Office of Admissions
Point Loma Nazarene University
3900 Lomaland Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
619-849-2273
800-733-7770
Fax: 619-849-2601
2006-2007 COSTS:
Tuition
$19,740
Room and Board:
$7,570
Fees, books, misc.:
$1,000
San Diego, California
Overview
Point Loma Nazarene University celebrates more than 100 years of pursing excellence in Christian higher education. Founded as a small Bible college in 1901, the University has grown into a strong liberal arts institution. Still the tradition continues and the mission remains the same—Point Loma Nazarene University is an academically challenging environment and a community seeking to teach, shape, and send compassionate applied scholars.
Students attending Point Loma can expect Christianity to be incorporated into all aspects of their experience. Academically, three religion courses are integrated into the undergraduate curricula. Professors stimulate students' minds by teaching critical-thinking skills, combining faith into learning by encouraging students to ask tough questions. Within the community, students attend weekly chapel services, gathering together as a family for worship, praise, and teaching. Point Loma offers many exciting opportunities for students to take an active part in ministry. There are more than thirty student-led ministries, including accountability groups, Elderly Outreach, Homeless Outreach, Skaters and Surfers for Christ, Mexico Outreach, and international ministry teams.
The University offers a personal approach to higher education and enrolls more than 2,300 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students. Sixty-seven percent of the undergraduate student body lives in technologically advanced on-campus dormitories, which range from energetic dorm rooms to apartment-style living spaces. The Church of the Nazarene is a large supporter of the University financially, yet more than two thirds of the student body represent various Protestant denominations.
Point Loma Nazarene University is accredited by the Western Association of School and Colleges and offers degree programs at the baccalaureate and graduate levels.
Location and Community
Point Loma Nazarene University is located on a stunning 90-acre oceanfront property on the Point Loma peninsula between the San Diego Bay and the shore of the Pacific Ocean. It is 10 minutes from downtown San Diego and the airport, a half hour from Mexico, and 2 hours from Los Angeles. This ideal location in sunny, culturally rich Southern California provides students with countless internship and recreational opportunities.
Academic Life
Point Loma offers a strong Christian liberal arts education that develops character, commitment, reason, and faith. Educationally, Point Loma brings together opportunities for intellectual discourse, leadership development, and spiritual formation within a supportive faith community. The academic program is designed to balance a well-rounded general education program with the depth necessary to concentrate in one of the major programs. The curriculum broadens students' knowledge in the areas of scripture; Christian heritage; analytical, communication, and quantitative skills; natural and social sciences; literature and arts; and historical, cultural, linguistic, and philosophical perspectives. The University offers and encourages travel abroad, semester at sea, and internship programs.
Candidates for the baccalaureate degree are conferred upon successful completion of a total of 128 semester units, including a total of 44 upper-division units; satisfactory completion of the general education program; and completion of a major.
Students who have earned a satisfactory score on the Advanced Placement Examinations (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or the International Baccalaureate (IB) exams are eligible to receive credit in applicable areas of the curriculum.
Integrated Semester for Freshmen is a fall semester program of four classes (14 units) for 48 freshmen. The program provides thematic studies and cross-disciplinary learning in a close-knit learning community, positioning students to achieve academic success in their first semester.
The academic year at Point Loma is divided into fall and spring semesters of sixteen weeks followed by two 5-week summer sessions and one 3-week session.
Point Loma prides itself on the outstanding quality of its faculty. Composed of Christian teachers and scholars who are committed to the lives of students, the University has 140 full-time faculty members, 80 percent with an earned doctorate or the highest degree in their field. While teaching is their first priority, 60 percent of the faculty members pursue their own research through projects in which students have a vital role. Professors, not teacher's assistants, teach all classes. The average class size is 27 students; 85 percent of undergraduate classes enroll fewer than 50 students. With a student-faculty ratio of 15:1, professors at Point Loma are accessible, holding regular office hours to meet with students, and are dedicated to academic, professional, and Christian mentoring.
Majors Offered:
Point Loma Nazarene University offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in more than sixty-two majors and concentrations. Point Loma also offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Undergraduate majors include accounting, art, athletic training, Bible and Christian ministries, biology, biology-chemistry, broadcast journalism, business administration, chemistry, child development, church music–youth ministries, computer science, consumer and environmental sciences, economic development, engineering physics, exercise science, family life services, graphic communications, history, industrial-organizational psychology, journalism, liberal studies, literature, managerial and organizational communication, management information systems, mathematics, media communication, music, music-business, nursing, nutrition and food, philosophy, philosophy and theology, physical education, physics, political science, psychology, romance languages, social science, social work, sociology, Spanish, and theater. Optional minors are offered in several departments. Preprofessional and cooperative programs are offered in engineering, prelaw, premedical/predental, pre–physical therapy, and allied health and in AFROTC, AROTC, and NROTC programs. Teaching and service credentials offered include Single Subject with CLAD emphasis (secondary and teacher education) and Multiple Subject with CLAD emphasis (elementary and teacher education).
Campus Life
Point Loma Nazarene University seeks to make a meaningful contribution to the religious life of its students. The University is committed, through positive teaching and spiritual guidance, to preserve the vitality of personal and spiritual experience in its campus community. Students joining the community embrace this spirit and contribute to the spiritual liveliness of Point Loma.
Point Loma students can also find a wide variety of extracurricular activities in which to be involved, including student government, the yearbook, newspaper, literary magazine, fraternities and sororities, common interest clubs, professional organizations, forensics, theater, musical choirs and bands, intramural sports, and organized athletics.
Facilities and ResourcesCampus Life
Point Loma's facilities are technologically developed to provide students with an excellent learning environment. Ryan Library and Learning Center contains more than 450,000 volumes, group study rooms, three computer labs, a language learning center, media center, and a full television production studio. In addition to these resources, the library also cooperates with the other universities in San Diego through online sharing of databases and interlibrary loan, giving students access to more than 8 million sources of information. The Bond Academic Center houses the Academic Support Center, Tutorial Center, and additional computer labs. Cooper Music Center provides rehearsal facilities for Point Loma music and instrumental groups and state-of-the-art recording and practice rooms. The Fermanian Business Center offers students professional development services and networking opportunities. All residence halls and classrooms are fully equipped with complete Internet access. Also located on campus are an art center and gallery, science research laboratories, a broadcast radio station, aerobic fitness center, and a weight room.
Sports / Varsity Athletics
The University competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I and offers basketball, soccer, baseball, tennis, men's golf, cross-country, track and field, softball, and women's volleyball.
Expenses
Tuition is $19,040 (12–17 units per semester). Room and board cost $6570, and fees are $500. Tuition and related expenses at Point Loma are among the lowest for private colleges and universities in Southern California.
Financial Aid / Scholarships
Financial assistance supports students who otherwise would be unable to attend Point Loma. The financial assistance program includes scholarships, grants, loans, part-time employment, and deferred payment programs. Point Loma understands the financial needs of its students and offers institutional financial aid in the form of Nazarene Church grants, need-based grants (ranging from $500 to $1000), diversity scholarships ($250,000 was awarded in 2001), multiple-child discounts, and departmental scholarships. Point Loma also awards students who demonstrate strength in music, theater, forensics, and athletics.
Institutional academic scholarships are available to eligible students. Five full-time and thirty-five half-tuition Honors Scholarships are awarded to first-time freshmen only. To be eligible, the applicant must have a 4.0 or above high school weighted grade point average (GPA) and a minimum 1200 SAT or 27 ACT composite score. The President's Scholarship of $3500 is available to all incoming students with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or above and a minimum 1150 SAT or 26 ACT composite score. The Dean's Scholarship of $2250 is also available to all qualifying incoming students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 to 3.69 and a minimum 1050 SAT or 23 ACT score.
All students who are residents of California are encouraged to apply for state and federal programs by submitting a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Admission Requirements / Application
Point Loma Nazarene University offers admission to qualified applicants who demonstrate academic achievement, extracurricular and community involvement, and the potential to profit from and contribute to the Point Loma community. Transfer and international students and students who are members of underrepresented groups are welcome and encouraged to apply.
Prospective first-time college students are eligible for admission provided the following conditions are met: a minimum high school GPA of 2.8 with an SAT I combined minimum score of 860 or an ACT composite minimum score of 18. Transfer students may apply provided they have a minimum GPA of a 2.0 (a 2.8 GPA minimum is recommended). High school transcripts and SAT I or ACT scores for transfers must be submitted if the student has fewer than 24 completed college units. For fall 2001, Point Loma accepted 72 percent of the first-time college applicants and 58 percent of transfer applicants. The average GPA of an applicant was 3.65, and the average SAT I score was 1130.
A limited number of first-year students with a high school GPA or test scores below the University's minimums are considered for provisional standing. Provisional students are required to complete an accelerated college-preparatory summer program called Program Quick Start (PQS) before being considered for admission to the University in the fall.
The application for admission includes a formal application for admission, an application fee of $45, three essays, two recommendations, transcripts, official SAT I or ACT score reports, and an interview with an admissions counselor.
Students may apply as early as the fall semester of their senior year in high school or one year prior to transferring from another college or university. Applicants may apply for early action or regular admission. Early action is reserved for students who have made Point Loma Nazarene University one of their top choices, and it provides students with notification of their admission decision by January 15. Early action is not binding; students who are accepted during early action still have until May 1 to make their final college choice. The deadline to be considered for early action is December 1. The priority deadline for regular admission is March 1. Applicants for regular admission and those not offered admission through early action receive notification after February 1 or as admission files are completed. For more information, to arrange a campus visit, or to request more information or an application, students should contact:
 |
 |