Degree Options at the University of Colorado at Denver
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The University of Colorado at Denver awards more than 1,700 graduate degrees each year, as well as many additional undergraduate degrees. The university is the state’s only urban research university. It offers more than 100 degree options. Popular programs at the university include those in:
- business
- health professions
- the social sciences
- biology
- the visual and performing arts
Students can enroll in:
- bachelor’s programs
- master’s programs
- Ph.D. programs
- certificates programs
The university offers many more than 500 classes each summer. Some of the areas of interest available at the university include:
- architecture
- business
- communications
- computers
- criminology
- cultural diversity
- education
- engineering
- environmental sciences
- health & wellness
- the humanities.
Degrees at the University of Colorado at Denver are housed in eight different colleges and schools that include:
- the College of Architecture and Planning
- the School of Education & Humanities
- the Business School
- the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- the College of Engineering, Design and Computing
- the School of Public Affairs
- the Graduate School
Prospective students who have not yet earned their high school diploma do have options for taking classes at the university through its dual enrollment programs. The university’s pre-collegiate programs are also an excellent option for current high school students. Students can participate in several college-level activities while still enrolled in high school. These include Saturday events that teach skills like:
- test prep
- communication
- note-taking
The university’s Pre-Collegiate Development Program is another option for high school students. Students enroll in academic courses designed to enhance their application for college. Highly motivated students can also join the CU Denver Scholars Program. This helps first-generation students who want to go to college enroll in college courses during their senior year of high school.
About the University of Colorado at Denver
The University of Colorado at Denver is a member of the University of Colorado school system. It has two official campuses in downtown Denver and in Aurora. The Aurora location is the site of the Anschutz Medical Campus. The Denver location is the Auraria Campus. The two campuses were once two distinct schools but were merged in 2004 into the present-day university. The combined campuses cover 352 acres in the Denver area.
There are nearly 19,000 students attending the university with more than 4,000 academic staff employed at the campus. The university’s official colors are black and gold. The sports teams are nicknamed the Lynxes with a mascot named Milo. In addition to its campus-based classes, students may also enroll in classes via CU Online from anywhere. The university’s hospital sees more than half a million patients each year pass through its clinics.
University of Colorado at Denver Accreditation Details
The University of Colorado at Denver was first regionally accredited in 1913 by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It’s is a member institution of the Higher Learning Commission and an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Students who attend a regionally accredited school can apply for federal student aid and transfer their credits to and from the institution while enrolled in college.
The School of Pharmacy at the University of Colorado at Denver was first accredited in 1938. It gained full accreditation status in 1995 when it started offering a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree. The Business School at the university is accredited by AACSB International. It also has distinct and separate accreditation for its accounting programs. Many of the school’s various nursing programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
The University of Colorado at Denver Application Requirements
Admission requirements for students who want to attend the University of Colorado at Denver as first-year students include 17 units of recommended classes that must be completed in high school. Those units include classes in:
- English
- science
- math
- a foreign language
The university will consider the academic rigor of the student’s high school curriculum, as well as the mixture of courses and extracurricular activities.
For students admitted to the university, high school GPA scores generally range from 2.59 to 3.42 on a 4.00 scale. ACT scores tend to range from 17 to 22, and SAT scores usually sit between 920 and 1110. Students are considered freshmen for admissions purposes if they’ve earned fewer than 24 college-level credit hours and have a high school diploma.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for undergraduate students who are residents of Colorado is $9,782 per year. Thiis is based on an expected course load of 12 credit hours per term. Non-residents of Colorado will pay tuition of $26,047 per year. The university notes that the full cost of tuition is based somewhat on the classes in which a student is enrolled and any additional fees that may come into play for the program.
For graduate students, Colorado resident tuition is $10,910 per year, which is also based on a credit load of 12 units per term. For non-residents, the tuition rate is $31,982 per year. One of the unique features of the tuition charged at the University of Colorado at Denver is the university’s participation in the state’s College Opportunity Fund. This program offers stipends to in-state students who attend public colleges in Colorado.
Each year, the university offers its students $30 million in scholarships and grant packages. The average financial aid award to undergraduate students at the university who have a financial need is $7,000. Almost three-quarters of students receive some type of financial aid at the university. Students can also qualify for more than $10 million in additional financial aid offered by the individual schools and colleges within the university.
Although Colorado students receive the lowest tuition rates when attending the university, some out-of-state students may qualify for participation in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. This allows non-residents to qualify for tuition discounts. Students from other states who want to attend the University of Colorado at Denver should inquire with the university for more information on the WICHE program.