Rider University

Degrees Offered at Rider University

Rider University appears in our ranking of the 30 Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs at Private Colleges. Rider University offers more than 70 majors for undergrads as well as graduate and online programs. It has one of the only sports media programs in the state. The program helps students develop strong production skills. Many students complete internships with broadcasters in New Jersey and New York. A similar major is available in journalism. It gives students the option of working for the campus newspaper and doing internships with major publishers. This program features:

• Introduction to News Writing
• Fundamentals of Video Production and Communication
• Culture and Media.

One of the newest majors available from the university is exercise science. This Bachelor of Science (BS) program looks at fitness and how individuals can use exercise to recover from injuries and get in shape. It includes:

• Principles of Biology
• Introduction to Human Nutrition
• Sport Psychology
• Nutrition for Exercise and Physical Activity

Rider also has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Dance Science that looks at how dance is a form of physical activity. Students will take seven semesters of dance lab classes and courses such as:

• Kinesiology
• Pilates and Modern Dance
• Survey of Dance History
• History of Movement Theory

Other majors available from the university include:

• psychology
• economics
• environmental sciences
• sport management
• political science
• marine science and management
• leadership

More than 40 majors are offered for graduate students too, including an online Master of Business Administration (MBA). Students can start during one of the six terms offered each year and graduate in under two years. Concentrations available on line include:

• Finance, business analytics
• global business

Graduate majors available online include:

• Arts management and executive leadership
• organizational leadership
• business communication
• health communication

Rider also has traditional graduate programs available,  such as a Master of Accountancy. At the end of this program, students can sit for the New Jersey exam and become a certified accountant once they earn a passing score. It takes only 21 months to finish the program. Students also have the option of adding a concentration in forensic accounting to the program. They’ll take classes such as Fraud and Forensic Accounting and Fraud Detection and Deterrence. Some of the other traditional programs that graduate students can choose include:

• counseling services
• organizational leadership
• STEM education
• clinical mental health counseling
• teaching of students with disabilities

About Rider University

Rider University is a private university that has five colleges. Multiple departments offer degrees and certificates. The university opened in 1865 as the Trenton Business College.  One year after opening, the college became coeducational and admitted a few women. It became the Rider Business College in 1896 in honor of the college’s first president. Known as Rider College from 1920 to 1994, it became Rider University later in that final year. The university absorbed the Westminster Choir College. It now offers some of the degrees that the school did, including majors in choral conducting and piano performance. The Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report rank Rider as one of the best universities in the US and the western region.

Rider University Accreditation Details

Rider has accreditation for its business, nursing and other programs from organizations such as:

• the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

Rider has the regional accreditation needed for students to use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). It can also grant financial aid packages for students.

Rider University Application Requirements

Undergrads applying to Rider University can attend financial aid workshops to get help with the FAFSA. They can schedule a campus tour to see the campus in person. They can use the Rider Online Application or the Common Application. The early action deadline is November 15 and provides students with a decision before the holidays. Rider does not require a score from the SAT or ACT but does ask for a high school transcript. Each department and college of Rider University has admissions requirements for incoming students. All ask for a $50 application fee and a completed application. The business programs ask for:

• a statement of the student’s objectives and goals
• two letters of recommendation
• a college transcript
• a GMAT score

Students applying to the accountancy program can use a GRE score instead. Other programs may require a resume and/or a writing sample, as well. Though Rider allows the departments to set application deadlines, most have a final deadline of the beginning of February or the middle of the month.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The cost of attendance at Rider University for full-time undergrads is $43,720 per year. Students who take up to 11 credits of classes pay $1,260 per credit hour. Full-time students who take more than 18 credits will pay an additional $650 for each credit they take. They also pay $370 each semester for the university’s technology and activity fees. Dorms rooms are available starting at $5,630 per semester. On-campus residents must buy a meal plan for $2,685 or more every semester. Graduate students pay between $850 and $1,000 per credit hour unless they enroll in the MBA program, which charges $55,000 to complete 14 months of classes. Rider can help students understand their financial aid packages, including how to apply and what each type gives them. It encourages students to submit the FAFSA by the beginning of March as the university has more scholarships available earlier in the year. There is a full-tuition trustee scholarship available and other merit scholarships that award undergrads $18,000 or more every year. Rider also offers scholarships for graduate students that award them up to $2,700 a year based on the programs that they select. Students can also qualify for grants, work-study and different loans when they apply to any of the degree programs at Rider University.

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