers a concentration in Sports Management also. Over 27 months, working professionals conveniently attend courses one evening per week. CBU has a student-faculty ratio of 10:1 to closely interact with full-time, tenured faculty.
Learning expands outside the classroom for CBU sport management majors. Both BSBA and MBA students are required to complete field practicum. The university has connections with the Memphis Grizzlies, Nike, Bass Pro Shops, ESPN, CBS Sports, Memphis Redbirds, and other sporting organizations for great industry experience. Christian Brothers MBA students can join the New Memphis Fellows program for a 12-month Community Action Project. As part of the Lasallian Consortium, there are study abroad options to Australia, Brazil, England, Italy, South Africa, and more. The newly renovated Canale Arena and Swashbuckler Fitness Center also afford hands-on sports management training.
There are nearly 50 campus-based clubs for students to engage with. The Lasallian Collegians, Young Ladies United, Tau Beta Pi, Muslim Students Association, and Food Recovery Network are just a few offered. Student-athletes can play for the CBU Buccaneers in the Division II Gulf South Conference. From volleyball to cross country and soccer, 17 intercollegiate varsity teams compete. The men’s soccer team is essentially known for winning consecutive Conference titles in 2011 and 2012. Christian Brothers University also has fun intramurals like bowling, ping pong, sloshball, and three-on-three basketball.
