Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio)

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Bowling Green State University
Home of the Falcons.

From the BGSU website:
The University

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) offers an outstanding educational experience. At BGSU, academic learning is paired with a campus wide commitment to values exploration and prepares graduates to go out into the world as critical thinkers, skilled communicators, and ethical leaders, in all areas of study. This vision uniquely distinguishes BGSU as a public university with a unified purpose.

BGSU combines the personal atmosphere of a small college with the opportunities of a major university. With more than 200 undergraduate majors and programs, BGSU's learning community provides high-quality faculty members who care about their students, an appreciation for diversity, and the latest in information technology. About 7,000 of BGSU's 20,300 students live on campus. BGSU attracts students who balance academic excellence with involvement in nearly 325 student organizations. Committed to ensuring that every student succeeds, Bowling Green challenges and supports students, both in and out of the classroom. Integral to campus life are the core values: respect for one another, cooperation, intellectual and spiritual growth, creative imaginings, and pride in a job well done.

BGSU's personal atmosphere is enhanced by its physically compact campus located within the Bowling Green community. Most restaurants and businesses are within walking or biking distance of residence halls. Bicycles are a popular means of transportation, but all students are permitted to have cars.

Of the 20,300 students enrolled at BGSU, 17,300 are undergraduate students, 10 percent come from outside the state of Ohio (including more than 540 from other countries), and more than 1,680 are African American, Native American, Hispanic, or Asian American. Students are actively involved outside of class, participating in student organizations and service learning opportunities and enjoying some of the more than 400 cultural and special events that are offered each month.

Residence halls reinforce the learning environment with a computer laboratory for each residence complex and one computer available for every 23 resident students. Every residence hall room has high-speed Ethernet connections to the University's computing backbone.

BGSU's Graduate College offers sixty-six master's degrees, two specialist degree programs, and sixteen doctoral programs.
Location

The city of Bowling Green, Ohio, population 29,600 (including students), is located in northwest Ohio about 20 miles south of Toledo. It is within a comfortable driving distance of all major cities in Ohio and is within an easy commute from nearby towns.
Majors and Degrees

The University is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association (30 LaSalle Street, Suite 3400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, 1-800-621-7440). BGSU offers more than 200 undergraduate majors and programs in seven undergraduate colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education and Human Development, Health and Human Services, Musical Arts, Technology, and the regional BGSU Firelands in Huron, Ohio. Numerous programs within these colleges are accredited by their respective national accrediting agencies.

Four-year undergraduate programs are available and lead to the following degrees: Bachelor of Applied Health Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in apparel merchandising and product development, Bachelor of Science in child and family community services, Bachelor of Science in communication disorders, Bachelor of Science in criminal justice, Bachelor of Science in dietetics, Bachelor of Science in economics, Bachelor of Science in education, Bachelor of Science in environmental health, Bachelor of Science in nutrition sciences, Bachelor of Science in gerontology, Bachelor of Science in interior design, Bachelor of Science in journalism, Bachelor of Science in medical technology, Bachelor of Science in nursing, Bachelor of Science in social work, and Bachelor of Science in technology. BGSU Firelands offers fourteen programs that lead to associate degrees in applied business, applied sciences, nursing, science, and technical study, plus six bachelor's degree programs.

Every entering student has the option of enrolling in an undergraduate college with a declared major or of enrolling as an undecided student. Students who are undecided about a college begin their studies in pre-major advising, where approximately 500 new students enroll each year.
Academic Program

The academic program at BGSU is designed to help all students achieve their full potential. All students, regardless of their major, take a core group of general education courses.

Classroom work is closely integrated with out-of-class experiences in the residence halls and off campus. Students can choose one of ten smaller special-interest housing and academic living-learning communities. In some communities, professors teach classes and have offices in the residence halls and extend experiential and service learning beyond the classroom. Community interests include music, health sciences, Hispanic and French language and culture, middle childhood and secondary education, international culture, and wellness. The Chapman Community and IMPACT (integrating moral principles and critical thinking) are open to all majors.

Bowling Green offers a challenging honors program, honors housing, and the opportunity to complete a senior honors project for graduation with University or departmental honors. All students receive academic advising and tutoring services are available. Bowling Green has Army and Air Force ROTC programs.
Off-Campus Arrangements

BGSU emphasizes education with a global perspective. About 275 BGSU students study abroad each year. Education-abroad programs range from a full academic year to a few weeks and are available at thirty sites in thirty countries.

BGSU participates in the National Student Exchange Program with 173 other colleges and universities in the U.S. The University is a leading partner in the Washington Center internship program, which provides full-time internships and short-term academic seminars for college students in the nation's capital.

In all undergraduate colleges, BGSU students are given the opportunity for hands-on experiences that bring what they learn in the classroom to life. Every Bowling Green student can take advantage of at least one opportunity to gain practical experience related to his or her major.

Cooperative education, an "earn-while-you-learn" program, places students with more than 900 employers annually. Co-op participants earn an average of $11.03 per hour. The University's co-op program ranks in the top 10 percent in the country for the number of placements and is open to all students regardless of the major.
Academic Facilities

Extensive state-of-the-art facilities support the work of faculty members and students at Bowling Green. BGSU Libraries provide a gateway to several million items on site and online, including resources of the Music Library and Sound Recordings Archives, Popular Culture Library, Curriculum Resource Center and Center for Archival Collections. The libraries are linked to the resources of all major colleges and universities in Ohio and can locate materials worldwide.

Recent completion of a $50-million infrastructure project brings far-reaching access to information and the latest technological learning and teaching resources to campus. Among the University's comprehensive computing resources are 30 instructional computing lab facilities located across campus. Several labs have highly specialized hardware and software for individual disciplines. Every residence complex has its own computer lab, and all residence hall rooms are wired for high-speed connection to the University's computing network, including e-mail, the Internet, and library resources.

Olscamp Hall, a classroom building with seating for 2,000, is equipped for teleteaching/distance learning, with capabilities for sending and receiving classroom activity to and from all parts of the world. BGSU also has a modern Physical Sciences Laboratory Building and planetarium, a recently renovated Fine Arts Center, and outstanding music facilities.
Costs for 2005-2006

A full-time first-year student living on campus in standard housing and with the minimum meal plan pays $15,083 in 2005-2006. Out-of-state students pay a surcharge of $7,308, for a total of $22,391. Students are encouraged to budget about $800 to $1,100 a year for books and supplies and an additional $2,080 for other expenses, such as entertainment, clothing, transportation, and laundry.
Financial Aid

In Fall 2004, 90 percent of entering freshmen received financial aid, with more than $11 million in scholarships awarded annually. Bowling Green offers a renewable scholarship equivalent to 100 percent of the total cost of fees, room, and meals to National Merit Finalists, National Achievement Finalists, and National Hispanic Scholars with a minimum of 3.3 grade point average. National Merit Semifinalists, National Achievement Semifinalists, and National Hispanic Honorable Mention Recipients with the minimum 3.3 GPA are offered renewable scholarships that cover fees only. Student employment, grants, and loans are other options available. BGSU employs about 4,500 students annually. Students apply for aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who are eligible for academic scholarships are automatically considered if their credentials are submitted to the Office of Admissions by January 15. Prospective students should contact the Office of Admissions for additional information.
Faculty

At the heart of Bowling Green State University are 861 full-time faculty members who devote their energies to teaching, research, and working closely with students. Many are national and international experts in their field; others are authors; still others have won awards for both teaching and research. Their reputations as scholars, authors, and teachers complement the faculty's role as people who care about students and the future of the University. The personal attention students receive from the faculty and support staff contributes to the small college atmosphere that is distinctive at BGSU.
Student Government

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is the representative body for the Bowling Green's undergraduate students. Leaders and delegates are elected by the entire student body and carry the students' voice to both the University Board of Trustees and the Faculty Senate. Both an undergraduate and a graduate student are appointed each year by the governor to the University Board of Trustees.
Admission Requirements

High school seniors can apply to BGSU beginning August 1 before their senior year. Admission to the fall semester is competitive. Nonresidents of Ohio are considered for admission on the same basis as in-state students. To be admitted, a freshman applicant must be a graduate of a high school approved or accredited by the state or have earned a high school equivalency diploma. Results of either the ACT or SAT I are required (ACT preferred). An applicant is considered on the basis of high school course work, cumulative GPA, official ACT or SAT I results, and class rank. The University also considers the diversity of the student body and applicants' special abilities, talents, and achievements in making admission decisions.

Admission to the University for transfer students is determined by their college academic credentials. Several academic majors and programs have specific requirements for transfer students, but, in general, a minimum 2.0 GPA is required for students who have earned at least 60 semester hours; a minimum 2.5 GPA is required for students who have earned fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) hours.
Admission Application

Prospective students are encouraged to apply to Bowling Green and have all admission credentials complete before February 1 of the year they intend to enroll. Notification of admission decisions begins on October 1 for those who have submitted all credentials and continues on a rolling basis. Bowling Green does not discriminate in admission on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, marital status, mental