Southern Arkansas University

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Southern Arkansas University "feels like home" with personalized tour visits, faculty and staff who care about student success, and a caring campus community. SAU also offers traditional and unique academic degree programs that are ranked nationally for quality and affordability.
The mission of Southern Arkansas University is to educate students for productive and fulfilling lives in a global environment by providing opportunities for intellectual growth, individual enrichment, skill development, and meaningful career preparation. The University believes in the individual's worth and accepts its responsibility for developing in its students those values and competencies essential for effective citizenship in an ever-changing, free, and democratic society. Further, the University provides an environment conducive to excellence in teaching and learning, scholarship, creative endeavors, and service.
SAU is a quality, comprehensive, regional University expanding accessible and transformational learning experiences.
Nestled in a quiet and beautiful part of south Arkansas, SAU is a great place to call home and study a broad range of academic programs, including unique offerings to the state and region. Along with boasting a complete college experience on campus, the University is a short drive from outdoor activities. It is central to many regional hubs, such as Texarkana, Shreveport, Little Rock, etc.
As career and professional trends change, SAU initiates new degree programs to fit those needs. The latest additions include an exciting new cybersecurity computer science program, a unique Welding Engineering Technology SAU System program, and a new track in the MBA program for Social Entrepreneurship.
Also off to a singing start is Arkansas' most affordable complete Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music theatre, for which the curtains opened in fall 2015. SAU BFA students gain 70 to 80 hands-on hours specific to their field of study.
In fall 2014, SAU established the only Arkansas engineering program south of Little Rock. This program was built on strong support from the regional industry, meaning incoming SAU engineering students will gain valuable internship opportunities and have high-paying jobs waiting for them upon graduation. These exciting programs follow SAU's induction in fall 2013 of the Computer Game and Animation Design programs — the first and most affordable complete degree program of its kind in Arkansas. The Rankin College of Business has added Entrepreneurship and the valuable Supply Chain Management programs.
Even as new programs are added, SAU maintains a quality 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio that allows students to get personalized attention and keeps them from feeling like just another face in the crowd.
In adapting to the busy lives of those who have already achieved bachelor's degrees, the School of Graduate Studies at SAU shapes advanced course work to improve opportunities and different careers. Many SAU master's degrees — such as the popular Master of Business Administration, the Master of Arts in Teaching, and the Master of Science in Computer and Information Science degrees — can be completed entirely online or custom-fit with a combination of in-class experience and online convenience.
The Office of Financial Aid provides financial assistance to qualified students in pursuit of their educational objectives. Assistance is available through federal, state, and institutional programs, including grants, loans, student employment, and scholarships. Governing regulations administer all programs.
Academic scholarships are awarded based on grade-point average, class rank, and ACT or SAT score. Performance scholarships are available in art, band, choir, and theatre. Other scholarships are available in athletics and rodeo. If you are eligible for an academic or performance scholarship, any other financial aid you are awarded may be applied to other costs each semester, such as books and supplies (some restrictions apply).
The list of opportunities available outside of the classroom at SAU is as broad and diverse as the list of degree programs. While earning a degree at SAU, students can find a niche to match any interest through more than 60 student organizations.
Through the Residential Interest Group program, SAU offers students the unique experience of living with others who share similar interests. Because of the record enrollments, including campus living, SAU is currently constructing two new residence halls at the north entrance to campus.
Entertainment flavors the campus experience throughout the year as SAU offers professional entertainment, concerts, plays, movies, lectures, workshops, and intramural sports to round out the complete college experience. For die-hard sports fans and athletes, SAU is a competitive member of the NCAA Division II and part of the Great American Conference. Men's teams compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, track, and golf. Women's teams compete in volleyball, basketball, cross country, softball, track, and golf.
In 2012, SAU added a sports fishing team to the school's list of extracurricular competitive sports. The SAU Rodeo Team is nationally competitive and consistently ranks high in regional and national intercollegiate competitions.
Counseling is a process of exploring issues, learning new ways of coping, and increasing overall satisfaction with life. The counselor can help you clarify goals and find solutions to problems through careful listening, guided self-exploration, suggesting new perspectives for consideration, and providing new information. Counseling is not telling you what to do, how to feel, or who to be. Your initial interview with a counselor will help you identify which resources may best benefit you.

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