The American Public University System (APUS) was originally founded as The American Military University (AMU) by Major James P. Etter in the year 1991. The name was changed to American Public University System in 2002. This is a for-profit university with offices in Charles Town, West Virginia and Manassas, Virginia. The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council accredited APUS in 1995, and APUS (as AMU) made the transition from a conventional university to an online university in 1998. Regional accreditation was granted to APUS by the Higher Learning Commission in 2006. APUS offers a wide range of associate, master’s and bachelor’s programs to its online students.
Accreditation
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Popular Programs and Degrees Online
APUS online offers more than 150 programs for its online students. Associate degrees are given out in the fields of Business Administration, Communication, Counter Terrorism Studies, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Care and Education, General Studies, History, Hospitality, Management, Military History, Real Estate Studies, Retail Management, Weapons of Mass Destruction Preparedness, Accounting, Computer Applications, Database Application Development, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Fire Science, Paralegal Studies, Public Health and Web Publishing.
APUS online offers bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Child and Family Development, Criminal Justice, Emergency and Disaster Management, English, General Studies, History, Homeland Security, Hospitality Management, Intelligence Studies, International Relations, Management, Marketing, Middle Eastern Studies , Military History, Military Management and Program Acquisition, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Retail Management, Reverse Logistics Management, Security Management, Sociology, and Transportation and Logistics Management.
Master’s degrees offered by APUS online are in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Criminal Justice, Emergency and Disaster Management, History, Homeland Security, Humanities, Intelligence Studies, International Relations and Conflict Resolution, Legal Studies, Management, Military History, Military Studies, National Security Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Reverse Logistics Management, Security Management, Transportation and Logistics Management, Teaching, Administration and Supervision, Guidance and Counseling, Teaching Concentration in Elementary Education, Teaching Concentration in Secondary Social Studies, Accounting, Environmental Policy and Management, Information Technology, Space Studies , Sports Management, and Sports and Health Sciences.
In addition to the above, there is an exhaustive list of certificate programs offered by APUS, which covers subjects as varied as Computer Systems and Networks and Land Warfare.
Fees
APUS is probably the cheapest among all top American online universities. It does not charge an admission fee or for books for undergraduates. The tuition costs are dependent on the program enrolled for, but generally they range from $250 per credit hour for undergraduate programs to $325 per credit hour for graduate programs.
Further, APUS also offers educational financial assistance through Federal grants and loans, Military TA, Veterans Benefits, etc, in addition to other private financing options.
Awards and Recognition
- American Public University Selected as Premier Higher Education Partner by Association of Minor League Umpires (2011)
- American Public University Selected as First Higher Education Partner by National Association of Environmental Professionals (2011)
- American Public University System VP of Research and Development Phil Ice Receives Wagner Award for Innovation in Distance Learning Administration (2011)
- National Defense Transportation Association Honors American Military University with Distinguished Service Award (2010)
- APUS Shares Best Practices for Creating an Online Learning Environment (2010)
Famous Alumni
- Nicole Malachowski – United States Air Force officer. First female pilot selected to fly as part of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron: The Thunderbirds.
- Donald Vandergriff – Military Historian.
Source: Wikipedia, apus.edu
