Livingstone College is a private college located in North Carolina. Founded as the Zion Wesleyan Institute in 1879, it opened in Concord and spent a few years offering classes to locals before moving to Salisbury. Established by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, it was one of the first colleges in North Carolina that catered to African American students. The church changed the name of the school to Livingstone College to pay homage to David Livingstone. Livingstone was a Scottish missionary who did a lot of work in Africa. The college now has a 272-acre campus that includes a large historic district comprised of some of its oldest buildings.
Many know Livingstone College because it is one of several historically all black colleges still operating in the United States. Though the majority of its student body are African American, the college also accepts students from other ethnic backgrounds. Some of its graduates played professional sports, worked in education and wrote popular books. The college offers lots of opportunities for students including a guest lecturer series, which brings in speakers from around the world. Many of the 1,300 enrolled students living in one of the dorms or complexes on the Livingstone College campus.
Livingstone College Accreditation Details
Before you even think about applying to a university, you should make sure that it has regional accreditation. Regional accreditation means that it has the approval of an organization to offer college degrees to students. Livingstone College has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). With SACS accreditation, you will also find that it’s easier to transfer the credits you earned at another college and to get financial aid. Despite being a small college, Livingstone also sought program accreditation from some of the top professional organizations. It has accreditation for its social work program from the Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation. This type of accreditation makes it easier for students to qualify for jobs as social workers after graduating. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education also accredited its teaching program, which prepares students for working with elementary, junior high or high school students.
Livingstone College Application Requirements
Livingstone College requires that all incoming students have either a high school diploma or a GED, and it asks for proof of that diploma. Though it has a rolling admissions policy that allows students to apply at any point during the year, it asks that students complete an application at least 30 days before the start of the next semester. You can find this application online. The college requires that you create a new account with a password and user name of your choosing. This allows you to log in and out of the system, which will save your progress. After completing the application, you must pay a $25 fee for the college to process your application.
Though the college does not ask for a test score, it does ask for a final transcript from your high school. This transcript must include your full name, the date that you graduated and your class ranking. You’ll also need to fill out the police record check form, which authorizes the college to do a criminal background check on you. Livingstone College uses this check to weed out students convicted of felonies and other crimes, which helps keep other students safe. If accepted into the college, you must also fill out and file the FAFSA and pay a $200 deposit. This deposit covers your enrollment fee and the cost of making a key for your dorm room. Those not living on campus pay a smaller fee.
Tuition and Financial Aid
A full-time student must take 12 credits each semester. Livingstone College charges the same tuition rate for those taking 12 credits as it does for those taking up to 18 credits. This comes out to just over $7,500 a semester. The college offers book rentals through its campus bookstore to help students save on the cost of textbooks. It estimates that students pay around $200 for books each semester. Paying for books, other fees and tuition will leave you paying close to $18,000 a year. Those living in campus housing will pay an additional $6,500 a year for both room and board.
Once you receive an acceptance letter, you can create your own student account on the website. This lets you log in to find out whether you qualify for financial aid after completing the FAFSA. Financial aid is available in the form of loans and grants, but the college also has a work-study program open for incoming students. Livingstone College will provide you with information regarding your aid package online and send a letter to your home address too.
Student Experience
Livingstone College has the right to offer three types of degrees: a Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts. To earn a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management, you must take classes through its Division of Business. This program prepares you for working in management and leadership positions, including working as an athletic coach or trainer, teaching physical education or running a sports complex. You’ll also learn the skills and knowledge that will help you succeed in a graduate program later. As there are fewer than 20 students enrolled in this program, you can look forward to learning directly from your professors and smaller class sizes too.
Students in this program spend time in the William Johnson Trent Gymnasium. Built in 1947 and renovated multiple times over the years, it includes classes, offices and facilities for games. Livingstone College was home to the first collegiate football game between two African American teams, and students are just as excited about the college’s sports teams today. Sport management students can watch or participate in NCAA sports like basketball, football, volleyball, track and field or golf.
The sport management program allows students to take both business classes and courses from other departments. Some of its required courses include sport media and communication and current issues in sport management. The main core in this program includes many business classes like principles of economics, introduction to business and business policy. Livingstone College also allows students to take classes like sport finance and sport marketing.
Related Resource: What Can I Do with a Golf Course Management Degree?
