ADAMS STATE COLLEGE
Alamosa, Colorado
The College
Adams State College is dedicated to offering a high-quality education with a personal touch. The academic and social atmosphere of the campus allows each student to feel at home. The College has excellent physical facilities. Attractive academic buildings are complemented by a complete and comfortable College Center. The student body is composed of individuals from various ethnic and racial backgrounds. The fall 2003 enrollment was 2,668, including 677 graduate students. Forty percent of the undergraduate students are men. The dignity of each person as an individual is paramount, and equal consideration is extended to all. The close working relationship between students and the members of the faculty and administration is indicative of the importance of the individual at Adams State. At the graduate level, Adams State offers programs leading to the Master of Arts degree in elementary education, guidance and counseling, secondary education, special education/moderate needs (level one), art, and physical education.
Adams State College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and the National Association of Schools of Music. The College is an institutional member of the American Council on Education and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. It is approved by the American Association of University Women. Adams State is also a member of the North Central Conference on Summer Schools, the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, and the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
Location
The College is located in the city of Alamosa, which has a population of approximately 9,000. Alamosa is in the center of the San Luis Valley, about 220 miles south and slightly west of Denver. The city is located at the junction of U.S. Highways 160 and 285 on the route of the Old Navajo Trail. Both bus and airline services are available to and from Alamosa. The College is located close to the art centers at Taos and Santa Fe and near excellent recreational opportunities for hiking, mountain climbing, rafting, fishing, and hunting. The Wolf Creek ski area is within an hour's drive of the campus. The San Luis Valley is almost level and is larger than the state of Connecticut. It is surrounded by ranges of mountains that rise more than 6,500 feet above the elevation of Alamosa, which is 7,500 feet above sea level. In the beautiful Sangre de Cristo range to the east, majestic Mount Blanca towers 14,363 feet above sea level. This mountain is nearly equaled in height and is rivaled in beauty by the rugged Crestone Peak and Crestone needles in the same range. The Continental Divide, winding through the San Juan mountain range, is the western boundary of the valley. The floor of the valley is occupied by fertile grain and vegetable farms and extensive grazing lands. Through the center of the valley flows the Rio Grande del Norte.
Majors and Degrees
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees are awarded in art (emphasis in art education, art history, ceramics, design, drawing, fiber, metalsmithing, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture), biology (emphasis required in molecular cell biology, organismal, science education, or wildlife), business administration (emphasis required in accounting, advertising, business education, economics, finance, general business, management, management information systems, marketing, preinternational business, or small business), chemistry (emphasis in allied health, biochemistry, chemical physics, or science education), elementary education licensure, English (emphasis required in communications: print/radio, liberal arts, or secondary teacher licensure), exercise physiology and leisure science (emphasis in coaching, sport and exercise management, or teacher licensure), geology (emphasis in secondary education), history/government (emphasis in history, government, or social studies education), mathematics (emphasis in computer science or math education), music (emphasis in music education, K12, or performance), psychology, selected studies (emphasis in liberal arts), sociology (emphasis in criminology, general sociology, and social welfare), Spanish (emphasis in foreign language for secondary teacher licensure), and speech/theater (emphasis in secondary teacher licensureEnglish education). A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program is offered. Associate of Arts degree programs are also available. Preprofessional studies are offered in architectural engineering, dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, optometry, osteopathy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and veterinary medicine.
Academic Programs
The academic year is divided into fall and spring semesters. Normally, the baccalaureate degree is earned in eight semesters, while the Associate of Arts degree is earned in four. The associate degree is conferred upon completion of an approved curriculum with a total of 60 hours of academic credit and, in some A.A. programs, 2 additional hours of credit in physical education activities. The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree is conferred upon completion of an approved curriculum with a total of 120 hours of academic credit plus 2 to 4 semester hours of credit in physical education activities. A minimum cumulative scholastic average of 2.0 must be earned in all courses taken at Adams State College for the A.A., B.S., and B.A. degrees in all areas except teacher education, for which a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 must be earned in all work attempted. All requirements of the general education courses and the major must be satisfied. Students transferring from a two-year college must earn at least 60 additional semester hours to graduate from Adams State College with a bachelor's degree. Opportunities are available for independent study, special-topics courses, and discussion groups on current issues.
Off-Campus Programs
A number of low-cost tours to nearby points of historical, archaeological, and ethnological interest are arranged by the College, usually in the spring and summer months.
Academic Facilities
The library, which serves as a government depository, has 142,624 books, 38,226 bound periodicals, 297,484 government documents, 706,547 ERIC microfiche, and 15,250 other nonbook items.
A state-of-the-art science and mathematics building opened in 1998. An art building opened in fall 2000, and a theater building opened in fall 2001.
Costs
For the 200405 academic year, the approximate comprehensive cost of tuition, fees, room, and board for residence hall students who are Colorado residents was $8600. For nonresident students, the approximate cost was $14,200. Married student housing units, with utilities furnished, were available at about $375 per month.
Financial Aid
Opportunities for financial aid are provided through scholarships, grants, loan funds, and part-time employment. Entering freshmen may gain consideration for all types of financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submitting it by March 1 of the year of expected fall enrollment. Scholarships (entitled National Scholarships) are available for nonresidents of Colorado who reside in Adams State residence halls. The value of each of these scholarships is one half the cost of nonresident tuition for one year (approximately $2800). To be eligible for one of these scholarships, an entering freshman must have ranked in the top third of his or her high school graduating class or ranked in the top third on the ACT or SAT I (national norms for ACT composite or SAT I combined scores). Transfer students may qualify for the scholarship if they have maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher for 12 or more semester hours of academic credit.
Faculty
Adams State College has 101 full-time faculty members. Of these, 90 hold a doctorate and 11, a master's degree. Faculty members have received degrees from more than 100 colleges and universities. In addition to carrying out their teaching assignments, faculty members serve as counselors and advisers and as members of many committees.
Student Government
Each student at Adams State College becomes a member of the Associated Students and Faculty organization upon registration. The organization was founded to promote cooperation between students and faculty members of the College. The general social life, social programs, and other student activities are directed by this organization. Elected officers and representatives of the student body and elected faculty members form the Associated Students and Faculty Senate, which regulates matters pertaining to student life.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to a bachelor's degree program should meet the following criteria: a class rank in the upper two thirds of their high school graduating class or a grade point average of at least 2.0 and a composite ACT score of at least 21 or a combined SAT I score of at least 970. Students ranking in the lower third of their high school graduating class and who have less than a 2.0 average may be considered for admission to the A.A. degree program under the condition that they may be required to register for remedial classes. Upon successful completion of at least one semester of academic work at Adams State College with a minimum 2.0 grade point average, an A.A. student may transfer to the baccalaureate degree program. Prospective transfer students must have at least a 2.3 average to be unconditionally accepted for admission to Adams State College. Those not meeting this criterion are considered individually. In the case of repeated courses, honor points for grade point averages are compiled on the basis of performance in the repeat.
Application and Information
Applications for admission to Adams State should be completed well in advance of the beginning of the semester to which admission is sought. Applications received less than thirty days prior to the beginning of a semester may cause a delay in registration. Freshman applicants must submit the application for undergraduate admission to Colorado collegiate institutions, which is available from most Colorado high school counselors or from the Adams State College Admissions Office. The freshman applicant should submit this completed application along with a nonrefundable $20 application fee and have his or her high school mail a copy of the high school transcript directly to the Admissions Office at Adams State. The student should also submit ACT or SAT I scores to the Admissions Office. Transfer applicants must also submit the application for undergraduate admission to Colorado collegiate institutions and a nonrefundable $20 application fee. In addition, the student must request that all colleges previously attended forward transcripts to support the student's request for admission. If the student has completed fewer than 12 semester hours of credit, he or she must also submit an official high school transcript and ACT or SAT I scores. Application forms, financial aid forms, and other information are mailed upon request. Inquiries should be made to:
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