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CAMPUS ADDRESS

223 James P. Brawley Drive at Fair Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30314
Telephone: 404-880-8000

ADMISSIONS ADDRESS

Director of Admissions
101 Trevor Arnett Hall
223 James P. Brawley Drive
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia 30314
Telephone: 404-880-6605
Toll-free: 800-688-3228
Fax: 404-880-8222

Total Enrollment: 5,798

Level of Selectivity: Slightly competitive

Motto: I’ll Find a Way or Make One (Atlanta University); Culture for Service (Clark College)

Location: Clark Atlanta is located in the metropolitan city of Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, with a population of over two million. The city is served by mass air, rail, and bus lines. Local transportation on the MARTA provides easy access to the downtown area, the airport, and virtually anywhere in the metropolitan area.

The campus is located 1 mile west of the downtown area, close to the quaint shops of Underground Atlanta. Students have access to fine dining, world-class shopping, art galleries, museums, and the Atlanta Symphony and Ballet. Major league sports teams include the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, Falcons, and Thrashers. Major recording artists frequent the city. Points of interest include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Stone Mountain Park, and the Six Flags Over Georgia Amusement Park. Other activities include boating, fishing, and golfing. The World Congress Center hosts many national conferences. The city of Atlanta is an international center for business, banking, and social change, offering students many professional opportunities.

HISTORY

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is a four-year, private, comprehensive, coed liberal arts university, established in 1988 as a result of a merger between Atlanta University (founded in 1865) and Clark College (founded in 1869).

The American Missionary Association, with assistance from the Freedmen’s Bureau founded Atlanta University. In 1930, undergraduate courses were discontinued and Atlanta University became a graduate and professional school. Before consolidation, Atlanta University was the nation’s oldest graduate institution serving a predominantly African American student body.

Clark College was founded in 1869 as Clark University by the Freedmen’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which later became the United Methodist Church. Its purpose was to provide blacks in the south with a formal education. The institution was chartered by the state of Georgia in 1877. The first bachelor’s degree was awarded in 1883. In 1940, the name was changed to Clark College.

Clark Atlanta University combines the rich history of two historically black schools to offer the foundation necessary to acquire the knowledge, skills, and confidence essential for modern society. It exists today as the only totally private, urban, historically black university in the country. Its comprehensive academic programs culminate in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in many fields.

Situated on 62 acres, the thirty-building campus includes a $45 million state-of-the-art research center and the Catherine Hughes Art Gallery, which houses one of the largest African-American art collections in the world. This traditionally black University is a United Negro College Fund (UNCF) member school. CAU is part of the Atlanta University Center, cluster of six predominately black colleges and universities.

ACCREDITATION

Clark Atlanta is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, master’s, and doctorate degrees.

COSTS PER YEAR

2002–03 Tuition: $12,314
Room and board: $6,440
Special fees: $800
Books: $800
Estimated total cost: $20,354

2000–01 FINANCIAL AID–INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING

Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 85

Financial Aid Specific to the School

• The Aetna Life and Casualty Foundation Scholarship is for students who do not qualify for federal and state loan programs. CAU receives funds annually from Aetna to distribute awards on a competitive basis. Students should contact the University for more information.
• Army ROTC, cooperative Air Force, and Navy ROTC, in cooperation with the Georgia Institute of Technology, offer two- and four-year scholarships that pay tuition, fees, books, and other expenses, and provide a monthly stipend. Students should contact the ROTC Office on campus.
• Assistantships within various departments provide year-round stipends and practical experience. Assistantships are awarded by the department chairperson.
• Athletic scholarships are available for students who participate in intercollegiate sports. Students should contact the Athletic Department.
• The Benjamin E. Mays UNCF Scholarship is awarded to the junior student who exemplifies dedication to excellence, as demonstrated by Dr. Mays. Students should contact CAU’s Scholarship and Awards Committee.
• The Cooperative Education Program combines classroom study with related, paid work experience in all majors. The program provides academic credit and full-time status during co-op placement. Students should contact respective departments.
• The Deferred Payment Plan allows students to pay college costs in two or three installments during the semester.
• Tuition waivers are available to part-time or full-time employees and their children.
• Foreign Student Grants are available to students who will complete their sophomore year by the beginning date of the grant and have some proficiency in the language of the host country. Grants range from $100 to $1000.
• Mathematics scholarships are awarded through the Joseph J. Dennis Endowed Scholarship. Scholarships start at $100 and are awarded annually to juniors and seniors with a 3.25 GPA in math or computer science, and an overall GPA of 3.0.
• Performance scholarships are available for students in music, including band, jazz orchestra, and choir. Students should contact the Music Department.
• The Pickett and Hatcher Education Loan Fund may be awarded to students who demonstrate good character, citizenship, health, moral responsibility, attitude, and scholastic achievement. Qualified students must attend full time during the period of the loan, have a 2.0 or better GPA, and make a loan request by July 1 for fall semester. The maximum amount a student can borrow is $1200.
• Undergraduate Minority Access To Research Careers (UMARC) is awarded to sophomore students with at least a 3.0 GPA, majoring in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or psychology, and interested in biomedical research. Qualified students receive a $5000 stipend, tuition, fees, and funds for travel to scientific meetings. Inquiries should be addressed to UMARC’s program director, Clark Atlanta University.
• UNCF scholarships are awarded to a limited number of students who demonstrate financial need. Some scholarships may be based on geographic location and merit. UNCF scholarships range from $500 to $7500. Students should contact UNCF at 8260 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22031; Telephone: 800-331-2244 (toll-free).

Financial Aid Deadline: July 15; continuous notification

Financial Aid Contact:

Director of Financial Aid
210 Haven Warren Hall
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia, 30314
Telephone: 404-880-8992; 800-688-8243 (toll-free)

SAT or ACT required

Entrance Requirements: Entering students must have graduated from an accredited high school (or equivalent) and submitted an official high school transcript including completion of the following 17 units: 4 English, 3 math, 3 social science, 2 natural sciences, 2 foreign language, and 3 electives. Two letters of recommendation from a high school teacher and counselor, an essay, an interview, and a nonrefundable $35 application fee are also required.

Admission Application Deadline: March 1 (Fall priority); October 1 (Spring priority); rolling admissions.

Admission Contact: Director of Admissions, 101 Trevor Arnett Hall, 223 James P. Brawley Drive, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia 30314; Telephone: 404-880-6605; 800-688-8243 (toll-free); or 800-688-3228 (toll-free).

Graduation Requirements: A minimum of 122 credits and completion of core requirements, including 3 hours of math, 3 hours of science, and one computer course.

STUDENT BODY PROFILE

Total enrollment: 5,798
Undergraduates: 4,391
Graduate students: 1,407

FACULTY PROFILE

Number of faculty members: 250
Full-time faculty members: 200
Part-time faculty members: 50
Student-teacher ratio: 23:1

SCHOOL CALENDAR

August-May (semesters)
Commencement and conferring of degrees: May
One summer session.

Bachelor of Arts: Accounting, Art, Art Education, Business Administration, Business Education, Early Childhood Education, Economics, Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, English, English Education, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, French, French Education, German, History, History Education, Mass Media Arts, Mathematics, Medical Illustration, Music, Music Education, Office Administration, Philosophy, Physical Education, Political Science, Political Science Education, Psychology, Religion and Philosophy, Sociology, Spanish, Spanish Education, Speech Communication, Theater Arts

Bachelor of Science: Allied Health (dual degree), Biology, Chemistry, Child Development, Community Health Education, Computer Information Science, Computer Science, Engineering (Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, Environmental, Aerospace, Material, Architectural, and Computer, dual degree), Hotel Management, Mathematics, Medical Records Administration, Medical Technology, Nutrition, Physics, Social Work

Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees: Computer Science, Physics

Master’s Degrees: Accounting, Applied Physics, Behavior Disorders, Counseling Psychology, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Economics, Educational Leadership, English, Decision Science Information Systems, Finance, History, International Affairs and Development, International Affairs & Development and Public Health (dual), Information Systems, Library and Information Science, Learning Disabilities, Marketing, Mentally Handicapped Studies, Middle Grades Education, Physics, Political Science, Public Administration, School Counseling, Secondary Education, Social Work, Sociology

Doctorate: Counseling, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, English, History, International Affairs and Development, Middle Grades Education, Political Science, Secondary Education, Social Work

Preprofessional Programs: Dentistry, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Seminary Studies

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

CAU is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division II and a charter member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

Intercollegiate Sports: men’s baseball, basketball, football, tennis, and track and field; women’s basketball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Intramural Sports: basketball, softball, track and field, and volleyball.

Athletic Clubs: golf.

Athletic Contact: Director of Athletics, 223 James P. Brawley Drive, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia 30314; Telephone: 404-880-8126; 404-880-8397 (fax).

STUDENT LIFE

Campus Services: Health clinic, personal and psychological counseling, career counseling and placement, late night escort service.

Campus Activities: Social activities include theater, concerts, chorale, dances, and bands. The University’s Spring Arts Festival is an annual event attracting musicians, artists, writers, actors, dancers, and lecturers from throughout the nation. Students are encouraged to get involved with the student publications or the student-run jazz radio station, WCLK-FM. CAU-TV, the University’s cable station, is Atlanta’s first and only educational access television station.

Leadership opportunities are found in the Student Government Association (SGA) and more than 50 other groups. Greek sororities include Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Zeta Phi Beta; fraternities include Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, and Phi Beta Sigma. Honor societies include Alpha Kappa Mu and nine departmental honor societies.

Many opportunities exist for CAU students to interact with students at other Atlanta University Center institutions, including Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, Interdenominational Theological Center, and Morehouse School of Medicine.

Housing Availability: Freshman housing guaranteed; 1,039 housing spaces within eight dormitories; advanced payment required to guarantee housing.

NOTABLE ALUMNI

Marva Collins, 1957–Founder and Director, Westside Preparatory School, Chicago

Web site: http://www.cau.edu/

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