Overview
Community and Learning in the Lutheran Tradition
Valparaiso University is a community of learning that adheres to the "Lutheran tradition of scholarship, freedom, and faith." Established in 1859, this private university prepares students for leadership and service in the church and society.
Valpo, which consistently earns national recognition, offers over 70 fields of study and has 5 colleges, a graduate division, and a law school. Its rigorous academic programs integrate liberal arts with professional preparation, thus combining theory with practice. With 4,000 students who come from nearly every state in the union and more than 40 countries, the university provides the diversity of larger institutions in a smaller, more personable setting.
Located in Valparaiso, Indiana, the university is 15 miles from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan and 55 miles from Chicago.
The College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most diverse of Valpo's 4 undergraduate colleges. In fact, 70 percent of Valpo's students earn degrees from the college, which contains 21 departments, offers more than 70 academic programs, and provides the liberal arts foundation for all of the university's programs.
Because the college offers a wide array of programs, students can choose to major in multiple fields or create their own majors.
The College of Business Administration
Valpo's College of Business Administration has accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a distinction awarded to only 25 percent of undergraduate business programs.
The college provides its students with a holistic learning experience that helps them achieve academic, professional, and personal growth. It prepares them for the business world by offering "focused majors" in accounting, finance, information and decision sciences, international business, management, and marketing. It also offers minors in international business/global studies and business administration.
With 8-week courses, the college's MBA program offers students the flexibility to effectively manage coursework and other commitments.
Because the student-to-faculty ratio is 20 to 1, students receive the personalized attention needed to reach their highest potential. Faculty members further promote learning by offering their expertise and "real word" experience to students.
The College of Engineering
The College of Engineering, an undergraduate professional college, is the only Lutheran undergraduate school that maintains full accreditation in all of its engineering programs. Its civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
The college offers a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on the fundamentals while providing students with professional and practical experience. Its faculty members, who have rich and varied academic and professional backgrounds, are readily accessible to students.
The College of Nursing
For more than 40 years, Valpo's College of Nursing has provided one of the nation's most outstanding nursing programs. Scholarship, service, and excellence in teaching are the tenets upon which the college operates.
Students learn from clinically-experienced nurses who have a passion for teaching and the nursing profession. As leaders in the field, faculty members write textbooks, publish research articles in academic journals, volunteer their time to provide health care training, and serve on the boards of health organizations. Sixty percent of them have doctoral degrees.
The college offers several degree options including the four-year BSN, accelerated BSN, RN-BSN, and RN-MSN. It also offers a Master of Science in Nursing, a joint MSN/MBA degree, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
Christ College
Christ College, Valparaiso University's honors college, provides an environment where faith and learning go hand-in-hand. Honor students enroll in Christ College while pursuing a bachelor's degree in one of the 4 undergraduate colleges.
Acceptance into Christ College does not require students to take on an extreme course load. In fact, study in this college complements all academic programs, thus many of its courses fulfill Valpo's general education requirements.
Student Life at Valpo
Valparaiso's college community includes on-campus housing, student organizations, arts and entertainment, and sports and recreation.
Two thousand students live on campus in 8 residence halls and apartment complexes, making for an active and vibrant social life.
The university has over 100 co-curricular organizations, so students have many opportunities to make friends, have fun, and learn new skills. In addition, organizations such as Engineers Without Borders and Habitat for Humanity give students the opportunity to take part in community service.
The Valparaiso University Center for the Arts hosts many entertainment and cultural events. In addition, the university offers intramural sports, Division I collegiate sports, and recreational sports programs.
Multiple shopping and dining venues are within walking distance of campus, and the university's close proximity to Southlake Mall (in Merrillville, Indiana) and Chicago, Illinois, make it possible for students to enjoy a myriad of social and cultural activities and a wide variety of entertainment.
Worshiping at Valparaiso University
Opportunities to worship and work on spiritual growth are rich and varied. Joining religious organizations, attending worship and prayer services, and participating in religious programs are just a few of the ways that students can practice their faiths.
Although the Lutheran faith is the largest denomination on campus, many other beliefs and faiths are also represented. One-fourth of Valpo's students are Catholic while other students participate in various Protestant denominations or practice Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and other faiths.
A Path to Creating a Full Life
Valparaiso University provides a community of higher learning where students can create and enjoy a full life. It enables students to pursue their faith, achieve academic excellence, provide service to the community, and enjoy vibrant social lives. It also provides students with opportunities to live, study, worship, and socialize with peers from diverse backgrounds.
At Valpo, students develop the values, knowledge, and skills needed to attain lifelong professional and personal success.
