Niagara University - Overview
High Ideals
Niagara University is a private coeducational school committed to the Catholic tradition, and inspired by St. Vincent de Paul's compassion for the needs of his community. This focus is integrated throughout the school, reflected in its attention to the needs of its students and its university-wide dedication to service learning. Niagara University sits high atop a ridge overlooking the Niagara River gorge and the Canadian border in western New York state -- a fitting analogy for an educational community with high ideals.
The school welcomes students from all religious backgrounds to share in its mission of educational excellence, service to the poor, social justice, ethics, and respect for the individual person.
A Top University in the North
Niagara University has been recognized for excellence by many sources. The Princeton Review noted the school as one of its select universities in the Northeast, and as one of the country's most environmentally responsible colleges.
Colleges of Distinction included Niagara within its ranks, based on the school's level of student engagement, quality of teaching, community qualities, and successful outcomes.
U.S. News and World Report listed Niagara among the best universities in the North, recognizing it for its leadership in service learning. Furthermore, Niagara was named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. Through Learn and Serve Niagara, NU students provide education and human needs-related services to more than 40 social service and community agencies in Western New York and southern Ontario.
Numerous Academic Options
Niagara's four academic divisions offer more than 50 professional and career-oriented programs for its 3,300-plus undergraduates. Pre-professional tracks are available in pre-dental, pre-law, pre-medical, pre-pharmacology, pre-pharmacy, pre-veterinary, and ROTC/Army programs.
Other degree options include combined 5-year programs in accounting, criminal justice, and commerce, as well as an accelerated 3-year degree plan which enables qualified students to earn a degree within 3 years instead of the usual 4.
Interdisciplinary scholarship is embraced at NU, as more than 70 percent of the college's students study for a minor, and many take on double majors. Required general education courses emphasize critical thinking skills, clear verbal and written communications, competence in diversity, and strong values and ethical standards.
Many students also help faculty conduct research, co-authoring papers and presenting at university, state, and regional research conferences.
Strong Liberal Arts Offerings
The College of Arts and Sciences offers a wide variety of majors from a variety of disciplines, including the sciences (eg, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biology, biotechnology), criminology, psychology, religious studies, and theatre.
The liberal arts major is the home of established majors such as applied fine arts, art history, gerontology, multicultural studies, romance languages, and writing studies. This major also provides the infrastructure for those students interested in designing their own individualized majors.
Well-rounded Business Education
NU's College of Business Administration, accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), employs the project model of business education. Through this program, students gain experience equivalent to the work of a consultant.
Opportunities for real world learning crop up through internships, study abroad programs, and student research involvement in business-focused campus centers, including the Family Business Center, the Center for Supply Chain Excellence, and the Center for International Accounting.
Niagara business students may prepare themselves for careers in the in-demand fields of accounting, commerce, economics, finance, or management (within the disciplines of human resources, international, integrative or supply chain).
High Success for Education Majors
Niagara's College of Education has the distinction of being able to offer its graduates the option of earning dual certification to teach in the U.S. and Canada. Also of note is that NU education majors can begin working in classrooms during their freshman year.
The college's success rate is impressive, as previous classes of graduates have achieved a 99 percent pass rate on national exams. Majors at the College of Education at Niagara University cover the areas of adolescence and childhood education, special education, business and marketing, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).
Leadership in Hospitality and Tourism Management
Niagara's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management is a founding member of the Leading Hotel Schools of the World, a network of internationally-renowned hotel schools which provides students with cutting-edge educational experiences through 430 five-star member hotels worldwide.
Previous hands-on learning experiences have been held at places such as Walt Disney World, a luxury hotel in Lake Como, Italy, a Carnival cruise ship, and the Super Bowl and baseball's spring training. Accredited by the Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA), Niagara was the first in the country to offer a four-year degree program in tourism.
NU's annual career fair attracts employers such as the Four Seasons, Hyatt, Sheraton, Wyndham, and Marriott. The college offers majors in hotel and restaurant management, sport management, and tourism and recreation.
Support for Major and Career Exploration
Students who wish to take their time to explore majors and career options may enroll in Niagara's Academic Exploration Program, rated as a top program by the National Academic Advising Association,
Guided by a professionally-trained academic adviser, students are able to sample various majors while fulfilling their university requirements. They may transfer into their desired major any time during their first four semesters.
During monthly meetings, the advisor and student explore student abilities, interests, values and work experiences. Students may also use this time to interview university professors and career professionals to learn more about areas of interest.