JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
The University
Jacksonville University (JU) is a private, independent, coeducational institution. Originally founded in 1934 as a junior college, the institution served local commuter students for the first twenty-eight years of its existence. In the 1950s, the institution moved to its current location and expanded its courses and degree offerings. With this change, the institution became Jacksonville University. The University's current enrollment is 2,946 undergraduate and graduate students. Some 2,500 students who attend classes on campus come from forty-six states and more than fifty countries. JU accommodates more than 1,000 students in its residence facilities, which include traditional residence halls and apartments with kitchenettes. Fifty-three percent of the undergraduates are men. The average class size is 17 students, and most classes have less than 30 students.
Campus facilities include a gymnasium, a football stadium, tennis courts, a baseball stadium, intramural fields, a football/soccer/track complex, and handball/racquetball courts, all useable throughout most of the year. Ocean beaches are only minutes away by car. Students pursue their creative talents and special interests by participating in cocurricular activities, such as student publications, chorus, orchestra, band, dance, and theatrical productions. Four sororities and six fraternities, as well as numerous academic, service, and social organizations, are active on campus. NCAA Division I sports include men's baseball; women's crew, indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, and volleyball; and men's and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, and tennis. Intercollegiate athletics also include men's nonscholarship football, competing at the NCAA Division I-AA level. Active intramural sports competition is available to interested students.
Jacksonville University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone: 404-679-4501) to award bachelor's and master's degrees. Programs in music and dance are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and the National Association of Schools of Dance, respectively. The generic-track nursing program is accredited by the NLNAC and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Teacher education programs are approved by the Florida Department of Education for the purposes of teacher certification.
Graduate programs are available leading to the Master of Science in Nursing with two options, the Master of Business Administration degree in five concentrations, and the Master of Arts in Teaching degree in eleven areas.
Location
The University occupies a 260-acre suburban riverfront campus across the St. Johns River from downtown Jacksonville and 12 miles from the Atlantic Ocean beaches. Jacksonville is the home of a professional symphony orchestra, a performing arts center, theaters, art museums and galleries, the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, and minor-league baseball, soccer, and ice hockey teams. Major airlines serve the Jacksonville International Airport. The region's year-round climate is mild and pleasant, permitting outdoor activity throughout the year.
Majors and Degrees
Jacksonville University offers the following degrees through the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Fine Arts: B.A., B.F.A., B.G.S., B.M., B.M.E., B.S., and B.S.N.
Undergraduate academic programs of study include accounting, art, art history, aviation management, aviation management and flight operations, biology, business administration, chemistry, communications, computer art and design, computing sciences, dance, economics, engineering (various disciplines through dual-degree programs), elementary education, English, environmental science, finance, French, geography, history, international business, management, marine science, marketing, mathematics, music, music education, music performance, nursing, philosophy, physical education, physics, political science, psychology, secondary education, sociology, Spanish, studio art, and theater arts. Students may also pursue preprofessional programs in dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.
Academic Programs
Students enrolled in baccalaureate programs enjoy broad exposure to the liberal arts through a core curriculum. The core provides a foundation for study in the various major fields and is usually completed during the freshman and sophomore years. The core includes courses in English composition and literature, mathematics and computer science, the social sciences, the humanities, history, fine arts, philosophy or religion, the natural sciences, and foreign language. The core curriculum does vary based on the degree. The core also requires community service for graduation.
Baccalaureate majors require a minimum of 120 semester credits and varies based on the degree. Generally, students acquire these credits in four years, although year-round enrollment makes it possible to earn a bachelor's degree in three years. All programs require a minimum 2.0 (C) grade point average for graduation. A pass-fail option is also available.
Undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, and an active honors program enhance the educational experience of JU students. Independent study programs enable promising students to pursue individual work in areas of special interest within and outside their major fields of study. In the departmental honors program, advanced study may be concentrated in the major.
JU also awards undergraduate credit through advanced placement and credit by examination. Such credit requires the achievement of satisfactory scores on the College Board's Advanced Placement tests or CLEP examinations.
Jacksonville University has the second largest Naval ROTC unit in the United States. Successful completion of the program leads to an officer's commission in either the U.S. Naval Reserve or U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Off-Campus Programs
Approved study abroad may be integrated as a part of the baccalaureate program. The University coordinates study-abroad programs in countries such as Spain, France, Mexico, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia for students. Summer language programs are popular with many students. JU faculty members also lead travel-study courses to many countries and regions of the world. With the help of advisers, JU students may also plan individual programs of study abroad.
Academic Facilities
The Carl S. Swisher Library houses a collection numbering more than 700,000 holdings and a PC lab with more than forty computers. The Swisher/Merritt-Penticoff/Nelms science complex, along with the Millar Wilson Laboratory, Reid Medical Science Building, and Charter Marine Science Center, house modern laboratories and facilities for biological, chemical, and physics study and research. Marine science facilities include an operational wet lab. The Phillips Fine Arts Building houses the Alexander Brest Museum, two large rehearsal halls, music studios, and practice rooms. Terry Concert Hall is an acoustically balanced facility for orchestra, choral, and band concerts. Studios house painting, ceramics, glassblowing, photography, sculpture, and other art activities. The Alexander Brest Dance Pavilion includes two large dance studios, offices, and dressing rooms. The J. Arthur Howard Administration Building centrally locates most administration and student service offices. The J. Henry Gooding Social Science Building contains classrooms, offices, and the Urban Studies Center. Wilma's Little People's School, a child development facility, supports teacher education programs. Two new state-of-the-art buildings house the Davis College of Business, the School of Nursing, and the Dental School of Orthodontics.
Costs
For 200506, full-time (1218 credit hours) tuition and fees per year are $19,970. For students taking more than 18 credit hours, there is an additional fee of $333 per credit hour. Residence hall room rental is $3030 per year, and a seven-day meal plan is available at $3570 per year.
Financial Aid
The University offers distinctive merit-based scholarships and grants. These scholarships and grants, which are not based on financial need, range in amounts from $1000 to $12,000 per academic year. Fine arts scholarships are offered on a competitive basis to students excelling in art, theater, dance, and music. Athletic awards are offered based on talent and skill in NCAA Division I sports (except for men's football). JU also participates in a broad range of federal and state programs that include loans, grants, and work-study opportunities. The University requires financial aid applicants to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The deadline for submission of all forms to ensure the availability of aid for the fall term is March15.
Faculty
Jacksonville University employs more than 129 full-time faculty members. Faculty members are readily accessible to students and take an active role in the lives of students as teachers, mentors, and friends.
Student Government
Student participation in University governance is a function of the Student Government Association (SGA), a constitutional legislative body composed of representatives elected at large by the student body. The SGA places student members on important University committees and boards. Dolphin Productions, operating under SGA auspices, schedules concerts, lectures, films, and other cultural and entertainment activities.
Admission Requirements
Jacksonville University seeks qualified students from diverse social, geographic, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant on an individual basis. Students applying as freshmen should have satisfactorily completed, or be in the process of completing, a standard college-preparatory curriculum. The University requires that applicants complete a minimum of 4 years of English, 3 years of mathematics, 3 years of science, and 3 years of social science. Freshman applicants also must submit scores from either the SAT or ACT, the application form with essays, and at least one letter of recommendation. Admission interviews and campus visits are recommended but not required.
The University welcomes applications from transfer and international students; transfers comprise approximately one third of the entering class each year. To be considered for transfer admission, applicants must submit the application form with essays, one letter of recommendation, and official copies of transcripts from all colleges attended. Transfers must have a minimum 2.0 college GPA and be in good standing at their previous institution. International applicants should contact the Office of Admissions for further information.
Students interested in dance, music, or theater arts may be required to audition separately for admission to those programs. Students who plan to major in visual arts may be required to submit a portfolio of their work. Admission to nursing, teacher education, and fine arts programs occurs after the student is admitted to the University.
New students may enroll for the fall, spring, or summer terms. Students are notified of acceptance beginning on November1 for the fall term, and on a rolling basis thereafter.
Individuals, families, and groups may visit the campus throughout the year, both during the week and on scheduled Saturdays. Campus visits include a meeting with an admissions counselor and a campus tour. Invitations to a series of open houses are extended to prospective students and parents. On-campus overnight visits are arranged for interested students. Students or parents should call the Office of Admissions to make visit arrangements.
Application and Information
Application for freshman admission should be filed as soon as possible after the completion of the junior year in high school. Forms are available from the JU Web site and the Admissions Office by calling or writing:
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