HESSER COLLEGE
Manchester, New Hampshire
The College
The primary purpose of Hesser College is to provide a high-quality education that is personalized, cost-effective, and employment oriented. Hesser's innovative approach to higher education provides students with increased flexibility compared to traditional colleges. After two years of college, students earn an associate degree and are prepared to enter the workplace, or if they prefer, students can continue their studies in one of Hesser's bachelor's degree programs.
Hesser College was established in 1900 as Hesser Business College, a private, nonsectarian college. Since 1972, Hesser College has expanded and enriched its curriculum in keeping with its tradition of providing an affordable career education of high quality. The physical building encompasses more than fifteen different businesses, all of which create the Hesser Center of Commerce and Education. This is an unusual and beneficial partnership of business and education.
Hesser College is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The association is the official accrediting agency for schools and colleges in the six New England states and is widely considered to hold the strictest academic standards. Students who choose Hesser College are assured of a high-quality education.
Nearly 85 percent of the students work in the afternoons, evenings, or weekends while attending Hesser College. The 890 men and women currently enrolled represent several states and more than fifteen countries. A large part of the student population is from the New England region.
Hesser offers intercollegiate sports in men's and women's basketball and volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's baseball, and women's softball. The basketball and volleyball teams have consistently been a major power in the Northern New England Small College Conference. Students also participate in a number of intramural sports programs. Extracurricular activities are varied and include social activities, clubs, trips, and programs in the residence halls. A freshman orientation program is conducted each fall before classes begin.
The College has developed a number of learning assistance programs to help students succeed in their studies. Tutoring and special classes are provided by the faculty throughout each semester. In addition, several departments offer honors programs and special opportunities for independent study. The College also sponsors an active chapter of the national honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, which promotes scholarship and service to the College and the community.
Location
Hesser College is located in Manchester, New Hampshire. With a population of more than 100,000, Manchester is a medium-sized city that offers many cultural, historical, and social events. Hesser's central location provides easy access to entertainment, shopping, and a variety of part-time jobs and academic work experiences.
Manchester was recently named by Money magazine as the number one small city in the Northeastern United States. In addition, Manchester was recently named one of the best cities in the United States for business. According to U.S. News & World Report, it is at the hub of things in the fast-growing high-technology and financial industries of southern New Hampshire.
Manchester is within 1 hour of Boston, and the mountains and major ski resorts are within 1 to 2 hours of Hesser's campus. Manchester has been called the Gateway to Northern New England, and several major carriers serve the Manchester Airport.
Majors and Degrees
Hesser offers a wide range of programs that prepare students for high-demand careers. Associate degree programs include accounting; business administration; business computer applications; business science/individualized studies; communications and public relations; corrections, probation, and parole; early childhood education; graphic design; human services; interior design; law enforcement; liberal studies; marketing; medical assistant studies; medical office management; paralegal studies; physical therapist assistant studies; psychology; radio and video production and broadcasting; small-business management/entrepreneurship; and sport management.
In addition, Hesser College offers Bachelor of Science degree programs in accounting, business administration, and criminal justice.
Academic Programs
The primary goal of the curriculum is to prepare students for success in specific career areas. The general education requirements are designed to provide the skills necessary for career growth and lifelong learning. Internships, practicums, and opportunities for part-time work experience are available in all majors. An education from Hesser College provides a solid career foundation. The College's goal is quite simple: to prepare people for careers and career advancement.
Many of the Hesser College programs are for the career-minded student who wants to concentrate on the skills required to be successful in the workplace. Seventy-five percent of the courses that students take are directly related to their career choices.
Hesser College follows a traditional semester calendar.
Off-Campus Programs
The College offers opportunities for cooperative education and internships in most of its academic programs. The early childhood education program includes practicums and supervised fieldwork in the freshman and senior years, utilizing a variety of child-care facilities. In addition, the curricula of several programs incorporate short-term study tours: business program students study on a trip to Walt Disney World and criminal justice program students study on a trip to Washington, D.C. The physical therapist assistant studies program requires students to participate in at least 265 hours of clinical experience in a health-care setting under the direct supervision of a certified instructor or therapist. The medical assistant studies program requires 120 externship hours.
Hesser College has relationships with many businesses, and internship sites have been located in the Hesser Center of Commerce and Education, in nearby downtown Manchester, and throughout the region.
Academic Facilities
The academic facilities located within the Hesser Commerce and Education Center include five computer labs, a Mac-based graphic design lab, a medical assistant lab, a physical therapist assistant lab, and a radio/video production lab. The College library contains more than 30,000 titles. The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment provides special tutoring and programs in study skills, reading, writing, math, and computer skills.
Costs
Part-time students are billed at the rate of $396 per credit for most majors. Full-time expenses per semester in 200405 were $5445 for tuition (1216 credits) and $3200 for room and board.
Financial Aid
Hesser College offers financial assistance to students based on demonstrated financial need. Seventy percent of the students receive some form of aid. More than fifty scholarships are awarded each year to freshman and senior students based on academic and financial standing. The College offers low-interest loans from both internal and external sources. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct Student Loans, and state scholarship programs are available to those who qualify. Awards are made on a rolling basis and are subject to availability. In order to apply for financial aid and scholarships at Hesser, students must complete the FAFSA form and a Hesser College Institutional Financial Aid Application.
Faculty
The faculty members of Hesser College consistently receive high student evaluations for their interest in each student's success and for the high quality of their teaching. The majority of the faculty members have completed programs of advanced study; many hold doctoral degrees and all have practical experience in business or other career fields. Faculty members participate in national and regional conferences and associations and are continually involved with program review and curriculum development. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1.
Admission Requirements
Hesser College's freshman class is selected by a committee consisting of administrators and admission personnel. A high school transcript must be submitted. SAT scores are not required but may be considered in the admission decision if submitted. Transfer students are required to submit high school and college transcripts, with a minimum 2.0 grade point average for all previous college work.
All applicants are required to come to Hesser for an interview. Hesser recommends that all applicants submit one letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher, or employer. The College operates on a rolling admissions basis, and notification is continuous.
Application and Information
Applicants must submit an application form with a $10 nonrefundable fee. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and normally take seven to fourteen days to be fully reviewed upon receipt of all required information.
Requests for additional information and application forms should be addressed to:
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