Bradley University is committed to providing students with an education grounded in real-world relevance, community-mindedness, and ethics. Today, they offer more than 185 academic programs in eight schools. This includes Bradley University online and campus programs, undergrad and graduate programs. And Bradley has long history of helping students and their communities thrive. In fact, they were founded in 1897 with that goal in mind. With a vibrant student community, a history of success, and a commitment to its core values, Bradley University online classes and campus programs offer a wealth of opportunity for students looking for more than just a degree program.
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While Bradley was founded as a local campus, that’s not all they offer. Today, they also offer a number of online graduate programs, helping them to reach students whose location, schedule, or personal responsibilities might otherwise have gotten in the way, thus allowing distance learning students to attend Bradley University online courses.
Students might have a variety of reasons for choosing online learning at Bradley. But they all add up to one thing: Bradley offers supportive programs to help professionals get their educations. Bradley University Online uses technology to student advantage. They offer a flexible model with 24/7 access. Online programs also offer many similar benefits to campus learning. For example, the classes are collaborative, encouraging students and faculty to discuss, debate, and work together in real time from wherever they are. Students could get personal support. And they could even get hands-on experience through internship and clinical opportunities. All this could be led by expert faculty with industry experience.
Bradley offers a suite of Nursing and Counseling programs online. In the Bradley University online nursing program, students could earn:
Online counseling students could work toward the following.
About Bradley University
Bradley University was founded in 1897 in Peoria, Illinois by Lydia Moss Bradley. The school originally operated under the name Bradley Polytechnic Institute. They started with 150 students and fourteen faculty members. They kept growing from there, shifting to a four year college in 1920 and adding their graduate programs in 1946.
Today, Bradley University serves more than five thousand students in more than 185 unique programs. And with all that growth, they remain committed to their founder’s original mission of providing high quality education. They’ve even been recognized for it, making it to #6 in US News & World Report’s list of best regional universities in the Midwest.
Mission & Values
Bradley University’s founding mission is to educate students in a useful and ethical way, preparing them to become leaders, using their innovation and drive to better their communities. To achieve this mission, they hold fast to these core values.
- Excellence
- Community
- Innovation
- Globalization
- Collaborative Learning
- Experiential Learning
- Leadership
- Diversity
- Entrepreneurship
- Service
What You Could Study at Bradley University Online or Campus
Bradley’s 185+ academic programs are divided up into eight colleges. Each of these colleges focuses on a different subject family, and aims to support its students with personal guidance, resources, and community.
- The Foster College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in six areas: Accounting, Economics; Entrepreneurship, Technology & Law; Finance & Quantitative Methods, Management & Leadership, and Marketing. Students can study under faculty with experience and connections to the Peoria business community, and even take their education abroad.
- Slane College of Communications & Fine Arts integrates communication, creativity, and interactive media. They aim to help students apply their creativity and imagination effectively. Students could study art, communication, interactive media, music, and even theatre. They even offer a variety of unique paths of study geared toward careers in creative industries!
- The College of Education & Health Science is home to Bradley’s human services programs. While each program may look at a different area, they all work to help individuals, families, and communities thrive. Students could earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in family and consumer sciences; leadership in education, nonprofits and counseling; nursing, physical therapy and health science, and teaching. Some programs are even offered online.
- The Caterpillar College of Engineering & Technology is dedicated to hands-on, collaborative engineering education. Students could get practical experience in civil engineering and construction, electrical and computer engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering and technology, and mechanical engineering.
- Bradley’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers a wide range of humanities, social sciences, scientific and interdisciplinary programs at the undergrad and graduate level. The college is committed to fostering intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, and encouraging communication, innovation and research.
- The Charley Steiner School of Sports Communication was named to honor the National Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Emmy Award nominee, and Bradley graduate. This college’s unique program helps students learn more about sports journalism in all its incarnations. They also support students in pursuing unique internship opportunities. Some Charley Steiner students have even gotten internship experience covering the Olympics!
- The Turner School of Entrepreneurship & Innovation brings together creative thinking with business savvy, helping students become innovators! The school aims to help students develop skills and knowledge surrounding areas like market feasibility, starting a business, financing, creative marketing, valuation, risk assessment, product development, and business planning.
- The Academic Exploration Program is a unique program to help undecided students find their passion. AEP students may gain exposure to a variety of disciplines, helping them make their degree and career choices.
- The Graduate School at Bradley University offers 34 graduate degree and certificate program in conjunction with five colleges. Some graduate programs are even offered online! Bradley graduate programs are designed to support practitioners while also providing a steady grounding in theory to back it up.
How to Apply
Bradley wants to make the application process as straightforward and welcoming as possible. They use rolling admissions, which means they review each application as they receive it. Students could choose to apply early decision, priority, or regular admission. Each of those admission cycles has its own deadlines, which could impact details like scholarship consideration.
For undergraduate freshman applicants, the requirements are as follows.
- Complete the online application
- Have your high school send an official copy of you high school transcripts
- Submit your official SAT or ACT test scores, either directly from the testing service, or on your transcripts
- One or more letters of recommendation
- A personal statement or essay
If you’re applying to one of Bradley’s graduate programs, the requirements may vary by program. However, they generally look something like this.
- Complete the Bradley University online graduate application and application fee
- Submit an admission essay based on one of the prompt questions
- Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
- Submit at least two letters of recommendation
- Submit your resume as required by your program
- Submit your standardized test scores (GRE, GMAT, MAT) as required by your program
Financial Aid
If you think you might need to rely on financial aid to cover some or all of your Bradley university tuition, you’re not alone. According to US News & World Report, 71% of students received some form of need-based financial aid. In addition to need-based aid, Bradley may also offer merit-based scholarships. Each of these may have unique prerequisites. For more information about what is currently available and how to qualify, follow up with your admissions counselor.
Fast Facts
- Bradley was founded in 1897 by Lydia Moss Bradley
- Its Carnegie Classification is “Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs”
- Bradley University Rankings according to 2017 US News & World Report:
- #6 Regional Universities Midwest
- #6 Best Colleges for Veterans
- #36 Best Value Schools
- #25 non-doctoral Engineering programs
- #150 Business Programs
- Bradley serves students from across the United States and 33 countries internationally
- 24% of the freshman class are students of color
- 51% of undergrad students are women
- 92% of Bradley graduates enroll in grad school or start their career within 6 months
- Bradley’s average class size is 21 students, with a student/faculty ratio of 12:1
- Bradley is a NCAA Division I school. Their nickname is The Braves.
- Bradley offers 15 varsity sports including baseball and soccer
Accreditation
As of September 2017, Bradley University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. They also hold twenty two additional program-specific accreditations. For more information about the accreditation status of your particular degree program, and to learn more about the agency issuing that accreditation, reach out to Bradley University.
The Bradley Braves
Bradley University’s teams go by the nickname, “The Bradley Braves.” They’re a member the Missouri Valley Conference in NCAA Division I. Their mascot is Kaboom the Gargoyle, and the teams wear red and white.
Men’s intercollegiate sports teams currently offered at Bradley include the following.
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Soccer
- Track and Field.
The respective intercollegiate women’s teams are listed below.
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball
If you’re interested in learning more about these and other athletic opportunities at Bradley, whether intercollegiate or intramural, reach out to Bradley University or your admissions counselor.
Learn More About Bradley University
If you think you’d like to learn more about Bradley University or even apply, don’t hesitate! Start by filling out the contact form to request information. Then you might schedule an interview or campus visit, or even start filling out the application. Good luck!
