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Early College

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National University offers eligible high school students the opportunity to take college-level general education classes at a discounted tuition rate. Earning college credit prior to high school graduation contributes to accessibility, readiness, and financial savings toward a degree or certification program in college.

High school students can select 100 and 200 level college classes to:

  • Receive reduced tuition of $600 per class (a $1,665 value) for online classes only
  • Minimize time to degree for post-secondary education
  • Satisfy high school requirements while earning direct college credit
  • Accelerated one-course-per-month format
  • Strengthen college applications
  • Access expanded educational offerings for primarily juniors and seniors

Classes meet the standards for completing high school and taking college-level courses transferable to other regionally accredited institutions of higher education.

Learn more today! Fill out the form, and an advisor from National University will reach out soon!

Early College Scholarship Opportunities

NU Early College Program is pleased to offer a limited number of special scholarships for NU ECP students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses. High school students who qualify receive up to a 50% tuition reduction for up to (6) STEM courses.

To be considered for a scholarship, please submit the following:

  • Online Admissions Application
  • Scholarship Application with supporting materials, including a one-page essay

To apply for a STEM Scholarship, download and complete the scholarship application. Applicants will be evaluated and notified by email whether they will be granted the scholarship.

Click here to explore scholarship opportunities.

For other questions on tuition or scholarships, please contact us today.

Updated: June 2022

* – High School Coursework Required
** – National University Prerequisite Course(s) Required

ART 200 Visual Arts (4.50)

  • Fundamentals of visual arts presented through drawing and other media. Students develop their own creative vision while learning aesthetic values and concepts, as well as how to handle materials. Students supply basic art materials.

ECE 201 The Growing Child: Zero to 8 (4.50)

  • Overview of major and theoretical frameworks and perspectives. Focus on gender and cultural impact on biological, physical, cognitive, social, moral, emotional and behavioral aspects of development for effective educational practices.

CYB 206 Introduction to Cybersecurity (4.50)

  • An introductory survey course that explores the fundamental concepts of cybersecurity. Coverage includes the concepts of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, cybersecurity policy, and the ethical and legal aspects of cybersecurity.

GLS 150 Global Issues and Trends (4.50)

  • Cultivate students’ understanding of “the global” as a complex web of local events and their sense of themselves as “global citizens”, whose everyday decisions are inextricably linked to larger social, political, and economic forces and structures. Investigate global issues to enable students to develop competencies that enhance their abilities to make informed decisions throughout their lives about how their actions and/or inactions fit into the broader global context.

MUS 100 Fundamentals of Music (4.50)

  • An examination of the basic structure of Western music, musical styles, form, different periods and their chief representatives and the dynamics of musical expression and appreciation. Introduces students to elements of music theory common to many cultures.

PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (4.50)

  • A survey of the field of psychology that provides an overview of the scientific principles and theories in psychology. Topics include: biological psychology, abnormal behavior, motivation, emotion, sexuality and gender, and personality theory.

THR 200 Theater Arts (4.50)

  • An introduction to theater as a dramatic medium, focusing on performance and production skills in a variety of genres and contexts.

COM 100 Intro to Mass Communication (4.50)

  • Survey course that many students take to fulfill a general education requirement. It is also a prerequisite for further in-depth studies in the field of communication. The course examines the cultural, linguistic and institutional factors that shape even the most everyday talk or exchange of information. It also looks at the major mass media industries, including books and newspapers, TV and radio, film, advertising, and the Internet. Through readings and projects, the course introduces students to the history and evolution of the media as well as rhetorical analysis and theories used to study the media.

COM 103 Public Speaking (4.50)

  • This class is an introduction to the principles and application of speaking effectively to diverse audiences in a variety of settings. Focus is on topic selection, organization, analysis of research, and delivery, with special attention on learning effective delivery skills.

COM 120 Intro to Interpersonal Comm (4.50)

  • An introduction to the principals and application behind effective interpersonal communication. Students will study various styles of interpersonal communication, apply different techniques, and evaluate their effectiveness. Important components of interpersonal communication that include listening, conflict management, and developing and maintaining relationships, will be addressed in the personal and professional setting.

COM 220 Media Literacy (4.50)

  • Teaches ability to access, analyze, and evaluate information received from the media. Investigates message design strategies, the effects of media consumption and information fatigue, and the influences of bias and economic forces on media content. Covers meaning formation, verbal and visual rhetorical structures and the effects of media convergence.

ENG 102 Effective College English (4.50)

  • An introductory course on the written academic discourse patterns required for college-level writing. Emphasizing essay-length compositions, the course covers critical reading, thesis formation, essay organization, and basic revision techniques.

ASL 120 American Sign Language I (4.50)

  • An introduction to American Sign Language (ASL). Students will learn basic ASL skills used in a variety of situations. The class is taught using American Sign Language. Voice and written communication are kept to a minimum. Deaf cultural studies are the thematic components throughout the course.

ASL 220 American Sign Language II (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: ASL 120 – A continuation of American Sign Language I. Students will learn intermediate ASL skills used in a variety of situations. The class is taught using American Sign Language. Voice and written communication are kept to a minimum. Deaf cultural studies are the thematic components throughout the course.

SPN 100 Beginning Spanish I (4.50)

  • Introduction to Spanish and to the culture of its speakers. Facilitation of the application of the language in both oral and written modes. Activities include chat live discussions, links to cultural sites, and exposure to daily life situations through assignments corresponding to each unit.

SPN 101 Beginning Spanish II (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: SPN 100 – Sequel to beginning Spanish I. Further application of the language in both oral and written modes. Activities include chat live discussions, links to cultural sites, and exposure to daily life situations through assignments corresponding to each unit.

COH 100 Personal Health (4.50)

  • Designed to assist individuals to establish health behaviors for optimal physical, emotional, and sexual health and maintain a healthy environment.

COH 150 Healthcare Terminology (4.50)

  • Presentation of healthcare service terminology and word forms. Includes language describing health and disease. Emphasizes development of medical vocabulary employing the building of terms for application in understanding and analysis of medical records.

HED 110 First Aid and CPR (4.50)

  • Focus is on how to recognize and act in an emergency. Strategies to maintain life until professional help arrives will be included. The 2005 national guidelines for breathing and cardiac emergency including CPR, choking and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) will be discussed. A National Safety Council completion card for CPR and First Aid will be available at successful completion of the course.

HED 212 Nutrition and Fitness (4.50)

  • Focus is on how nutrition relates to health. The function of nutrients including micronutrients will be discussed. Provides a basic understanding of nutrition and fitness as it relates to health promotion and health education.

HED 220 Health, Nutrition and Safety (4.50)

  • Focus on the eight components for coordinated health for young children in out-of-home care. Health, physical education, health and nutrition services, health promotion for the staff, counseling and psychological services, a safe healthy environment, and family involvement, and community resources and personnel will be addressed. Attention will be directed towards children with special needs and challenging behaviors as well as legal and ethical issues in the field of early childhood.

MTH 12A Algebra I (4.50)

  • First of a two-course sequence covering methods of simplifying formulas and expressions, solving equations and inequalities, operating with exponents, and translating statements to symbols. Calculator use is highly recommended. Grading is S or U only. (This course is remedial in nature and does not award collegiate credit)

MTH 12B Algebra II (4.50)

  • Second of a two-course sequence extending skills and logical analysis begun in MTH 12A. Course covers rational expressions, linear equations in two variables, algebraic and graphical solutions of systems of equations, scaling and variations, quadratic and rational equations with emphasis on practical applications. Calculator use is highly recommended. Grading is S or U only. (This course is remedial in nature and does not award collegiate credit)

MTH 209A Fundamentals of Mathematics I (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 12A and MTH 12B – A study of the real number system and its subsystems, ancient and modern numeration systems, problem-solving and simple number theory. Includes teaching materials and discussion of today’s professional organizations. This is a content course, not a methods course.

MTH 210 Probability and Statistics (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 12A and MTH 12B, or Accuplacer test placement evaluation – An introduction to statistics and probability theory. Covers simple probability distributions, conditional probability (Bayes Rule), independence, expected value, binomial distributions, the Central Limit Theorem, hypothesis testing. Assignments may utilize the MiniTab software, or text-accompanying course-ware. Computers are available at the University’s computer lab. Calculator with statistical functions is required.

MTH 215 College Algebra & Trigonometry (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 12A and MTH 12B, or Accuplacer test placement evaluation – Examines higher degree polynomials, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry and matrix algebra needed for more specialized study in mathematics, computer science, engineering and other related fields. Computer and/or graphing calculator use is highly recommended.

MTH 216A College Algebra I (3.00)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 12A and MTH 12B, or Accuplacer test placement evaluation – The first part of a comprehensive two-month treatment of algebra and trigonometry preliminary to more specialized study in mathematics. The course covers higher degree polynomials, rational functions,exponential and logarithmic functions, transformations and the algebra of function, matrix algebra and basic arithmetic of complex numbers.

MTH 216B College Algebra II (3.00)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 216A – The second month of a comprehensive two-month treatment of algebra and trigonometry; this course is a continuation of MTH 216A. Topics include trigonometric functions, analytic trigonometry and application, parametric equations, matrix algebra, sequences and series, and applied problems. Graphing calculator may be required.

MTH 220 Calculus I (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 216B, or MTH 215, or Accuplacer test placement – (Cross listed and equivalent to CSC208) An introduction to limits and continuity. Examines differentiation and integration concepts with applications to related rates, curve sketching, engineering optimization problems and business applications. Students may not receive credit for both MTH220 and CSC208.

MTH 221 Calculus II (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: MTH 220 A discussion of differentiation and integration concepts of the natural logarithm, exponential and inverse trigonometric functions and applications to volumes of revolution, work and arc length. Covers improper integrals and highlights ideas

BIO 100 Survey of Bioscience (4.50)

  • Introduction to the scientific method and the basic principles of the life sciences. Examination of cellular, organismal, population, and community biology based on the unifying concept of evolution. This course may not be taken for credit if BIO161 and/or BIO162, or their equivalents, have been completed.

BIO 100A Survey of Bioscience Lab (1.50)

  • Prerequisite: BIO 100 for non-science majors (GE), or BIO 163 for science majors – Study of the unifying principles of life with emphasis placed on the following topics: molecular biology of the cell and cellular processes, including energy metabolism, membrane transport and cell division; classical and population genetics; as well as the mechanism of evolution and the evolutionary basis of species classification. Emphasis on the scientific method as applied in laboratory sciences, using demonstrations, experiments, and/or field trips. May include inquiry-based research activities.

BIO 161 General Biology 1 (4.50)

  • Fundamental concepts of biochemistry, cell biology, genetics. Concepts include important organic molecules, cell structure and function, metabolism and enzyme activity, cellular respiration and photosynthesis, DNA structure, meiosis and mitosis, Mendelian genetics. Intended for science majors.

CHE 101 Introductory Chemistry (4.50)

  • Recommended Preparation: MTH 204, or MTH 215, or MTH 216A and MTH 216B – Fundamentals of inorganic and organic chemistry, including bonding and basic types of reactions. An introduction to nuclear, biological and environmental chemistry. Basic principles and calculations of chemistry with emphasis in the areas of atomic structure, molecular structure and properties, equilibrium, thermodynamics, oxidation-reduction and kinetics.

CHE 101A Introductory Chemistry Lab (1.50)

  • Prerequisite: CHE 101, or CHE 141 for science majors – This laboratory course will complement the student’s knowledge of chemistry with demonstrations and experiments.

EES 103 Fundamentals of Geology (4.50)

  • Introduction to the major geological processes which create and transform materials and landforms throughout the planet. Geotectonic processes, geomorphology, unifying themes such as plate tectonics, sea form spreading and athenosphere convection cells; and degradation-aggradation processes.

EES 103A Fundamentals of Geology Lab (1.50)

  • Prerequisite: EES 103 – This laboratory course will complement the student’s knowledge of geology with demonstrations and experiments. Contact hours for this laboratory course (45) are based on a 3:1 ratio, i.e. 3 lab hours = 1

PHS 102 Survey of Physical Science (4.50)

  • An introduction to the basic principles and general concepts of the physical sciences. Develops selected topics from chemistry and physics. A general education course for non-technical majors.

ECO 203 Principles of Microeconomics (4.50)

  • In this course, students will study the price system, market structures, and consumer theory. Topics covered include supply and demand, price controls, public policy, the theory of the firm, cost and revenue concepts, forms of competition, elasticity, and efficient resource allocation, among others.

ECO 204 Principles of Macroeconomics (4.50)

  • This course provides an examination of aggregate economic activity. It includes a study of aggregate supply and demand, the monetary and banking systems, aggregate economic accounting, inflation, unemployment, the business cycle, macroeconomic policy, and economic progress and stability, among other things.

HIS 220A United States History I (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: ENG 102 – Survey of American history from pre-colonial times through Reconstruction. Explores economic, political, social and cultural factors that shaped the origins of the nation, including the Revolution, the Constitution and the Civil War. Special attention is paid to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity. Includes study of the Constitution.

HIS 220B United States History II (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: ENG 102 – Survey of American history from Reconstruction to the present. Explores economic, political, social, and cultural factors that shaped the development of the nation, including industrialization, America’s emergence as a world power and the challenges of the late 20th century. Pays special attention to issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity.

HIS 233 World Civilizations I (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: ENG 102 – Discusses how distinctive cultures, economies and societies of the world developed from prehistoric times to the European conquest of the Americas (ca. 1500 C.E.). Explores issues of gender, class, personal identity, war, religion, urban life, and ecology pertaining to the history of civilizations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

HIS 234 World Civilizations II (4.50)

  • Prerequisite: ENG 102 – Discusses how the cultures, economies, and societies of the world developed since 1500 C.E. Explores issues of class and class conflict, personal and cultural identity, race, work, industrial development, colonialism, ecology, and political and economic life pertaining to the history of civilizations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.