Saint Leo University

saint-leo-university
Saint Leo University’s school mascot is the Lion.

Degree Programs at Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Great Deals: Bachelor’s in Theology and Christian Studies Degrees Online.

Saint Leo University offers nearly 50 degree programs for undergrads. Many of these programs allow students to pick a major in one area and a concentration in a related area. Psychology majors can enroll in a general program and learn about different areas of the social sciences. They can also pick a concentration in:

  • experimental psychology
  • developmental  psychology
  • clinical and counseling psychology

The clinical and counseling program includes an internship option. The other programs allow students to do more research work.

The university established social work degree programs as a way to help students meet the needs of those living in local communities. It has a Bachelor of Social Work program that includes courses such as:

  • Human Behavior in the Social Environment
  • Methods of Social Research
  • Social Welfare Policy

Undergrads can also do internships in a social work agency. Graduate students who already have a BSW can get a Master of Social Work from the university in several ways. The university offers its advanced standing program for both full-time and part-time students. There is also a full-time three-year MSW program for students who do not have any social work experience. Those students will do more internships and field work than advanced standing students do.

Saint Leo University offers a number of online graduate and undergrad programs for students. They can study:

  • emergency and disaster management
  • criminal justice
  • marketing
  • project management
  • middle grades education
  • computer science
  • biology
  • religion

About Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University is a major private university in Florida. A local man and former judge developed a small colony in Saint Leo, Texas that welcomed practicing Roman Catholics. As this area grew in size, the Benedictine Order sent a group of priests to the colony. Those priests would establish a new college named Saint Leo College in 1889. The college would later move to Florida and become the first college in the state to accept black students. Citing the educational needs of high school students, the college became a prep school called St. Leo College Preparatory School and St. Leo College. It changed names several times before establishing itself as a full college in the 1950s. Saint Leo College became Saint Leo University in 1999.

Often called Saint Leo, the university now has a strong reputation for its online programs that allow military students and working adults to earn their degrees. Military Times named the university one of the best schools for vets in 2017. Military Education and Advanced Transition called it one of the top schools for vets and active military students. U.S. News and World Report ranks Saint Leo as one of the best online schools for bachelor’s students and one of the top colleges in the south.

Saint Leo University Accreditation Details

  • Saint Leo offers a number of online degree programs. Each one has the same accreditation that on-campus programs do. The university has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This means students can transfer their credits to and from this school. To maintain its accreditation, Saint Leo created a review committee that monitors the university and looks for any potential problems that might affect its accreditation. Also with professional accreditations are:
  • social work
  • business
  • radiology

Saint Leo University Application Requirements

Incoming freshmen and those applying to an undergrad program must make sure that they meet all of the university’s application requirements. Saint Leo looks favorably at those who completed a college prep program that includes Algebra I and II and one full year of another math class. Students should also take:

  • two years of life and health science
  • three years of social science and history
  • four years of English classes

The university asks that students have a C average in two years of a foreign language also.

Prospective undergrads can:

  • submit a paper application
  • use the university’s own application
  • go through the Common Application

Though Saint Leo requires high school transcripts, it recommends that students also submit their official test scores and one letter of recommendation.

Any student applying to an online program must meet some similar requirements. They will submit the application and $45 application fee. They must provide transcripts that show they have their high school diplomas. The university will accept GED proof in lieu of transcripts. Students can also submit proof of any career or professional training programs that they completed. The university may award them some credit based on the credentials and training that they have. Most of the university’s online graduate programs require that students submit their college transcripts and test scores too.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Saint Leo University has a reputation as being one of the most affordable private colleges in the south. Tuition for undergrads starts at $11,200 for on-campus students. Those students pay around $6,500 a semester for room and board and university fees, though they can choose from different meal plans and dormitories to save money.

Saint Leo Worldwide charges a tuition rate based on credit hours. Most students pay $360 per credit hour as undergrads. However, those who are on active duty status pay only $250 per credit hour. Undergrads enrolled in an online certificate program pay $240 per credit hour. All graduate students pay a Saint Leo Worldwide rate. This rate starts at $495 per credit hour for education and social work majors and climbs to $720 per credit hour for those in the MBA or eMBA program.

The university accepts scholarships that students receive from other sources and has some scholarships of its own. Those with a GPA of 2.0 or higher who have an associate degree or will earn one of those degrees can qualify for a grant that cuts their overall costs in half.

Incoming freshmen who meet all admissions requirements may receive a scholarship of between $5,000 and $13,000. The university will determine how much they get based on their test scores and grades. Both federal and state aid is also available. To qualify for that aid, students must file the FAFSA. Students in any Saint Leo University degree programs can get both government financial aid and university scholarships.

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