Business school ranked fifth in nation; engineering school new

College of Business

NIU’s College of Business, ranked fifth in the nation, offers undergraduate degrees in accountancy, business education and administrative services, business systems and analysis, finance, management and marketing.

Admission to the college is limited to juniors and seniors who have completed specific tool courses and meet the admission requirements. Students can apply to the college after completing at least 42 semester hours of coursework with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale overall and in at least five of the available tool courses all business students must take.

Prior to final admission to 300- and 400- level business courses, students must complete at least 60 semester hours and take 10 tool courses while maintaining a 2.0 GPA in both areas.

Once admitted to the college, students must take three principal business courses during their first semester.

Admission requirements might vary within different departments.

College of Education

Founded in 1895 exclusively as a teacher’s college, NIU now prepares future instructors through the College of Education. Students can earn up to a Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction, leadership and educational policy studies or learning, development and special education. In addition, NIU offers up to a Master’s degree in physical education and a Bachelor of General Studies degree for contracted majors in interdisciplinary studies.

Admission requirements for the college are a 2.3 GPA in all NIU classwork, satisfactory performance on the Pre-Professional Skills Test and specific departmental requirements outlined in the undergraduate catalog.

To remain in the College of Education, students must maintain a minimum 2.15 GPA in both their major field and overall.

College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

The newest addition to NIU, the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, established in July, 1985, offers undergraduate degrees in electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering in addition to degrees in the various fields in technology such as graphic arts and industrial supervision.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The biggest college on campus, LA&S offers degrees in 19 departments.

The 1983-84 NIU graduate follow-up produced by Career Planning and Placement shows 64 percent of LA&S graduates with bachelor’s degrees as having full-time employment.

The wide variety of courses offered by the college enable the student to explore many fields of interest. Students unsure about a major are encouraged to take a variety of courses in the college, thereby satisfying their general education requirements and discovering their primary interests at the same time.

College of Professional Studies

Formed in 1974, the College of Professional Studies is designed to prepare students for careers in fields such as physical therapy, nursing and communicative disorders.

Admission might vary between departments, and some have restricted enrollment. To be retained as a major within the college, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.2. Some departments may differ, however.

The college has received wide recognition since its inception, with the nursing and physical therapy programs being highly regarded in the state and in the nation.

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Students interested in art, music or theater can earn up to a Master’s degree in those fields through NIU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Students wishing to design their own program of study can do so through a contract major, which utilizes existing courses and, upon completion, entitles a student to a Bachelor of General Studies degree.

Actual performance is stressed and required by the college, with a portfolio being required for admission or retention (at the college’s discretion) for art students and an audition for all prospective music majors.

College of Law

The NIU College of Law is a graduate college which offers a three-year program of study leading to a Juris Doctor degree. The college is accredited fully by the American Bar Association and is a member of the American Association of Law Schools.

The first year consists exclusively of required courses designed to create fundamental understanding of the law and of legal concepts. The remaining classes are electives dealing with a chosen emphasis.

The school stresses interaction between students and professors and provides for practical experience and application of skills learned.

In order to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 85 semester hours with a GPA of 2.0 or better.

Admission is based on a candidate’s academic performance in college and his score on the Law School Admissions Test. Prospective students must have earned a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited four-year institution to be considered. In addition, they must submit at least two letters of recommendation and a personal goal statement.