Case Western Reserve University

Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Case Western Reserve University is a college of more than 10,000 students and more than 3,000 full-time faculty. Students come from more than 90 countries around the world and study at one of nine different schools within the university including the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and the Weatherhead School of Management.

The university has an active athletic program with students playing as the Spartans, as well as high research activity in a number of areas of study. The university is ranked highly as one of the best schools in the nation and was ranked 37th in the nation by "U.S. News & World Report" in 2015. The campus sits about five miles outside Cleveland's downtown area and covers around 550-acres.

Case Western Reserve University Accreditation Details

Case Western Reserve University has a long history of accreditation with its first successful accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) dating back to 1913. Currently, accreditation comes from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which is one of the six agencies that make up the HLC. Colleges must obtain re-accreditation at regular intervals, and CWRU is slated to undertake that process in 2025.

The school is also authorized by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the State of Ohio. Individual programs and departments within the university also have organizational accreditation. For example, the accounting program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and was first accredited in 1958. Similarly, the Chemistry program is recognized by the American Chemical Society, and the Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.

Case Western Reserve University Application Requirements

As one of the best schools in the nation, CWRU requires an excellent academic background from its applicants. Many freshmen admitted to the school are in the top 10% of their graduating classes, and SAT scores are often over 1200. In their applications, students may submit SAT or ACT scores, but they aren't required to submit both. The university expects students to take the maximum possible number of classes in high school in areas like mathematics, social studies, and English. For example, although students are only required to take three units of mathematics, the school does recommend that students try to take four units.

Important criteria used in the acceptance of applicants includes class rank, standardized tests, and the student's GPA. Students must also showcase a rigorous course of study in high school, provide excellent recommendations, and provide a well-written essay. CWRU is also interested in seeing that the student has participated in extracurricular activities, as well as taken part in volunteer opportunities. Overall, the school admits approximately 38% of its students, and nearly 22,000 people apply to the school each year. Since CWRU is a competitive school, it's essential that students prepare well in advance to apply by taking as many advanced courses as possible, as well as scoring as high as possible on standardized tests.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Case Western Reserve University is a private school, so all students pay the same tuition for their respective programs whether they are Ohio residents or out-of-state students. For undergraduate students, each credit hour is $1,840 up to 11 credit hours. Students who take 12 or more credit hours are charged $22,078 a semester for tuition. There are also a few additional fees and expenses associated with attending CWRU including activity fees, transportation fees, and the health plan fee.

Each graduate school program and professional program at CWRU requires different tuition and fees, as well as a variety of fees that are unique to each program. For example, students entering a graduate program in engineering will pay $1,714 per credit hour while students in the law program will pay $2,025 for each credit hour. Some programs charge a flat rate for tuition for the semester rather than charging a certain amount for each semester. For example, the Doctor of Dental Medicine program is $31,117.50 a semester and the School of Medicine program is $28,737.50 for all participants.

Many students will need financial aid to pay for tuition at CWRU, and students have a variety of options including federal loans, private loans, scholarships, and grants. Some examples of available financial aid include Federal Perkins Loans, Nursing Graduate Loans, and Case Western Reserve University Loans. In addition to loans, grants, and scholarships, students may also be eligible for work-study programs during enrollment.

Online Degrees Available

There are two online degree programs available at Case Western Reserve University including an online Master of Science in Social Administration and an Online Master's Degree in Engineering. The school also offers online certificates for its engineering program. For its social work program, the university says it's the only such online program offered by a top ten school and provides a hands-on approach to the degree even though it's an online program.

Master of Science in Social Administration

In the Master of Science in Social Administration program, students may pick one of three concentrations that include Community Practice for Social Change and two Direct Practice options that focus on children, youth, and families or adult mental health. The program also features two distinct curriculum options for students who don't have a Bachelor of Social Work and students who do have a BSW. Students who don't have a BSW will take 60 credits to complete the program and students who do have a BSW will take 45 semester credits.

Master's Degree in Engineering

The other online degree option from Case Western Reserve University is an engineering degree. The specialized online program allows students to choose a degree in one of five disciplines that include biomedical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and systems & control engineering. Students may also choose to receive a Master of Engineering without a specialization. It's possible to receive an engineering degree after taking as few as nine courses and passing a comprehensive exam. The program is ideal for students who want to earn a degree while employed in full-time work.

Case Western Reserve University is a respected college and is routinely ranked near the top of "best of" lists for universities. Not only do students benefit from a degree that comes from an excellent university, but the quality of the programs matches the reputation of the school. Students who aren't local to Cleveland but are still interested in obtaining a degree in social work or engineering may want to investigate the online degrees available at Case Western Reserve University.