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We are the Catholic, Franciscan learning place. Here, each person's dignity is appreciated and celebrated, providing a powerful sense of community and a place to pursue a private, liberal arts education that shapes more than your résumé — it shapes your character. Briar Cliff University is a community committed to higher education within a liberal arts and Catholic perspective. In the Franciscan tradition of service, caring and openness to all, Briar Cliff emphasizes quality education for its students, combining a broad intellectual background with career development. The University challenges its members to grow in self-awareness and their relationships with others and God. If you are a current high school student or graduate, a transfer student, an international student, or a first-time freshman of any age, take the first steps to an outstanding higher education. For professionals and those with bachelor's degrees looking to earn a graduate degree at Briar Cliff, take the next steps to advance and reach your full personal and professional potential. Finish your bachelor's degree online at the Briar Cliff University, without sacrificing your personal and professional responsibilities. At Briar Cliff, we believe cost should not keep any future student from joining the BCU community. Our Office of Financial Aid will work with you and your family to create a financial aid package that will help you achieve — and afford — your dream. Real-life is not divided into academic disciplines. It is a mixed bag of art and science and math and history and communication, all connected in many different ways. At Briar Cliff, studying liberal arts and your chosen field of study will prepare you for more than a career — it will prepare you for life. Briar Cliff faculty are published authors, Fulbright Scholars, performers at Carnegie Hall, and contributors to the Human Genome Project. However, most importantly, they care about your success as a student. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio also leads to lasting relationships. Look around campus, and you'll find students and professors teaming up on research, working side-by-side on service projects, and even grabbing lunch together in the cafeteria. Your diploma isn't the end of your Briar cliff experience. It 'sIt's just the beginning. That's why 95 percent of Briar Cliff students are employed or attending a graduate school within six months of graduation. The Honors Program at Briar Cliff creates a community for like-minded, motivated students to share transformational experiences. Learning has no boundaries. At Briar Cliff, it often takes place beyond the classroom: in the residence halls, with your friends, through student clubs, travel opportunities, intramurals, campus ministry, athletic teams, service projects — the list goes on. Here, you will find biology majors performing with the Cliff Singers art students competing on intramural sports teams, and self-declared "book nerds" crowd-surfing through the Blue Crew. The Briar Cliff University campus has four residence halls with a housing capacity of 580 students. Each hall is staffed by an area coordinator and resident assistants (RAs) on each floor. Briar Cliff University believes that living on campus is a vital part of the college experience. The best college experience is one where the curriculum and the co-curriculum are seamlessly integrated, given that the educational benefits of a residential education are many and well-documented. Here at Briar Cliff, every first-year student belongs to a learning community. You will get to pick one as soon as you enroll at BCU. Each community has a different theme, but the same purpose: for you to find a group of friends and professors at Briar Cliff, who is passionate about the same things as you. You will take a few of the same classes, team up on a service project, and adjust to college life together. So take a look — and think about which one is right for you. In 1929, only briar patches covered a 175-foot hill located on Sioux City, Iowa's western outskirts. However, two people — Mother Mary Dominica Wieneke, Major Superior of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, and the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Sioux City Diocese — had a vision. They envisioned that hill crowned with a Catholic college for women. Mother Dominica and Bishop Heelan met on March 9, 1929, with the Sioux City business community members. These community leaders committed themselves to raise $25,000 to support the establishment of a college in Sioux City. On March 30, 1930, at the laying of the cornerstone for the first building, Heelan Hall, Bishop Heelan commented that "the duty of education must not only prepare one for citizenship but also prepare one for eternity." This was indeed the spirit of the education that the Sisters of Saint Francis brought to Sioux City. Dominica carefully chose the 12 foundresses of the College. They were led by Sister Mary Servatius Greenen, who was named the first president. The College was dedicated on September 18, 1930, and named Briar Cliff — after the hill on which it is located. Four days later, 25 women started classes in Heelan Hall, then the only building on campus. Briar Cliff has been served throughout its history by dedicated and talented faculty, staff, and administrators. The University's history is one of patience, perseverance, and unyielding commitment. It is an institution with a wealthy Catholic, Franciscan heritage, and a strong service tradition.While the mission of the University has not changed in more than 80 years, Briar Cliff continues to grow and expand, always placing the needs of students first. View full university

Cliff College has a long and rich heritage of providing Bible training to people from diverse backgrounds, for mission and evangelism. It started in 1883 in the home of its founder Thomas Champness in Bolton. He later moved into Castleton Hall at Rochdale, where the work continued until he retired, and the lease at Castleton Hall expired. The Wesleyan Methodist church took over the work and moved the College to its current location, Calver, in 1904, where more space was available for the work. Since the beginning, we have sought to provide Biblical, Evangelical training that is both relevant and forward-thinking, emphasizing Scriptural Holiness. As a Bible College, we have a high standard of excellence with the courses we deliver to provide the best Bible training we can give so that people are equipped for the services of mission and evangelism. Cliff College currently serves most Christian denominations with its training. Historically, Cliff was a Methodist Lay Training college. However, our student body is both lay and ordained and from a diverse denominational background, with our emphasis now being evangelical Christians. At Cliff, we understand the needs of our students and the needs of the Church today. We aim to provide biblical, missional, and pastoral training of high standards for all of our students on whatever course they take. When they graduate from the College, they are better prepared, equipped, and disciplined, ready for any Christian ministry on which they may embark. We see ourselves as a community of grace, which builds each other up in Christ to help carry the Church forward. Our ideology is built on learning, discipleship, mission, evangelism, and caring for one another. Our motto 'Christ for all – all for Christ' sums all this up. We want to train people from all walks of life to be better Christians, better evangelists, and disciples of Jesus. Our approach has changed as society has changed, ensuring we remain relevant to the world around us, but the calling is still the same. We would love you to be part of our vision. Cliff College is not just about getting a qualification. It is about the experience of living here, sharing our lives, and growing in godliness while you are with us. It is about gaining skills, character, and knowledge to help you through the rest of your life and ministry. Ask any of our students, being at Cliff is life-changing – for the better! Cliff College is committed to widening access and participation to students from all sections of society, especially those who are currently under-represented in Higher Education. God calls people into ministry from all walks of life, and therefore irrespective of background, we would encourage you to consider study at Cliff College. As 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us, the body has many parts, and so leadership in the Church requires people from a diversity of experiences. Widening access to higher education contributes to the diversity that is much needed in the Church today. It also promotes social mobility, enriches the Church's life, and is at one with God's heart for justice. Many of our programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate level are delivered as intensive teaching weeks. This enables students with work or family commitments to study alongside other responsibilities. Some of our programs also involve a significant placement component, which also enables students to maintain their current volunteer or work arrangements alongside their study. We continually monitor outcomes for students with non-standard entry criteria, mature students, and students with specific learning difficulties and ensure that targeted interventions are implemented to support such students. View full university