Liberty University credits its foundation to the hard work of Southern Baptist pastor Jerry Falwell. While working in the area in the late 1960s, Falwell saw the need for a college that would give students a strong foundation but still allow them to focus on their faith. Through his hard work, Lynchburg Baptist College opened in 1971. It changed its name to Liberty Baptist College just five years later before becoming Liberty University in the 1980s. The university now consists of three campuses that each have a unique look and feel. It is also home to the state of the art library named after its founder, which gives students access to online research materials and thousands of books.

Students interested in living on campus should keep in mind that the university requires they attend church services every week. They must also attend convocation on campus. The university brings in guest speakers regularly, including politicians, actors and other famous people. All students living on campus can participate in one of the more than 100 clubs that meet at the university. Liberty University received top honors in a number of categories as well. U.S. News and World Report included Liberty on lists of the top southern college in the country, the top colleges for veterans and best online schools. It also found its online graduate schools recognized as being the best among MBA, criminal justice and nursing programs.

Liberty University Accreditation Details

The accreditation held by Liberty University falls into two different categories: specialty accreditation and regional accreditation. Its regional or institutional accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS accreditation allows enrolled students to receive financial aid packages from the federal government and ensures that all students who complete the requirements of the university receive a degree upon graduating. Liberty University also has specialty accreditation, which is valid on many of its degree programs. Organizations that gave the school specialty or program accreditation include:

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
American Bar Association (ABA)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
American Osteopathic Association
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Liberty University Application Requirements

All students applying to Liberty University must complete an application packet. They can download a copy from the university’s website, complete the packet and mail it to campus, or they can complete the entire application online. Though Liberty charges a $50 application fee, it does not require that students pay that fee when enrolling. The university will use the FAFSA forms to determine if a student can afford the fee. Those who can pay the fee will pay it later. All students must also submit an official high school transcript. Anyone who has college credits they want to transfer to the university will need to submit an official college transcript as well.

The RN to BSN program is a Liberty program open to students who currently have a RN license and want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Those students will need to submit proof that they attended an accredited nursing program and completed that program. They will also need to submit a copy of the nursing license obtained before enrolling. Liberty also requires that all new students have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all their courses. Those who have a lower GPA might enter the school on a conditional status. The university will monitor the progress they make and the grades they received to determine if they should stay in the program.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The average cost of attending Liberty University is around $22,000 a year. Those who take classes on a part time basis pay $750 per credit hour. The cost of living on campus adds around $7,800 to their total costs. Students who take classes online can save significantly on their tuition costs. Liberty University charges $375 per credit hour for students who take a full course load online. Those who take part time online classes pay $435 per credit hour. A part time student is someone who takes 11 credit hours or less each semester. Online students are still responsible for some miscellaneous fees and for any textbooks or supplies they might need.

Both online students and those who live on campus will receive some type of financial aid. They must complete the FAFSA online and then visit the financial aid page of the Liberty University website. This page shows them the scholarships available through the college and how they can apply for those scholarships. All students must accept the financial aid packages awarded to them before they begin classes. Online students often qualify for a combination of grants and loans, but online students can also apply for school sponsored and private scholarships.

Online BSN at Liberty University

Liberty University introduced an RN to BSN program for students who already work as nurses and those who have nursing degrees and/or licenses. Though the program is available on campus, there is also an online program open to those who cannot take time away from their busy lives and schedules. The program prepares students for working in leadership positions within hospitals and other medical facilities. Instead of taking longer classes on campus, students can earn a bachelor’s degree while taking shorter eight week classes online. Those who enter the program must submit to a background check and pay a fee for this check. The university uses that information to ensure that new students have a nursing license and completed a nursing program.

This online program allows students to transfer credits that they obtained from another college or university, but all students must agree to take at least 30 credit hours of work through the school. They will also need to take 26 credit hours of their required nursing credits through the online system. Students who already have a nursing license and worked in the past may receive some credit for their experiences, which helps them complete the program even faster.

Requirements of the program include the completion of at least nine credit hours of work in religious thought and practice. Students also take a minimum of 61 credits of core nursing classes. Core nursing classes at Liberty University include nursing management, pharmacology, medical terminology and health assessment.

Another great resource:

Cheapest Accredited Online RN to BSN Programs to Most Expensive- A Complete List