Degrees and Programs Available at Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Great College Deals: Master of Public Administration Online.
Located in Virginia, Old Dominion University offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Many of the university’s undergraduate programs are available online, including those in:
- communication
- civil engineering technology
- occupational training
- special education
The special education is one of the programs available for future teachers. Students can also choose from interdisciplinary studies programs with an emphasis on elementary or secondary education. Some of the other majors available for undergrads at Old Dominion University include:
- Applied Kinesiology
- Biology
- Wetland Biology
- Theater Education
- Sport Management
- Print and Photo Media
- Sociology
Graduate students have multiple majors and programs open as well. The university offers an aerospace engineering program that looks at the engineering and construction of aircraft. In the athletic training program, students learn how they can become licensed trainers and work with patients recovering from injuries. The college counseling program prepares students for helping clients get ready for college and with any of the needs they have in university.
Majors for graduate students include:
- community health
- curriculum and instruction
- engineering management
- public health
Old Dominion University also offers dual enrollment for high school students. They can take classes on the Norfolk campus or online that count as credit for both high school and college. The university provides students with transcripts that help them transfer those credits if they decide to attend a different school after they graduate.
Students typically take classes such as Introduction to Political Science and other classes that they would usually take in their freshmen years. They also have the option of taking advanced courses later. Old Dominion accepts both high school juniors and seniors.
About Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a public university also known as ODU and Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia. The history of the university dates back to 1930. The College of William & Mary established the Norfolk Division in the city as a way to reach more students. More than 200 students signed up for classes and studied in a former elementary school. Established as a two-year college, the school would outgrow the original facility within a few years and lead to the two schools breaking apart. The former Norfolk Division became Old Dominion College in 1962 and ODU in 1969.
ODU launched distance education programs in 1994 that use a satellite system to stream and deliver content to students in schools and study centers across the nation. Many of the early programs allowed high school students to take college classes from their campuses. There are now close to 50 partner locations where students can take these classes. These include some locations on military bases. ODU also offers traditional online classes for both current college and high school students. Washington Monthly, Forbes and U.S. News and World Report all rank ODU as one of the best schools in the nation. Time included Old Dominion on a list of the best schools in the world.
Old Dominion University Accreditation Details
Old Dominion has accreditation for its dental hygiene, physical therapy, nursing and other programs from organizations that include the:
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NACTE)
- American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
- American Dental Association (ADA)
The university also holds regional accreditation, which is in good standing and comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). That type of accreditation is one of the requirements for students seeking financial aid who will use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Old Dominion University Application Requirements
Both incoming undergrads and high school students will apply to ODU in the same way ODU has an early action deadline of December first but uses a rolling admissions policy that continues accepting students who apply later in the year. The university asks for:
- a $50 application fee
- the completed application
- either a high school or GED transcript
- ACT or SAT scores
Students with a grade point average at or above 3.3 do not need to submit a test score. Those applying for dual enrollment may not need to submit a score either. The university accepts optional documents from students who want to submit them, including:
- one to three letters of recommendation
- an essay of up to 400 words
- and/or an activity resume.
To help graduate students with the application process, ODU offers a requirement by program list that shows the information needed by each program. Students must submit the ODU application and pay an application fee. They also need to submit transcripts from the schools where they received their bachelor’s degrees. The other information that programs may require include:
- GRE score or a score from another entrance exam
- Personal essay
- Writing sample
- One to three references with their contact information
- Resume
- A recommendation form completed by a department head or advisor
Tuition and Financial Aid
The cost of attending ODU depends on whether students are residents of Virginia or another state. In-state residents pay $356 per credit hour for their classes. Nonresidents pay $1,028 per credit hour. Students pay the same rate when they take classes on any ODU campus and when they take online classes.
Graduate students pay $547 per credit hour as a Virginia resident and $1,383 per credit hour as a nonresident. ODU also offers a military discount that reduces the rate for any active duty student to $250 per credit hour while enrolled in an undergraduate program. Students also pay various fees based on where they take classes and how many credits they take.
ODU encourages students who need financial aid to look at scholarships and other awards before they submit the FAFSA. Undergrads who agree to join ROTC and meet requirements such as passing a physical exam qualify for a scholarship that covers all four years of a bachelor’s program. The university also has scholarships based on the needs and merits of all incoming students.
Graduate students and undergrads can qualify for work-study. Grad students can also get TEACH grants and unsubsidized and PLUS loans. There are also assistant positions that include administrative, research and teaching positions for grad students. Students in any of the degree programs at Old Dominion University can get loans and other awards as part of their financial aid packages too.