Communications at UM – Crookston
The University of Minnesota – Crookston appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs.
The University of Minnesota – Crookston makes it easy for students to study communications because it offers two standard programs that award students a Bachelor of Science in Communications. This program asks students to pick a track in organizational communications, communication studies or writing. The track they pick will determine the courses that they take later. Those enrolled in the writing track will learn how to write on a professional level and how to edit their work. The organizational communications track focuses on public relations and marketing, while the communication studies track looks at all aspects of communications.
UMC offers its BS in Communications program both online and on its campus. The online program requires that students take the same communications classes and that they pick a track to follow. Both programs feature courses like Business and Professional Speaking, Communication Theory and Human Relationships and Leadership. Students will also need to take at least two electives, but the university offers more than 20 different communications electives. Those electives include Event Planning and Management, Organizational Communication, Crisis Communication, Editing and Corporate Training. Students can also do an internship. Online students must take Orientation to Online Learning, which is a course that goes over the basics of the UMC online learning platform.
One of the more unique programs available from UMC is its BS in Agricultural Communication. Designed for those who want to work in the agricultural industry, the program prepares students for working as policymakers and lobbyists. UMC graduates also work for environmental groups and agencies. The program features some required communications classes and some electives as well as a core of liberal arts courses. UMC only offers this program on its Crookston campus, which puts students close to the agricultural center of the Red River Valley.
About University of Minnesota – Crookston
The University of Minnesota – Crookston is one of five campuses in the state that make up the University of Minnesota school system. Many call it UMC, but it also goes by the name of U of M Crookston. The Northwest Experiment Station opened in 1895 in the area to conduct research experiments on local farms. This later became the Northwest School of Agriculture, which changed its name to the University of Minnesota Technical Institute in the 1960s. By the end of the decade, its curriculum and other factors led to the college becoming a full university. In 1988, the university changed its name once again and became UMC.
Though UMC now has a catalog filled with courses, it still has a strong connection to the agricultural community in Minnesota. Not only does the university offer courses for those who want to work on farms or in the agricultural industry, but it also offers one of the only agricultural communications degree programs in the nation. The university offers a total of 34 degree programs for undergrads and nearly 40 minors and concentration areas. It is also home to one of the only equine science programs in the Midwest. Washington Monthly ranks UMC as one of the best liberal arts schools in the country, and U.S. News & World Report ranks it as one of the top colleges in the Midwest. The University of Minnesota – Crookston has an enrollment of more than 1,800 students.
University of Minnesota – Crookston Accreditation Details
UMC has regional accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS) of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). NCACS accreditation means that students can apply for financial aid and use the aid given to them by the state or federal government. This form of accreditation also makes it easier for students who want to transfer any of their credits. The university also has accreditation from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) for its dietetics program and internship.
University of Minnesota – Crookston Application Requirements
UMC looks for students who have a strong educational background and for students who followed a college prep curriculum. A college prep curriculum typically consists of four years of English classes, three years of math and life science classes with a lab component and several years of both social studies and foreign language courses. The university also looks for students who graduated high school with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 3.0 scale. It gives priority to students who completed advanced and higher level classes while in high school such as advanced placement classes.
Students applying to UMC must use its online application, which is available through the admissions website. This application features sections devoted to the student’s educational background and contact information. Those who prefer using a paper application can contact the university and ask for one. UMC asks for both a high school transcript and an official test score. Students must score at least 980 on the SAT or 21 on the ACT. The university looks at other factors too, including whether the student is a first-generation college student or whether the student served in the military.
Tuition and Financial Aid
UMC charges a flat tuition rate that lets students take as many credits as they want for $5,141 each semester. Students can take 13 credits of classes or more without facing any extra fees. This helps students take as many classes as they want and to take more classes than their peers to graduate faster. Those who take fewer credits will pay around $396 per credit hour. Full-time students pay less than $11,000 a year, no matter how many classes they take. This rate applies to students taking classes on and off the university’s main campus and to those taking online classes.
All UMC students should apply for financial aid with the FAFSA, even if they think they don’t qualify for aid. This form looks at how much the student’s parents make to determine how much the parents can contribute, which determines the amount of help that the student needs. Students may qualify for a Minnesota grant if they are residents of the state. They can also get grants and loans from the federal government and take part in the federal work-study program. UMC offers some scholarships too. Scholarships available from the University of Minnesota – Crookston go to students based on their merit and their overall need.