Make a seamless transition from over 110 community colleges.
Earn your degree from a reputable private nonprofit that’s accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Become a member of NU’s global community.
For over 50 years, National University has offered flexible online degree programs for busy adult learners balancing their college education with work, family life, or military duties. With the convenience of online degrees, you can wake up early to participate in online discussions, log in to study during your lunch hour, or complete your coursework late at night – whatever works for you and your schedule!
Start your search now on our programs page to find the right associate, bachelor’s, master’s, certificate, or credential program for you. Or, fill out the form to the right to get in touch with one of our experienced admissions advisors.
Admit it, avoiding lengthy commutes to class and participating in online discussions from your couch or favorite coffeehouse are added benefits of pursuing your degree online. Yet online learning with National University provides so much more. These programs are delivered using the latest technology to provide dynamic, interactive online learning environments, accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Keep reading to learn how National University adapts the in-classroom experience for a seamless online experience.
Help fill the need for educators nationwide by earning a degree that prepares you for a rewarding and inspiring career. An online education degree opens doors for new and established teachers, as well as administrators.
Teaching and Education Programs
Become a leader in your field with an online business degree. Explore business degrees focused in business administration, management, financial management, accounting, and organizational leadership.
Business and Marketing Programs
Gain the skills you need to improve patient care with an online health care and nursing degree. Explore undergraduate and graduate degree programs in nursing, public health, and healthcare administration.
Healthcare and Nursing Programs
Explore human behavior or gain a foundation in global issues, history, political science, and more by earning a social sciences or psychology online degree. You’ll also develop essential communication and analytical skills.
Sciences and Psychology ProgramsBuild on your technical and management skillset and prepare for high-growth careers by earning an online degree focused in engineering, technology, computer science, cybersecurity, and other related fields.
Engineering and Technology Programs
Protect and serve your community and advance within your field by earning an online degree in criminal justice administration, homeland security and emergency management, or public administration.
Criminal Justice and Law Programs
Pursue your passion for language, media, and the arts with an arts and humanities online degree. NU also offers an AA in General Education for students who want to build an educational foundation before pursuing a bachelor’s.
Arts and Humanities Programs
Expand your understanding of concepts and applications in math, biology, forensic science, and more with a science or math online degree. Gain experience with current technology, tools, and procedures.
Science and Math ProgramsWhether you’re a high school grad who’s ready to take the next step or a working adult ready for a career change, National University offers online associate degrees to support your hopes, goals, and dreams.
Our programs are designed to fit into the busy lifestyles of adult learners with convenient four-week courses, monthly starts, and year-round enrollment. Earn your associate degree online, and set the stage for a lifetime of personal growth, self-development, and greater possibilities for further education.
Learn more about our Online Associate Degrees ➜
National University’s online bachelor’s degree programs are taught by experienced faculty and are delivered using the latest technology to provide dynamic, interactive online learning environments. Designed for busy adult learners, our bachelor’s programs follow a four-week course format, enabling you to take one class at a time and earn your degree without disrupting your work and family obligations.
Education is an investment in yourself that can pay dividends for a lifetime. Having a bachelor’s degree on your resume can increase your earning potential, improve your job prospects, and set you up for a more secure future.
In today’s competitive job market, anything you can do to enhance your industry expertise and sharpen your leadership skills can give you an edge over the competition, while increasing your advancement opportunities and earning potential. That’s why so many career-focused professionals choose National University to pursue a career-focused master’s degree online.
NU created an innovative way to help you fit an advanced degree into your current work and family responsibilities. We offer four-week courses, so you can focus on one subject at a time, one month at a time, and finish your degree faster.
Learn more about our Online Master’s Degrees ➜
Not everyone has the tenacity and drive to earn a doctorate degree, but those who do project an aura of achievement that signifies expertise and thought leadership in their chosen field. National University’s online doctorate degree programs are designed to help you make your mark in the fields of education, healthcare, or psychology.
No other university can match NU’s uniquely flexible approach to earning your doctorate. Our rigorous curriculums offer the flexibility and convenience to fit into your busy schedule and lifestyle.
Learn more about our Online Doctorate Degrees ➜
A professional certificate can provide evidence to prospective employers that you have expertise in a specific area of your chosen field. National University offers online certificate programs designed to help you build a professional career without a college degree. They can also help you acquire specialized knowledge and skills to take your current career to the next level.
NU accepts and reviews applications year-round, so you can start learning as soon as next month, depending on your program of study. Plus, we offer four-week courses, so you can focus on one subject at a time, one month at a time, and finish your certificate program faster.
Learn more about our Online Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Programs ➜
At NU, you can pursue over 45 degree programs completely online. You’ll be immersed in coursework delivered using the latest technology to provide a dynamic, interactive, online learning environment. At NU, you’ll benefit from:
As an NU online student, you’ll have access to interactive tools that support your individual learning style. Online coursework includes video lectures, audio recordings, readings, interactive presentations, assignments, quizzes, and exams. Throughout your program, you’ll collaborate with professors and classmates, working together to create a strong community within the online classroom.
Moving beyond the walls of a brick-and-mortar classroom, online classes use resources and communications tools that enhance learning, such as:
Do you like asking questions, receiving personalized feedback, and talking with your peers and instructors? Whether you are outgoing and demand frequent interaction with others or are more reserved and prefer less interaction, National’s online class structure provides the flexibility to fit your needs.
Through group projects, threaded discussions, emails, and online conversations, you develop and strengthen your writing, critical thinking, and team-building skills. Collaborative communication is a central component of National University’s online degree programs.
Online, faculty members are accessible every day. They regularly monitor and participate in class discussions, and video chat lets you and your instructor talk in real-time, almost as if you were sitting face-to-face.
Recognizing that the nature of teaching and learning is different in the online classroom, National University’s distinguished faculty members skillfully design all coursework to provide a balance between presentation and content. Faculty members are trained in online instruction, which enhances their teaching competencies and adds depth to their understanding of the online student experience.
Whether you are unfamiliar with online learning or an expert at it, our instructors, advisors, and student services staff work with you every step of the way to help you succeed.
Serving as a single point of contact, your online advisor assists you from the day you begin your National University program until the time you graduate. Advisors do all of the legwork, helping you find the right instructor, credential analyst, or financial aid counselor. You can contact an advisor anytime, and they will get back to you within 24-48 hours.
National University offers unparalleled support for students. Technical support and other student assistance is available via email or phone. National University’s Student Concierge Services is your one-stop center for answers, with advocates who are trained in a range of areas such as financial aid, credentials, admissions, and graduation.
National University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Accreditation is especially crucial for a student’s success as it means having access to the proper technology, resources, and student services to deliver a high-caliber online learning experience. Learn more on why it’s important to attend an accredited college from our Vice Provost of Academic Services, Dr. Joseph Hoey.
NU is dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults through a holistic, whole-human approach to education. Our online degree programs are delivered in a rich, interactive learning environment, and our achievable four-week courses are backed by the academic, emotional, career, financial, and family support needed to succeed in today’s fast-paced world. That means our students have the support they need to stay on track, finish faster, and achieve their personal and professional goals.
We’re proud to be a veteran-founded, San Diego-based nonprofit. Since 1971, our mission has been to provide accessible, achievable higher education to adult learners. Today, we educate students from across the U.S. and around the globe, with over 240,000 alumni worldwide.
“There’s no way I would have made the impact or the difference that I’m making without the support, the confidence, and the education that I was provided.”
-Amber P., MHA, Class of 2017
Yes. National University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Accreditation is especially crucial for a student’s success as it means having access to the proper technology, resources, and student services to deliver a high-caliber online learning experience.
Our goal is to make transferring to NU as seamless as possible, whether you’re coming from a community college or have credits from another university. As a transfer-friendly school, we have articulation agreements with more than 110 community colleges and participate in the CCC-ADT program, so you get the credit you deserve.
Taking an online class is engaging, informative, and fun. Our online courses feature assignments such as lectures, readings, multimedia presentations, and quizzes, plus real-time chat, threaded discussions, e-textbooks, an assignment Dropbox, and a bulletin board. Students can access their class schedules, grades, and academic and financial aid information via the student web portal.
As of May 2020, the following are the minimum system requirements that are needed to successfully access your courses on the Blackboard Learn platform.
Windows Users
• Recommended OS: Windows 8, 10
• Supported OS: Windows 7
• Secure High-Speed Internet connection (e.g.: DSL, Cable, etc.)
• Soundcard & Speakers
• Screen Resolution: 1280 X 1024 or better
• Recommended Browsers: Firefox, Chrome
• Supported Browsers: Chrome 75+, Edge (Chromium), Firefox 57+
• Headset with microphone using USB/wired connection
MAC Users
• Recommended OS: OS X 10.14
• Supported OS: OS X 10.12+
• Secure High-Speed Internet connection (e.g.: DSL, Cable, etc.)
• Soundcard & Speakers
• Screen Resolution: 1280 X 1024 or better
• Recommended Browsers: Firefox 57+, Safari 12+
• Headset with microphone using a USB/wired connection
Mobile Users
• Recommended OS: Android 9+, IOS 12+ Supported OS: Android 5+, IOS 11+, IPAD OS, Chromebook
• Recommended Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Safari
• Secure High-Speed Cell Service, Mobile Hotspot or Wi-Fi Connection
• Headset with microphone
An online degree has just as much credibility as a degree earned at a traditional college or university. National University’s online degrees are fully accredited and recognized by employers as valuable and desirable qualifications.
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