ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Montgomery, Alabama
The University
Founded in 1867 to make the dream of a college education a reality for thousands of Alabamians, Alabama State University (ASU) is America's oldest publicly assisted liberal arts institution for African Americans. Today, ASU has a record enrollment of approximately 6,025 students from thirty-seven states and nine countries. The University has more than 5,000 undergraduate students. Almost one third of the students are non-Alabamians, and 12 percent are minorities. ASU is the college of choice for a diverse student body who are able to choose from more than fifty bachelor's, master's, and educational specialist's degree programs and who go on to become preeminent surgeons, chemists, historians, lawyers, politicians, philosophers, musicians, engineers, filmmakers, business leaders, and educators.
Alabama State University offers a full array of NCAA intercollegiate sports throughout the year. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, and track. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, golf, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball.
ASU is divided into six major divisions. These areas include the College of Health Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Education, the School of Music, and University College. The College of Arts and Sciences is the University's largest college. Theater arts is directed by the nationally acclaimed actress Dr. Tommie Tonea Stewart; the biomedical research program serves future leaders in the health professions, and Department of Mathematics faculty members captured national recognition for having solved a 23-year-old math mystery. College of Business Administration graduates are climbing corporate ladders in Fortune 500 companies, as well as becoming thriving entrepreneurs. The College of Education is one of the nation's leading producers of African-American teachers. The School of Music's education students are in great demand for band- and choral-directing positions upon graduation. Interested students may become involved in one of many band and choral ensembles, including the Marching Hornets, University Choir, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and Jazz Band. University College serves as the point of entry for all ASU students. Students are aided in making the transition to college and are taught survival skills for college life.
Doctoral degrees in environmental biology and education are under development.
Location
Montgomery, the state's capital, has a metropolitan population of more than 320,000. Centrally located in the state and on the Alabama River, Montgomery is 2 hours from Atlanta, Georgia; 1 hours from Birmingham, Alabama; less than 3 hours from the beaches of Alabama and northwest Florida's Gulf Coast; and 4 hours from the scenic mountains of Tennessee and the Carolinas. The climate is moderate year-round. Among Montgomery's historic sites are the Civil Rights Memorial, Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, the first pulpit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the First White House of the Confederacy.
The city offers diverse entertainment, shopping, dining, living, and social venues. Area highlights include the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and Jasmine Hill Gardens.
Majors and Degrees
The bachelor's degree programs are offered in accounting, art, art education, banking and finance, biology, business economics, business education, business management and administration, chemistry, computer information systems, computer science, criminal justice, early childhood education, elementary education, English, French, graphic arts, health education, health information management, history, marine biology, marketing and purchasing, mathematics/engineering, music education, music performance, occupational therapy, parks and recreation management, physical education, physics, political science and government, print journalism, psychology, public relations, radio/television, secondary education, social work, sociology, Spanish, special education, speech, and theater arts. The University offers a dual-degree program in mathematics/engineering in cooperation with Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The list of studies in career fields includes bachelor's degree programs in health information management and occupational therapy and a graduate program in physical therapy. Students who seek a challenging career should also check into the division of aerospace studies, which awards numerous scholarships each year to cadets who are serious about becoming Air Force officers.
Academic Programs
As a liberal arts institution, the University seeks to provide students with a broad-based education that prepares them to be well-rounded and productive members of society. The academic year consists of two semestersfall semester and spring semesterand one summer term. Each of the two semesters lasts sixteen weeks. The fall semester generally begins in late August and ends in mid-December; the spring semester begins in early January and ends in early May.
The number of semester hours required for graduation varies with each program of study; however, a minimum of 120 semester hours is required for graduation. All ASU students must fulfill the required number of semester hours in a major as well as the core curriculum. Students are required to have a minimum grade point average of 2.2 (on a 4.0 scale) to be eligible for graduation.
The University's W.E.B.DuBois Honors Program offers a two-track interdisciplinary program with emphasis in the areas of humanities and math/science.
Students may gain advanced placement and college credit by participating in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program and the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
Off-Campus Programs
Alabama State University has five off-campus sites for students enrolled in graduate programs. In addition, the University has cross-enrollment agreements with two local universities, Auburn University at Montgomery and Troy State University Montgomery. These agreements allow students to take classes that may not be offered at ASU. Students who wish to study at other institutions for one academic year may also participate in the National Student Exchange Program.
Academic Facilities
ASU has a beautiful campus, with rolling lawns and flower gardens punctuated by an eclectic mix of Georgian-style, redbrick classroom buildings. The campus has architecturally contemporary structures, such as the state-of-the-art, 7,400-seat academic and sports facility known as the Joe L. Reed Acadome.
ASU reaches beyond the traditional university setting with several unique programs. WVAS-FM 90.7, the 80,000-watt, University-operated public radio station, is a real-world training ground for future broadcast journalists; the Zelia Stephens Early Childhood Center offers classroom instruction and student training; the Distance Learning Center allows students to take classes at off-campus locations; the Business and Technology Center functions as a small-business incubator; and the Center for Leadership and Public Policy grooms students for leadership positions.
The Levi Watkins Learning Center, a five-story brick structure, houses more than 267,000 volumes. The University is also the home of the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture. Programs in health information management and occupational therapy and a graduate program in physical therapy are housed in the new, three-story, 80,000-square-foot John L. Buskey Health Sciences Center.
Costs
Tuition and fees for 200405 were $4008 for Alabama residents and $8016 for out-of-state students. Students who reside on campus paid an average of $3700 for room and board. All students were required to pay a $200 housing deposit. Students should estimate their personal expenses for books, supplies, automobile registration, and other items to be $1200.
Financial Aid
More than 90 percent of the ASU students receive some form of financial assistance. The University awards more than 200 scholarships annually. Academic, diversity, athletic, music, band, choir, and theater scholarships are available. To apply for financial aid, students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who are interested in academic or diversity scholarships should contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment.
Faculty
Alabama State has a dynamic and diverse faculty. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1. This ratio allows for a great amount of faculty-student interaction. Sixty percent of the full-time faculty members have earned a doctorate or terminal degree.
Student Government
The Student Government Association (SGA) is a particularly rewarding aspect of student life at Alabama State University. Each student, upon enrollment at ASU, becomes a member of the SGA. The student body, through elected officials, has the opportunity to share in policymaking and the overall governance of the students, the general welfare, and student concerns at ASU. The SGA is the primary channel through which students can participate in decision making productively and effectively.
Admission Requirements
Alabama State University believes that the broadest academic experience in high school is the best pre(paration for admission to the University. In considering the academic record of an applicant, attention is given to the subjects studied and the grades received. The applicant's high school record should include 4 units in English, 3 in mathematics, 2 in social science, 2 in natural science, and 1 in a foreign language. High school graduates must have at least a 2.0 grade point average to be admitted. Transfer students must be eligible for readmission to the institution last attended. Transfer applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.2 to be admitted to the University.
Application and Information
To be considered for admission, a student must submit an application for admission, an official transcript, and ACT or SAT scores. The University has rolling admission. Students are notified within approximately three to four weeks after the application is complete. Students are encouraged to visit the campus; scheduled campus tours are available. Students should contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment for details. The University also sponsors two campus visitation days for prospective students and their parents to learn more about ASU and its offerings.
Students may obtain more information about ASU and apply for admission online at the Web address listed in this In-Depth Description. Students should contact:
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