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The University

Founded in 1960, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a public institution dedicated to providing students with the highest-quality undergraduate and graduate education. A liberal arts education, whether in general arts and sciences or the professional degree programs, has always been at the heart of Grand Valleys educational mission. Students at Grand Valley learn to think for themselves as they develop the skills of inquiry, reflection, critical analysis, knowledge integration, and dialogue for the benefits of lifelong learning and global citizenship. Grand Valley State University is characterized by and known for its superior student-centered teaching and learning. Grand Valleys 23,464 students, 19,806 of whom are undergraduates, experience rich learning environments, an average class size of 27, and classes taught by faculty members, not teaching assistants. Professors collaborate with students on advanced research projects, where they gain knowledge and skills that are more commonly associated with graduate-level study. As an investment, Grand Valley degrees are highly respected and valued by employers and graduate schools. GVSU has been recognized for twelve consecutive years by Educational Research and Evaluation, Inc., as one of Americas 100 Best College Buys. Grand Valleys diverse environment promotes the development of intellect and creativity through teaching, scholarship, service, and a vibrant campus culture.

Grand Valleys residential living centers are some of the newest and most contemporary facilities in the state. More than 5,500 students live on campus, just steps from classes, professors, campus dining, and extracurricular activities. Grand Valley competes and excels in nineteen collegiate sports at the NCAA Division II level. Grand Valley has been recognized for its overall athletic excellence by being awarded the Directors Cup for being the top NCAA Division II athletic program in the nation for the past four years. Grand Valley has also earned the Presidents Cup and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Sports trophy for nine consecutive years. Nearly 300 clubs, societies, groups, and organizations make it simple to connect with other students who share common interests, academic goals, hobbies, ethnic backgrounds, and religious beliefs. Inspiring classroom and research facilities, modern living centers, wireless academic buildings, and convenient student services make Grand Valley a wonderful place to study, learn, and live.

In addition to its undergraduate degree programs, Grand Valley offers twenty-six graduate degree programs: accounting, biology, biostatistics, business general, business/nursing, cell and molecular biology, communications, computer information systems, criminal justice, education general, education reading/language arts, education school counseling, education special education, educational specialist/leadership, engineering, English language and literature, health administration, health sciences, medical and bioinformatics, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, public administration, social work, special education, and taxation.

Location

Grand Valley State Universitys vibrant, residential main campus is located on 1,275 acres in Allendale, midway between downtown Grand Rapids (the second-largest city in the state of Michigan) and the Lake Michigan shore. The dynamic, urban Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus, 12 miles to the east, is located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. It is a catalyst for interaction between students and the real world, putting students closer to employment, internships, and community outreach programs. The campuses are connected by a convenient, free shuttle service.

Majors and Degrees

Grand Valley State University has eight degree-granting colleges: College of Community and Public Services, College of Education, Seymour and Ester Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, College of Health Professions, College of Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kirkhof College of Nursing, and Seidman College of Business.

Grand Valley offers sixty-nine undergraduate degree programs that include accounting, advertising and public relations, anthropology, art and design, art history, athletic training, behavioral science, biology, biomedical sciences, biopsychology, broadcasting, business general, business economics, cell and molecular biology, chemistry, classics, clinical laboratory science, communications, computer science, criminal justice, dance, earth science, economics, educationteacher certification, engineering, English language and literature, exercise science, film and video, finance, French, geochemistry, geography, geology, German, health communications, health professions, history, hospitality and tourism management, information systems, integrated science, international business, international relations, journalism, legal studies, liberal studies, management, marketing, mathematics, medical imaging/radiation sciences, music, music education, natural resources management, nursing, occupational safety and health management, philosophy, photography, physical education, physics, political science, predental studies, prelaw, premedical studies, preveterinarian studies, psychology, psychology special education, public administration, Russian studies, social studies group, social work, sociology, Spanish, statistics, theater, therapeutic recreation, and writing.

Academic Programs

Grand Valley offers more than 200 areas of study in sixty-nine undergraduate degree programs. At Grand Valley, all students complete the Universitys general education curriculum, which enriches and complements the students major and electives and is a significant part of the baccalaureate experience.

The Honors College, which is located on the Allendale campus, offers academically talented students an opportunity to participate in an exclusive community of scholars exemplifying intellectual achievement. Honors students develop high levels of proficiency in research, writing, and critical thinking while taking their classes in the same building they call home, the Glenn A. Neimeyer Living Center.

Off-Campus Programs

The Office of Career Services has teamed up with hundreds of businesses and organizations to offer students internships in nearly every field. Each year, more than 5,100 students gain valuable work experience, often while laying the groundwork for employment after graduation.

Students in every major have opportunities to study in another country. The Barbara H. Padnos International Center offers students more than 3,900 summer, semester, and yearlong study-abroad programs through partnerships with universities in Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia.

Academic Facilities

Grand Valley continually sets new standards for excellence in how its facilities promote academic achievementincluding the same leading-edge network technology that runs the Internet, health sciences equipment usually found only in hospitals, and many other unique learning tools. All of Grand Valleys academic buildings are wireless, making connecting to e-mail and the Internet easy and convenient.

On the 1,275-acre Allendale campus, the James H. Zumberge Library houses the 708,000 volumes and other materials that are necessary to effectively support instructional programs at Grand Valley. The Performing Arts Center houses faculty offices, classrooms, practice rooms, teaching studios for the performing arts, a music technology lab (using Macintosh computers), two dance studios, the art gallery, and the 490-seat Louis Armstrong Theatre for presentations of plays, operas, concerts, and other programs. The Alexander Calder Fine Art Center contains two computer graphics labs and facilities for graphic design, painting, printmaking, art education, drawing, and ceramics. The Seymour and Ester Padnos Hall of Science contains modern equipment, sophisticated instruments, and extensive map and specimen collections and is a well-equipped laboratory facility for study, research, and experimentation in the natural sciences. Lake Ontario Hall contains 50,000 square feet of modern faculty offices, student study areas, and specialized classrooms.

Graduate degree programs and the upper-division courses for majors in business, criminal justice, education, engineering, public administration, and social work are located at the 37-acre Robert C. Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids. The 215,000-square-foot Cook-DeVos Center for Health Science, a $57.1-million state-of-the-art facility, is home to the Kirkhof College of Nursing, the College for Health Professions, and majors within the life sciences. It features cutting-edge training and laboratory facilities, project rooms to encourage group learning and interdisciplinary study, case-study classrooms, and faculty offices. The Richard M. DeVos Center is home to a 242,000-volume library featuring a computer-operated robotic retrieval system and a New Yorkstyle reading room. The L.V. Eberhard Center has forty-three classrooms and labs, high-technology teleconference and conference facilities, and two interactive television rooms. The new Kennedy Hall for Engineering and the Keller Engineering Laboratories are located adjacent to the Eberhand Center. The buildings contain state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms for instruction and research in electronics, instrumentation and controls, manufacturing processes and control, materials, vibrations, and fluid and thermal systems. The Meijer Public Broadcast Center houses Grand Valleys public television and radio stations.

Grand Valley also has a regional campus in Holland and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The Meijer Campus in Holland has sixteen classrooms and labs. Muskegon is home to the regional center on the campus of Muskegon Community College; the Lake Michigan Center, located on the south shore of Muskegon Lake, which is home to the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute; and the nearby Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, a multidisciplinary research and education facility involving alternative and renewable energy technology and innovation. The Traverse City Regional Center is part of Northwestern Michigan Colleges University Center.

Costs

Grand Valley is one of the most affordable public universities in Michigan. During the 200708 academic year, freshman residents of Michigan carrying 1216 credits paid $7240 for tuition; nonresidents paid $12,510. Students on full-service meal plans and living in University-owned on-campus housing paid about $6680 for room and board, depending on accommodations. Books and supplies were about $900 per year. Bus transportation between campuses and the city of Grand Rapids is free. All costs are subject to change.

Financial Aid

Financial aid at Grand Valley State University is awarded in the form of a package and generally consists of grants, scholarships, loans, and college work-study. Grand Valley participates in all applicable federal and state aid programs. During the 200607 academic year, Grand Valley students received more than $150million in total assistance, including more than $40million in scholarships, grants, and employment. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at the toll-free phone number for further information.

Faculty

Grand Valley prides itself on being a teaching institution dedicated to providing the highest possible level of instruction. The most crucial ingredient necessary for the achievement of this goalthe quality of the facultywas judged impressive by the evaluation team of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Higher Learning Commission. Doctoral degrees or other appropriate terminal degrees have been earned by 93percent of the full-time faculty members.

The University promotes professional excellence in teaching and research. The Faculty Research and Development Center focuses on the enhancement of faculty and student research and scholarship. Many faculty projects funded by this center actively engage students in research and creative processes to expand their learning experience. These projects include experimentation or observation in the laboratory, field, and library and initiatives in the creative and performing arts.

Student Government

The Student Senate is composed of 50 senators-at-large who represent the students of GVSU. The Resident Housing Association is a programming organization that sponsors campuswide programs for all Grand Valley students. In addition to programming, its members also serve as the governing body for all of the community councils on campus.

Admission Requirements

Admissions decisions are selective and are based on the secondary school record (grades earned and courses selected), the personal data submitted on the application, and SAT or ACT results.

A complete application for freshman admission includes a signed application, the nonrefundable $30 application fee, official high school transcript(s), and SAT or ACT test scores. Freshmen are normally expected to be graduates of accredited high schools or preparatory schools. The University recommends that high school students have taken college-prep courses that include 4years of English (including composition), 3years of science (including 2years of laboratory science), 3years of mathematics (including 2years of algebra), 3years of social sciences, and 2years of a single foreign language. Elective courses in computer science and the fine arts, as well as a fourth year of math and additional science courses, are strongly recommended.

A complete application for transfer admission includes a signed application, the nonrefundable $30 application fee, and official transcript(s) from all previously attended colleges and/or universities. Transfer admissions are based upon the completion of at least 30 semester credit hours (45 quarter hours) and a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher. If the student has less than 30 earned college credits, official high school transcript(s) and SAT or ACT scores are also required.

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