Degrees Offered at The University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Great College Deals: Master of Public Administration Online.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) offers more than 200 degree programs. There are six divisions including:
- the Colleges of Arts and Sciences
- Business Administration
- Education
- Communication
- Fine Arts
- Media
Many individual courses are offered online along with eight graduate and eight undergraduate entire degrees. The Bachelor of Multidisciplinary Studies is one such program. This is a flexible program that is designed for nontraditional students over the age of 21. In this program, students can take 30 credit hours in an area of concentration and 12 hours in two secondary fields. Or they can take 15 hours in three areas of emphasis. Online concentration areas include:
- aviation studies
- information technology
- political science
- geography, among others
The College of Information Science and Technology includes 11 degrees in areas like:
- bioinformatics
- cybersecurity
- information technology
The Bachelor of Science in IT Innovation is an unrivaled program that combines:
- computer science
- business
- an area of emphasis
All students take a 48-hour IT core, including:
- IT Ethics
- Product Design
- Intro to Computer Science I and II
The 33-hour emphasis courses can be taken from any college on campus so students can tailor their degree to specific career goals. Students complete the program by planning and building a prototype of an original IT product in a 2-semester capstone.
The College of Public Affairs and Community Service also offers many popular degrees including the Master of Public Administration. This program consists of 39 credit hours. All students first complete core classes including:
- Analysis and Decision-Making
- Foundations of Public Service
- Public and Nonprofit Budgeting
In addition, the remaining 15 hours include electives and concentration courses in areas like:
- Emergency Management
- Local Government
- Public Policy
This program concludes with a capstone and can be completed online or on campus.
About The University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha began in 1908 as a Christian-based school with most of the early faculty members from the nearby Presbyterian Theological Seminary. In 1930, the school dropped its religious ties and became a public university. It moved from North Omaha to its present-day location in the central part of the city.
UNO has a total enrollment of around 15,000 students. All students have the opportunity to take part in experiential learning programs. Before graduation least 80% of its graduates complete:
- an internship
- a practicum
- a service-learning position
As the school grows, it is gaining recognition for excellence in a variety of fields. For example, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked UNO’s:
- graduate public affairs program as the 28th best in the nation
- #6 in Public Financing and Budgeting
- #11 in nonprofit management
- #15 in Local Government Management
The University of Nebraska at Omaha Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is the regional accreditation body responsible for evaluating colleges and universities in Nebraska and 18 other states in the region. Utilizing self-reporting, peer evaluations, and other monitoring methods, the HLC regularly judges each school against a variety of criteria ranging from the quality of education and faculty expertise to the management of funds and organizational structure. UNO first met all standards for accreditation in 1939 and most recently had this reaffirmed in 2018.
There are other professional associations that review specific programs within a school to ensure that students are adequately trained in a particular industry before graduation. At The University of Nebraska at Omaha, the following are some areas of study that have received this specialized certification.
- Business and accounting – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Counseling – Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Public administration – Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration
- Education – National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
The University of Nebraska at Omaha Application Requirements
Prospective freshman undergraduates to UNO need to:
- fill out an application online
- submit official transcripts and ACT or SAT scores
- pay the $45 application fee
To qualify for admission, first-year students need to graduate in the top half of their high school graduating class and have a composite score of at least 20 on the ACT or 1030 on the SAT. Transfer students must submit high school and college transcripts. They only need to send ACT or SAT scores if they have fewer than 24 transferable credits.
For graduate admission, all applicants must complete the Application for Graduate Admission. It’s on UNO’s admission portal. Send transcripts documenting completion of a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0. Accompanying the application must be:
- at least one letter of recommendation
- personal statement
- $45 fee
Additional requirements vary depending on the degree program and may include:
- GRE, MAT, or GMAT scores
- work experience
- a portfolio
- an interview
Applicants who do not meet GPA or standardized test cutoffs for graduate or undergraduate study are still welcome to apply and may receive provisional admission.
Tuition and Financial Aid
At The University of Nebraska at Omaha, tuition rates depend on residency status and degree program. The undergraduate in-state rate ranges from $223.25 to $289 per credit hour. Rates increase to between $600 and $836.50 for out-of-state students.
For graduate school, Nebraska residents can expect to pay $330 on average with non-residents paying around $850 per credit hour. The Metropolitan Advantage Program and Midwest Student Exchange Program offer discounted tuition at 1.5 times resident rates. Eligible are out-of-state students from 11 nearby Iowa counties and nine participating states.
Online instate tuition is $280 for undergraduate classes and about $350 for the graduate level. Out-of-state rates range from $365 to $650 for undergrad and $420 to $600 for graduate courses.
All students are encouraged to submit a FAFSA and visit with financial aid advisers to determine all available sources of funding including:
- scholarships
- grants
- loans
The University of Nebraska at Omaha offers merit and need-based scholarships like the Goodrich scholarship for undergraduates and the thesis and dissertation awards for graduates. There are also assistantship and fellowship opportunities.