What to Expect as an SNU
Professional and Graduate Studies Student

Choose between two campuses and various satellite locations. With our in-person model, you can complete most degrees by attending classes just one night a week. Our students also take a single class at a time, allowing them to delve deeply into the material, free from distractions. 

Not able to make it to class in person? There’s still a place here for you. Students can choose between online and in-person learning. Our fully online classes help you connect to your peers virtually by encouraging discussion and deep engagement with the material, even from a distance. So curl up in a cozy spot in your home after the rest of the family goes to bed, and check off your degree requirements one online course at a time. 

It can take months — or sometimes years — to be ready to enroll in school. Don’t lose momentum waiting for enrollment to open up. At SNU, we offer multiple start dates throughout the year, so you can begin your studies as soon as you’re ready.

Networking begins as soon as you start school. At SNU, we integrate networking into the curriculum with our innovative cohort model. Students at SNU take small classes with a cohort of adult learners pursuing a similar path of study. While you’re in school, your cohort offers easy friendship, a team of cheerleaders and a ready-made study group. As you build your friendship, you will also build professional trust. When you graduate, your cohort serves as the foundation of your professional network, ensuring you know people in your industry before you even begin your first job. 

"Being an adult learner, my typical day looks different from traditional students. Only having one class a week is a huge help. I can learn at my own pace. The beginning of the week, I receive my lessons to complete. I work on the assignments when I have some downtime in the evenings. This model of learning has fit into my busy life easily.

Since I have one class a week, it was easy to fit school into my busy schedule. Having the classes’ assignments at the beginning of the week helps me plan accordingly. The days I am not real busy, I will get two to three assignments done. By doing this, I don't have to stress on the days I am too busy to do my schoolwork. Basically, I make sure that I schedule in my protected schoolwork time.

Advice for others:
Just do it. I am kicking myself that I didn't pursue my dream of getting my degree sooner. It is never too late to get your degree. The online classes are so well organized and fit into my busy schedule. If I can be successful at this program, you can too.

To all the adult learners, it is okay to make your education a priority. I have always put my family first. It was time for me to better myself by pursuing my dream of having a college degree. I am doing this for my family as well as myself. You are worth the investment."

- Angellica Bains, SNU PGS Graduate

That’s why you can complete your classes on an accelerated timeline, committing just a few weeks to each class. Adult students at SNU take just one class at a time, graduate faster and are not distracted by an overwhelming course load. Faster graduation means a shorter path to the life you want. 

For doctoral students, convenience is critical. Only about 49-64% of Ph.D. students across disciplines complete their coursework and their dissertation within ten years of starting their program. Many end up with the dreaded “all-but-dissertation” (ABD) designation. 

SNU works with students to prevent this by embedding the dissertation in your doctoral coursework. You will steadily work toward completion each semester so that you’re not left with an overwhelming avalanche of work when it’s time to start writing.

"For several years, I allowed my decision to play second to other obligations. Then came a moment that required an ‘if not now, then when’ decision. Therefore, I concluded I would thrust in the full measure of all my effort. As the proverb goes, no one said it would be easy, just worth it."

-Robert Bryan, SNU PGS Graduate

Struggling with the next steps in school enrollment? Our enrollment counselors are here to help you navigate the enrollment process, gather all of your paperwork and seek the financial aid you need. Our financial aid counselors are also here to ensure you can pay for school without taking on more debt than you can manage. 

Our academic advisors can help you excel in your classes, cultivate study skills and balance competing demands. If you need more specialized support in your field of study, our program directors can guide you through academic life, talk about career plans and offer practical tips for excelling.

"Southern Nazarene University offers real — very real — degree programs. You will be required to study, with a significant amount of personal perspective analysis. There are other institutions that will take your money and offer a piece of paper. However, at SNU, you will earn your degree while maintaining your integrity."

- Robert Bryan, SNU PGS Graduate

Inclusion is integrated into everything we do. Some of the ways we prioritize it include: 

• Storytelling: Every student has a story to tell. We encourage sharing this story so that each student can consider their perspective and embrace alternative narratives. 
  
  
• Steward leadership: Our leaders practice what they preach. Administrators act as servant leaders, working toward more diverse and inclusive policies and practices. We move beyond mere compliance. Instead, our leaders focus on gaining awareness, sensitivity and competence and ultimately becoming more responsive to the needs of our diverse community. 
  
  
• Intercultural learning opportunities: You can’t thrive if you only relate to people who share your background and experiences. Intercultural communication is the reality of the working world. However, it’s more than just critical for career success — it’s a moral value. We provide plenty of intercultural learning and engagement opportunities, so you can show respect to all people while succeeding in whatever you choose to do with your life.
  
  
• Diverse executive team: Different perspectives are critical to the success of any school. We know that no one person or group has all the answers and that a homogenous leadership team invites unintentionally exclusionary practices. That’s why we seek our and cultivate diverse leaders. 
  
  
• Practicing faith: Faith is the core of what we do. We encourage students of all faiths to practice their beliefs, and we provide on-campus opportunities for spiritual growth.