North American University
| Motto | "Inspiration. Innovation. Global Competence." |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, 4-year, not-for-profit |
| Established | 2007 |
| President | Recayi "Reg" Pecen |
| Location | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Silver |
| Athletics | Tennis |
| Nickname | North American Stallions |
| Website | www.na.edu |
 | |
North American University (NAU) is a private, not-for-profit, non-denominational university in Houston, Texas. NAU is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), an agency recognized by United States Department of Education. NAU is also certified by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). NAU offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in education, computer science and business administration.[1] In the fall of 2013, the university changed its name from North American College to North American University.[2]
The university is located in the North Houston area on a 24-acre land alongside the Texas State Highway Beltway 8, a state highway, and operates through two educational buildings (Main Building and Student Center). A new campus located at 11929 W. Airport Blvd. near Stafford,Tx is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016, ready for classes in the Fall of 2016.
History
NAU is an institution of higher education founded as Texas Gulf Institute in April 2007. The Institute, at the time, offered certificate programs for the first two years of its inception. Upon approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to offer bachelor's degree programs in July 2010, the school applied to change its name as North American College.
During the 2010-11 academic year the college moved into its new administrative and educational building located at 3203 N. Sam Houston Pkwy West in Houston, Texas. In the summer of 2012 Recayi "Reg" Pecen was approved as the second president of North American College by the college's board of trustees. Pecen has formal education in engineering [3] with 14 years of state employee service to Iowa at the University of Northern Iowa. He has been active in state renewable energy efforts as well as with the American Society of Engineering Education's Energy Conversion and Conservation Division.
In May 2013, the college had its first commencement. The Class of 2013 included twelve students; nine graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration and three with a bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies in education.[4]
In the fall of 2013, NAC changed to its name to North American University (NAU). There are more than 800 students in its ESL, bachelor's and master's degree programs. Students come from over 33 U.S. states and over 54 countries.[5]
Degree programs
NAU offers three bachelor's degree programs: Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, Computer Science and Business Administration. Bachelor's degree programs are organized under a different administrative department. NAU also offers four master's degree programs: M.Ed. in educational leadership, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, MBA and a Master of Computer Science.
The business administration bachelor's degree program has the following concentrations: accounting, finance, management, and international business.[6] The computer science bachelor's degree program has the following concentrations: software engineering and computer networking.[7]
The education bachelor's degree program has the following concentrations: mathematics teaching and English language arts/reading teaching.[8]
The M.Ed. degree program started in the fall of 2013. Students can earn a master's of educational in educational leadership upon successful completion of the two-year program. In 2015, North American University added 3 more graduate programs including a Master of Science in Computer Science, Master of Business, and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
Accreditation
NAU is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a national accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, to award bachelor's and master's degrees. It is approved by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to award bachelor's and master's degrees.
The Gulf Language School is accredited by The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation for the period December 2013 through December 2014.
North American University also has articulation agreements with Houston Community College and Texas Southern University, both colleges located in Houston, Texas.
Achievements
NAU ranked fourth in the TexSAW 2013 Cybersecurity Workshop and Competition at the University of Texas at Dallas on October 30 and 31, 2013. Alexandr Sarioglu and Begench Bayjanov ranked 4th among 30 teams participating from a number of local universities.[9]
NAU ranked second in the ACM ICPC, 2013 South Central USA Regional Contest, on November 2, at Baylor University. There were 59 teams of graduate and undergraduate students who came from states neighboring Texas. NAU students Alisher Zhunissov and Sherzat Aitbayev ranked 2nd among undergraduates.[10]
During Houston Startup Weekend organized by Google, a 54-hour competition of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation, NAU student Aikyerim Saulyetkhan was part of a team of university students who ranked first among 12 teams of students and professionals.[11]
Financial Aid
NAU provides financial aid to qualified students, in the form of institutional scholarships, federal grants and loans. The university has participated in the federal student aid (FSA) program since Spring 2011.
The cost of attendance (tuition and fees, room and boarding, estimated books and supplies, and other expenses) for 2012-13 academic year was $20,700 for on-campus students.[12] Of this amount, tuition and fees were $11,700 for a full-time student with 12-18 credit hours per semester.[13]
NAU is also approved by Department of Veterans Affairs, Waco, Texas to offer undergraduate education to US Veterans and other eligible persons under the provisions of the Title 38 United States Code.
Student services
NAU provides services to its student body including housing, meal plan, bookstore services and student clubs. University dorms, which are in various locations within a few miles to the main campus, provide housing and meal services for its residential university students. Shuttle services provide free transportation services to students from the dorm facilities to the campus round-trip around the clock.[14] NAU's new student center offers dining facility for students. In addition, there is an academic resource center where students are offered free tutoring in introductory classes like English and College Algebra. In 2015, NAU added Career and Alumni Services to its student service list and now offers career counseling.
New Campus
The new campus is located at 11929 W. Airport Blvd. in Stafford, Tx. The university is expected to migrate to the new campus in the Summer of 2016. The new campus is a 9 story building, which will have speciality built classrooms for each degree program, with dorms and all university facilities enclosed on the campus, offering students a traditional university experience.
References
- ↑ "Academics". North American University. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
- ↑ "Accreditation". ACICS. Retrieved 2013-11-22.
- ↑ "Biography of Pecen". North American College. Retrieved 2013-05-12.
- ↑ "Commencement Brochure" (PDF). North American College. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
- ↑ "International Students". College Navigator. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
- ↑ "Business Administration program". North American University. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ↑ "Computer Science program". North American College. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ↑ "Education program". North American College. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
- ↑ "TexSAW 2013". UTD. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
- ↑ "ACM ICPC, 2013 South Central USA Regional Contest". LSU. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
- ↑ "Houston Startup Weekend, 2013". Houston Startup Weekend. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
- ↑ "Cost of Attendance". North American College. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
- ↑ "Net Price Calculator". North American College. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
- ↑ "Housing at NAC". North American College. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
