Institutional Profile

History

  • Founded: 1889
  • Names through years: State Normal School, 1889-1910; Colorado State Teachers College, 1911-1934, Colorado State College of Education, 1935-1956; Colorado State College, 1957-1969, University of Northern Colorado, 1970-present.
  • First graduate degrees offered in 1913.
  • Designated a doctorate-granting / research university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Campus Locations

  • Main campus – Greeley: 76 classroom, residence and service buildings on 260 acres of land
  • Extended Studies centers - Centerra (Loveland,), Lowry (Denver), UNC Colorado Springs Center (Colorado Springs)

Academics

Academic Year

Two 16-week semesters (fall: late August to mid-December; spring: early January to early May) and a 12-week summer term with six-, eight- and 12-week sessions.

Colleges

  • College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
    • Website
    • Recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in 2007.
    • The Educational Technology program was recently chosen as a national model by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
    • Each year, 100 percent of the graduates of the Special Education Program, regarded as among the best in the nation, obtain jobs in the field.
    • The Psychological Services Clinic in the School of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education provides quality, low-cost counseling services to the university community and the Greeley Undergraduate Psychology majors provide 20,000 hours of community service each year.
    • Nearly one-third of the winners of the Colorado Department of Education's Teacher of the Year award are UNC graduates.
  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • Website
    • HSS students represent 40 percent of all UNC students who studied abroad in 2009-10.
    • Ten HSS faculty are Fulbright scholars, having received the prestigious award for research or teaching overseas.
    • Six chapters of national honor societies within the college include a nationally award-winning chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, plus 20 additional clubs related to specific majors and minors.
    • Every department and school in HSS offered at least one internship opportunity in 2009-10 (110 HSS students participated in a discipline-related internship during 2009-10).
    • HSS sponsors the International Film Series, one of the longest running college film series in Colorado. Since 1973 HSS faculty, staff and students have brought innovative film art to our campus from around the world, providing a stimulating cultural asset to the Greeley community.
  • College of Natural and Health Sciences
    • Website
    • Biological Sciences faculty received a National Science Foundation award of $750,000 to recruit, retain, support and promote the graduation of undergraduate students majoring in the biological sciences.
    • Biological Sciences faculty also received from the U.S. Department of Education a $380,000 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Grant to improve doctoral education in Biology at UNC.
    • A new Forensic Science Emphasis in the Chemistry & Biochemistry program allows undergraduates to use state-of the-art research facilities and instruments they'll use on the job.
    • Among U.S. undergraduate-only Physics programs, UNC ranks in the top 24 universities for the largest average number of bachelor's degrees granted, according to the American Institute of Physics in 2009.
    • The School of Nursing received $429,000 in federal funding to establish the National Institute for Nursing Education and Scholarship, which focuses on the national nursing faculty shortage and best-practice research in nursing education
  • College of Performing and Visual Arts
    • Website
    • PVA's faculty ranks include Emmy and Grammy Award nominees and winners, including Marian Hesse, who earned a Grammy as a horn soloist on the Chestnut Brass Company recording "Hornsmoke," and Russell Guyver, who received an Emmy for his score of a PBS docudrama.
    • The Jazz program has received more than 100 Downbeat Magazine awards.
    • The University Orchestra was named the top university orchestra in the U.S. seven times in the past 10 years, according to the Annual DownBeat Magazine College Music awards.
    • Numerous graduates of the Musical Theatre program are involved on Broadway and with national touring productions each year.
    • Students each year have opportunities to perform in 250-plus recitals, concerts, operas, musicals, plays, exhibits, festivals, symposia, workshops and clinics.
    • The Center for Integrated Arts Education was named by the Dana Foundation, a leading arts education philanthropic organization, as one of the top 24 universities in the nation that's successful in improving K-12 arts education.
  • Monfort College of Business
    • Website
    • The first and only business program in the U.S. to receive a presidential award for excellence (the Baldrige National Quality Award).
    • For seven successive years, graduating business majors have scored in the top 10 percent on nationwide standardized exit exams administered by 560 business schools.
    • Recipient of the Timberline Award from Colorado Performance Excellence, the state version of the Baldrige Award.
    • Accredited by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in both business and accounting - the "gold standard" for accreditation.
    • Approximately 94 percent of MCB students surveyed would recommend the college to a close family member or friend.
  • University College
    • Website
    • In addition to students exploring their options before declaring a major, the college is also home to the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership; Interdisciplinary Studies Elementary Teaching; Academic Support and Advising; New Student Orientation; Liberal Arts Core classes; and student designed majors.
    • Each year, approximately 1,300 students in the college explore different fields of study before declaring a major.
    • The college helps exploring students by pairing them with an advisor, offering special first-year seminars and partnering with Career Services to assist students in considering career options.
    • Two hundred elementary school teachers graduated from the college in May 2010 with degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies Elementary Teaching.

Programs

  • 100-plus undergraduate
  • 100-plus graduate
  • Course sections with fewer than 25 students: 47 percent
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1

Employees

  • Total full-time employees = 1,368
  • Total part-time employees = 290

Administration

Intercollegiate Athletics

  • 19 NCAA Division I sports primarily in the Big Sky Athletic Conference
  • Men's Sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), wrestling
  • Women's Sports: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball
  • Other Conference Affiliations
    • Baseball: Great West Conference
    • Men's Golf: America Sky Conference
    • Wrestling: Western Wrestling Conference
    • Softball: Pacific Coast Softball Conference

Financial Information

Operating Budget (2011-12)

Cost of Attendance (2011-12)

  • Tuition (full-time)
    • Resident undergraduate: $5,300
    • Resident graduate: Varies by program, $6,390 - $8,964
    • Non-resident undergraduate: $16,822
    • Non-resident graduate: Varies by program starting at $16,326 - $19,638
  • Room and Board
    • Tiered rates fall into six categories ranging from $4,770-$5,770 per person, based on the amenities available. Discounting is also available for room rates.
    • Six different options of meal plans are available, ranging from $4,980 - $5,980.
  • Fees: all students pay:
    • Student activity fee ($972 full-time student or $48.60 per credit hour)
    • Technology fee (ranges from $9.10-$10.65 per credit hour depending on college)
    • Library fee (ranges from $2 -$3 per credit hour) depending on college
  • Tuition and fees chart

Economic Impacts

  • The university’s operational expenditures and spending by faculty, staff and students results in direct and indirect impacts of $131 million in Weld County and $175 million in Weld and Larimer counties combined.
  • Local spending by the University of Northern Colorado, its employees and its students supports 1,441 non-university jobs in Weld County and 2,010 in Weld and Larimer counties combined.
  • University of Northern Colorado teacher candidates contribute over 400,000 hours of work time to local K-12 schools each year.
  • University employees who live in Weld County donate an estimated 99,400 hours of their time and $1.46 million in cash annually to area nonprofit agencies and organizations.
  • University-related events ranging from spring commencement ceremonies to the UNC Jazz Festival contribute an estimated $4 million to the local economy each year.