Mind, body, heart, and soul. A Niagara education is designed to nurture all areas of a student's growth, resulting in graduates who are primed for leadership roles in their careers and within their communities. Our curriculum and approach to teaching offer students many opportunities for applying knowledge to solve real world challenges.
Our liberal arts core, in conjunction with a student's academic major, invites every student to start on the path of lifelong learning. General education classes teach students how to think critically, speak and write clearly, work with diverse groups, and examine and develop the values and ethical standards that will define their lives and careers. This purposeful academic curriculum is supported by extraordinary faculty. Ninety-six percent of Niagara faculty members have earned the highest degrees in their fields, and our professors are regularly published in research and professional journals. Even more importantly, they are committed to teaching and helping each student realize his or her potential.
With more than 50 majors, seven preprofessional options, and several five-year combined master's programs, you can design a course of study that meets your career goals. Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong: All four of the university's academic colleges have received the highest rankings from the top accreditation boards in their fields.
All students will take classes in the College of Arts and Sciences at some point, as it offers the most majors over a wide variety of disciplines, as well as many of the required classes in the university’s liberal arts core curriculum. From biochemistry and international studies to theater and political science, the programs in this college provide a rich opportunity for creating courses of study that reflect today's interdisciplinary job market. In fact, more than 70 percent of the college's students carry a minor, and many take on double majors. Research is a key feature - last year alone, more than 100 students engaged in research with faculty members that resulted in co-authoring papers and presenting at university, state, and regional research conferences. In addition to seven preprofessional options, the college offers a five-year BS/MS degree in criminal justice.
Accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). the College of Business Administration follows a project-based model of business education, which means students gain substantive experience that is equivalent to the work of a consultant. More real world learning occurs through internships and study abroad programs as well as student involvement in the research being conducted in several business-focused campus centers: the Family Business Center, the Center for Supply Chain Excellence, and the Center for International Accounting. Business students are well-prepared to enter the business world through a solid foundation of courses in finance, economics, marketing, supply chain management, technology, and strategic management, and they can also pursue one of the college's five-year combination program in accounting (BBA/MBA) and commerce (BS/MBA).
Because Niagara's College of Education holds the highest accreditations possible in both the United States and Canada - the U.S. National Council on Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE) and Canada's Ontario College of Teachers - our graduates have the option of earning dual certification to teach in both countries. Also, unlike education majors at many other universities, those at Niagara are able to begin working in classrooms starting with their freshman year. In fact, our teacher candidates perform more than 30,000 hours of volunteer teaching in local schools each year. One-third of education majors conduct research, and 57 percent carry a double major or a minor. As an education major at Niagara, you will be entering a program with a strong history of success. Last year, the college boasted a 99 percent pass rate on national exams.
Ranked as one of the top hospitality programs in the country, Niagara's College of Hospitality & Tourism Management is a founding member of the Leading Hotel Schools of the World. This network of internationally-renowned hotel schools provides students with cutting-edge educational experiences through 430 five-star member hotels worldwide. The college's experienced faculty offers students prestigious connections and hands-on experiences, including internships at Walt Disney World; at one of the world's top luxury hotels in Lake Como, Italy; a cruise course that is conducted onboard a Carnival cruise ship; and excursions to major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl and baseball's spring training, where students work as behind-the-scenes volunteers. Accredited by the Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA), Niagara was the first in the country to offer a four-year degree program in tourism. Our annual career fair attracts scores of well-known employers, including major hotel companies such as the Four Seasons, Hyatt, Sheraton, Wyndham, and Marriott.
At Niagara, we don't mind if you haven't yet decided exactly what you want to do with your life. In fact, it's entirely normal. Nationwide, two-thirds of college students change their academic majors at least once. Through our award-winning Academic Exploration Program (AEP), which is rated among the top programs of its kind by the National Academic Advising Association, students who haven't declared a major can embark on a personalized and systematic exploration of life and careers with the guidance of a professionally-trained academic adviser. The best part: Advisers assist students in selecting class schedules that allow them to "try out" various majors while fulfilling university requirements, so they won't lose valuable time or credits. AEP students may then transfer into their desired major any time during their first four semesters.
Through NU's Academic Exploration Program students who haven't declared a major can embark on a personalized and systematic exploration of life and careers with the guidance of a professionally trained academic adviser.
Ashley, an NU junior, talks about what makes Niagara unique.
Dr. Robert Green, chair of the Biology department, discusses what's unique about Niagara.
