History
Initially named the Northern Arizona Normal School, the institution opened on September 11, 1899, with 23 students, two faculty members—one, Almon Nicholas Taylor, who was also the school president—and "two copies of'' Webster's International Dictionary'' bound in sheepskin" as teaching resources. The first graduating class, in 1901, consisted of four women who received credentials to teach in the Arizona Territory. In 1925, the Arizona State Legislature allowed the school, which was then called the Northern Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC), to grant bachelor of education degrees. In 1929, the school became Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff.Also in 1929, theCampuses
Flagstaff campus
Set across 829 forested acres, the Flagstaff campus houses academic, administrative, and residential buildings. AtStatewide campuses and NAU Online
In addition to the more than 21,000 students who study on the Flagstaff campus, NAU currently serves another 8,000 students online and statewide. In order to provide access and affordability to all Arizona residents, NAU offers more than 130 accredited degree programs at more than 20 statewide locations. NAU also has partnerships with community colleges and NAU–Yavapai, a collaboration with Yavapai College in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The university's oldest branch campus, and the largest, is NAU– Yuma. NAU Online has two paths to degrees: traditional online and a subscription program. *Traditional online courses conform to the regular semester schedule and tuition is based on credit hours. *The subscription online model has weekly start dates and students work at their own pace. Payment is based on a six-month flat subscription rate.Academics
Colleges and programs
Across seven colleges, NAU offers more than 130 undergraduate degree programs, more than 80 master's degree programs, and about 20 doctoral programs, along with 50 undergraduate and 40 graduate certificates. The top undergraduate academic degree plans by enrollment for the 2021–2022 school year were: * Nursing * Psychology * Business Economics * Criminology and Criminal Justice * Biology * Biomedical Science * Exercise ScienceCollege of Arts and Letters
The College of Arts and Letters houses numerous departments, including: *School of Art *Comparative Cultural Studies *English *Global Languages and Cultures *History *Philosophy *Kitt School of Music *Theatre The college also oversees the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum, Martin-Springer Institute (promoting lessons of the Holocaust), Northern Arizona Writing Project, Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, and Kitt Recital Hall. The College of Arts and Letters Film Series has provided quality classic films to the NAU and Flagstaff community for a decade, and has recently established the NAU International Film Series. CAL is also home to NAU's doctoral program in Applied Linguistics. Department faculty and students share their scholarly work and artistic achievement through more than 300 performances, lectures, films, and exhibitions annually.College of Education
The College of Education is a cornerstone of NAU academics, with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs available. Programs focus on early childhood, elementary, secondary, and higher education. Fields of study include: *Educational Leadership *Educational Psychology *Educational Specialties (e.g., bilingual and multicultural education, career and technical education, educational technology, and special education) *STEM Education *Teaching and Learning The college also houses the Diné Dual Language Teachers Professional Development Project that works with teachers with proficiency in the Diné (Navajo) language and high academic achievement to meet licensing requirements for teachers who work in language instruction education programs.College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences
The College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences is NAU's newest college. Within CEIAS are 19 undergraduate majors, 5 minors, 13 master's, and 5 doctoral programs. The college includes schools and departments for: *Applied Physics and Materials Science *Civil and Environmental Engineering *Construction Management *Mechanical Engineering *School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems Students have access to numerous research labs including: *Center for Ecosystem Science and Society *Center for Health Equity Research *Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Applications *Merriam Powell Center for Environmental Research *Pathogen and Microbiome InstituteCollege of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
The College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences has undergraduate and graduate programs that integrate science and mathematics through the creative application of knowledge. Departments include: *Astronomy and Planetary Science - This program has direct access to theCollege of Health and Human Services
The College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become excellent health professionals and to provide service to improve the health and well-being of the communities served, particularly Arizona residents, Native Americans, and individuals considered disadvantaged. The college's departments—offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees—include: *Athletic Training *Communication Sciences and Disorders *Dental Hygiene *Health Sciences *Nursing *Occupational Therapy *Physical Therapy *Physician Assistant Studies The College of Health and Human Services offers several programs at the Phoenix Bioscience Core, a state-of-the-art facility on 30 acres in downtown Phoenix that includes more than six million square feet of research, academic, and clinical facilities for students earning advanced degrees in medical professions.College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences offers a wide array of social science and related professional degree programs, including: *Anthropology *Applied Indigenous Studies *Communication *Criminology and Criminal Justice *Ethnic Studies *Geography, Planning, and Recreation *Politics and International Affairs *Psychological Sciences *Social Work *Sociology *Sustainable Communities *University Studies *Women's and Gender Studies The college also houses the Civic Service Institute that connects students, older adults, and other community members to national service volunteer opportunities within their communities. The Institute for Human Development fosters the development of attitudes that promote the public's appreciation and value of individuals with disabilities.The W. A. Franke College of Business
The W. A. Franke College of Business offers degrees at the undergraduate and master's levels. Businessman Bill Franke's commitment of $25 million resulted in the renaming of the college in his honor in 2007. TheHonors College
NAU is home to the first Honors program offered in Arizona. The academic enrichment program is open to students of all majors and offers coursework, research opportunities, and programs designed to enhance the undergraduate experience. Honors College students have unique opportunities for study abroad and can participate in out-of-classroom programs like Canyon Country Aesthetics. Freshman Honors students can live in the Honors Residence College, which offers living, learning, and study spaces under the same roof.Graduate College
The Graduate College offers more than 80 master's degrees, about 20 doctoral degrees, and 40 graduate certificates, both in-person and online. NAU offers graduate students hands-on mentoring, and numerous research, scholarship, and creative activities. The NAU Graduate College supports all aspects of graduate education and provides professional development opportunities for students.University College (dissolved)
University College was a portal for students to make efficient, informed decisions about pursuing academic paths. Undergraduate students automatically became a part of University College when admitted to Northern Arizona University. Various programs, resources, and support included academic transition programs, the First Year Learning Initiative, and the Bachelor of University Studies degree program. Effective summer 2016, the University College was dissolved.Research
Northern Arizona University is ranked No. 183 in the most recent National Science Foundation (NSF) national research rankings for fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020) performance of $64.46 million. The research division's core facilities are the Environmental Genetics and Genomics Resource Center, Imaging and Histology Core Facility, and the Research Greenhouse Complex. Other research laboratories include the Centennial Forest, Child Speech and Language Lab, Colorado Plateau Analytical Lab, Geospatial Research and Information Laboratory, Laboratory for Applied Social Research, Merriam-Powell Research Station, RAPIDLab, Southwest Experimental Garden Array, and Walnut Creek Center for Education and Research. The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute conducts research to track and fight a host of rapidly evolving and potentially deadly diseases including COVID-19. More than 100 faculty, full-time staff, graduate and undergraduate students work in the institute. Collections, archives and museums include The Arboretum at Flagstaff, Art Museum, Cline Library Special Collections and Archives, Colorado Plateau Biodiversity Center, and the Museum of Northern Arizona. Northern Arizona University joined the Lowell Discovery Telescope partner group in 2014. NAU scientists use the LDT for deep imaging of small objects in the solar system. Additionally, NAU partners with Lowell at its Anderson Mesa site, both in the National Undergraduate Research Laboratory and in a new Near-Earth Object follow-up program. NAU also manages the National Undergraduate Research Observatory, which provides access to Lowell’s 0.79-meter telescope for a consortium of four-year colleges around the country.Rankings
TheAdmissions
In February 2022, NAU announced an admissions pilot program to increase access to college for Arizona high school students. NAU will launch the program for the incoming class of fall 2023. Currently, NAU, like Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, requires 16 core courses for assured admissions. However, not all Arizona high schools offer the 16 core courses, especially in second languages and math. NAU’s pilot program removes the second language course availability barrier and will accept more fourth-year math courses, allowing more students the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary education.Tuition and fees
The average cost of tuition and fees for a full-time, Arizona resident undergraduate student for the 2022–2023 school year is $12,274 and $26,286 for out-of-state undergraduates. NAU also participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange Program, which offers lower tuition rates for students from the Western United States. For 2022–23, WUE tuition and fees are $16,536. NAU is also part of two programs, the Western Regional Graduate program and the Professional Student Exchange Program, that allow approved graduate students from other Western states to pay in-state tuition. NAU’s Access2Excellence (A2E) initiative, announced in April 2022 by President José Luis Cruz Rivera, will provide a tuition-free undergraduate college education for every Arizona resident with a household income of $65,000 or below, assuring tuition will be fully covered by scholarships and financial aid. Approximately 50 percent of Arizona households currently meet this financial threshold. These changes take effect in fall 2023 for first-year and transfer students who attend NAU in Flagstaff or at one of the university’s sites throughout Arizona.Native American initiatives
Part of the NAU 2025 Elevating Excellence strategic roadmap is to be "the nation's leading university serving Indigenous Peoples." Many programs on and off campus have been established in support of this goal. The Native American Cultural Center is a 12,000-square-foot facility that houses many programs built to support Indigenous students and functions as a social and cultural hub. The Office of Native American Initiatives supports students and Indigenous communities with programs including the Institute for Native-serving Educators, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, the Tribal Leadership Initiative, and the Office of Indigenous Student Success.Martin-Springer Institute
The Martin-Springer Institute was founded at NAU in 2000 to "raise awareness of human rights through Holocaust remembrance and education." The institute was founded by Holocaust survivor Doris Martin and her husband Ralph Martin. The institute, headed by Director Björn Krondorfer, hosts speakers, academic workshops, and symposia; mounts public exhibitions; funds research; and provides educational workshops and study tours for Arizona teachers.Residence halls
NAU houses nearly 10,500 students on campus.Freshman residence halls
Available freshman halls include Allen Hall, Campbell Hall, Cowden Hall, Honors College, McConnell Hall, Morton Hall, Reilly Hall, Sechrist Hall (a nine-story residence hall, the tallest building in northern Arizona), Taylor Hall, Tinsley Hall, and Wilson Hall.Upper-division housing
Upper-division suite-style and apartment housing is available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. On-campus housing for upper-division students includes: Calderón, Campus Heights, Gabaldon, Gillenwater, McDonald, McKay Village, Mountain View, Pine Ridge Village, Raymond, Roseberry, and South Village. Residents of family units are within theNAU partner housing by American Campus Communities
Rising juniors and seniors currently living on campus have priority leasing status for university-partnered housing located on campus. These halls are located on the NAU campus, but are operated byAthletics
Student-athletes compete at the intervarsity level in football (men); volleyball, soccer, golf, and swimming and diving (women); and basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and tennis (men and women). The university participates in 15 intercollegiate sports programs. NAU teams compete at the Walkup Skydome, a multipurpose building providing facilities for football, basketball, indoor track and field, soccer, weight lifting, lacrosse, student recreation, major concert events, commencements, intramurals, and a variety of other university and community activities. The $47 million, 77,000 square-foot Student-Athlete High Performance Center opened in February 2022. The facility includes a 10,000-square-foot weight room, an academic center, basketball courts, an adjacent practice field, locker rooms, team meeting rooms, an auditorium, and sports-medicine spaces. The Rolle Activity Center provides physical education classrooms and contains courts for recreational and varsity sports, including NAU's volleyball team, with seating for almost 1,100. The building was named after Joseph C. Rolle, “Mr. Lumberjack,” in 1989. Rolle played basketball from 1937 to 1941, served as student body president, and received a BA in 1941 and MA in education in 1950 from Arizona State College of Flagstaff. He later earned an EdS from Columbia University and then worked at NAU for 36 years in positions ranging from bookstore manager to dean of students and dean of university services. The Wall Aquatic Center in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex is one of the finest high-altitude swimming facilities in the world. The Lumberjacks compete at theStudent body and on-campus activities
Organizations
NAU has more than 400 recognized professional, academic, service, and social organizations; an intramural sports program; ''The Lumberjack'' student newspaper; and active residence hall organizations.Advanced Media Lab
The 2,000-square-foot lab offers undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to collaborate with scholars and researchers on grant-funded projects including mobile development, augmented and virtual reality, filmmaking, aerial drone cinematography, motion capture, and Esports.Student-run media
In the Social and Behavioral Sciences’ School of Communication, the Media Innovation Center (MIC) hosts several immersive learning programs where students practice journalism and filmmaking in real-world settings.''The Lumberjack''
Students can work at ''The Lumberjack,'' covering news of NAU and the region for Jackcentral.com and social media, and a print edition circulated throughout Flagstaff. The student-run newspaper is more than a century old and has numerous journalism awards to its credit.NAZ Today, KJACK Radio, UTV Studios
Through UTV Studios, students produce short films and two student film festivals during each academic year. UTV 62, a student-run cable channel, operates 24 hours daily, seven days a week on campus channel 62. Students also produce ''NAZ Today,'' which is broadcast on cable television throughout northern Arizona. It is the only local newscast in the region. In 2018, ''NAZ Today'' received national recognition from the Broadcast Education Association forRecreation services
The John Haeger Health and Learning Center features include an indoor jogging track, a 38-foot climbing wall, a large weight room, a multipurpose gym, a cardio theatre, and 123,000 square feet of recreation opportunities. The Center also includes all of the on-campus medical services and the offices for Disability Resources on campus.Intramural and club sports
More than 30 competitive and recreational intramural opportunities in individual and team sports are available. Also, more than 40 sports clubs are classified as either competitive or recreational/instructional, including baseball, rugby, soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, Quidditch, disc golf, kendo, mixed martial arts, and water polo. The club tennis team competes in the national USTA Tennis on Campus league and won the national Spring Invitational in 2017.Movies and other events
Unions and Student Activities offers many services and events for the campus community, such as movies and the popular Friday night AfterHours program produced bAlumni
The NAU Alumni Association represents more than 160,000 alumni.Professional sports
The Arizona Cardinals of the NFL conducted their summer training camp at Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff campus for many years until 2013. The Cardinals left Flagstaff to conduct their camp in Glendale in 2013. Beginning in 2014, NAU entered into partnerships with the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury of the NBA and WNBA respectively.See also
* List of forestry universities and collegesNotes
References
External links
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