Central Washington University - Data Science, Data Analytics, Accreditation, Applying, Tuition, Financial Aid

Big Data & Informatics at Central Washington University

Central Washington University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Online Master’s in Database Administration.

There are several options for students interested in informatics, big data, analytics, and similar topics at Central Washington University. Students may pursue a minor in structures of data analytics for IT management or enroll in a certificate program on that subject. Students may also enroll in the Master of Science in Information Technology & Administrative Management program or the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Administrative Management.

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The bachelor’s degree program offers an additional degree option that awards students with a Bachelor of Applied Science instead of a Bachelor of Science. Conveniently, all programs in data analytics are offered on the university’s Ellensburg campus, as well as online. There are also some options for students who want to enroll as hybrid students where some classes are taken online, and others are taken on campus.

Students will need to take between 23 and 25 credits to finish the minor or certificate program in structures of data analytics. The total number of credits depends on which class selections the student makes. Required courses include Change Ready: Tech Skills for Leaders, Advanced Spreadsheet Applications, and Data Mining for IT Managers.

One of the benefits of enrolling in the Bachelor of Applied Science program is that students may qualify to enroll after having earned any applied science or technical associate degree. The university encourages students who have associate degrees in areas like accounting, network security, and criminal justice to consider expanding their knowledge through the Bachelor of Applied Science program.

The Bachelor of Applied Science program also features several concentrations that students may pursue. Options include Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Data-Driven Innovation. Some of the classes students may take include Systems Analysis, Digital Forensics, Project Performance Reporting, and Enterprise Database Systems: SQL.

Prospective degree-seekers who already have a bachelor’s degree or some work experience may consider the Master of Science in Information Technology & Administrative Management. The program is ideal for professionals who want to advance their careers or enter a new professional field.

Specialization areas available in the graduate program include Information Technology, Structures of Data Analytics for IT Managers, Administrative Management, and Cybersecurity Management. Classes required include Reporting Data and Analytics, Enterprise Analytics, and Approaches to Data Mining for IT Managers.

About Central Washington University

Central Washington University was founded in 1891 as Washington State Normal School. The university’s official colors are crimson, black, and sable and students are nicknamed the Wildcats. There are more than 12,300 students who attend the school, which is located in Ellensburg on a campus of 380 acres. Today, the university is considered an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution and has a Hispanic population of about 15 percent.

There are four academic colleges at the university that include the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Business, and the College of the Sciences. Although its original purpose was as a training facility for teachers, the university would eventually expand its focus into virtually all areas of traditional university study. The school underwent rapid expansion in the early decades of the 20th century and would begin expanding again in the early 2000s.

Central Washington University Accreditation Details

Central Washington University holds regional accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which is part of a network of regional accreditation agencies throughout the United States. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and accreditation allows students to participate in the federal student aid program. The university also has about a dozen programs accredited by other agencies.

Specialized accreditations for Central Washington University include approvals from the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, the American Council for Construction Education, and the American Chemical Society. Additional approvals come from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs.

Central Washington University Application Requirements

Applicants to Central Washington University will complete the official application for admission, which may be accessed and submitted online. The application also requires a $50 application fee, an official high school transcript, and scores from a standardized test. The university accepts scores from the ACT or SAT. To qualify for admission, students must have a GPA of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale.

All applications will undergo a comprehensive review. Students must submit their standardized test scores for the purposes of math and English placement at the university. Students who don’t meet the minimum acceptance standards may still qualify for admission by completing the university’s recommended high school curriculum and submitting a short essay about their academic experience.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Students who attend Central Washington University as undergraduate resident students will pay a flat rate of $2634.30 for ten to 18 credits. Tuition includes the base tuition rate, a services & activities fee, and other mandatory fees. For graduate students who are residents of Washington, the rate is $3,547.00 for ten to 18 credits. Some of the mandatory fees students will pay include an athletic fee, recreation center fee, and central transit fee.

Non-residents of Washington who enroll in undergraduate programs will pay $7336.60 for ten to 18 credits. Graduate students who aren’t residents will pay $7,473.60 for ten to 18 credits. Those rates include tuition, mandatory fees, and the services & activities fee. Off-campus students of all residency statuses will pay a lower amount for the services & activities fee than on-campus students.

Students should file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) between October 1 and February 1 to be considered for financial aid from Central Washington University. Students who have questions about the financial aid application process may book appointments with counselors at the Office of Financial Aid.

Students who want to apply for scholarships may begin applying and searching on October 1 when the university’s Scholarship Central Application tool becomes available. Some of the tuition waivers students may earn when they attend the university include the $500 Early Scholar tuition waiver, the $1,000 Douglas Honors College tuition waiver, or the $1,000 Science Talent Expansion Program Majors tuition waiver. Students may qualify to have up to 80 percent of their tuition waived when they attend Central Washington University.

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