Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Tech University
NATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Nationwide, independent evaluators are recognizing what Arkansas Tech University students and alumni have known for generations: Tech is focused on student success, before and after graduation.
Data from College NET’s Social Mobility Index reveals that ATU ranks among the top 5 percent of U.S. institutions of higher education in providing students with an opportunity to improve their economic standing.
The SMI looks at the economic background of a university’s student body and compares it to the institution’s tuition rate, graduation rate and endowment, as well as the early career salary for the school’s young alumni.
This year marks the fourth consecutive year in which ATU has been No. 1 in social mobility in Arkansas. No other Arkansas university or college ranks among the top 200 in the 2017 data.
A separate publication, Washington Monthly magazine, has named Arkansas Tech one of the top 10 universities and colleges in the Southern United States when it comes to providing students with the most return on their investment. Arkansas Tech is No. 9 on the 2017 list of
Washington Monthly’s Best Bang for the Buck institutions of higher learning in the region. ATU ranks No. 1 among Arkansas colleges and universities on the list.
NEW DEGREE OPTIONS
A wave of academic innovation at Arkansas Tech will continue when two undergraduate degrees make their debut in 2018: a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and criminology.
A need for a greater number of employment candidates was the driving force behind Tech’s new computer engineering degree. It will help employers account for a projected 16 percent increase in the need for computer engineers by the year 2024.
The criminal justice and criminology bachelor’s degree will enhance the talent pool for employers seeking candidates in the transportation security, policing, security, cybersecurity and corrections fields. Tech will offer the program online and in the classroom, providing those pursuing or holding an associate degree in law enforcement and criminal justice with a seamless transition into a four-year degree.
Other recent additions to the bachelor’s degree offerings at ATU include business data analytics, chemistry education, computer science education, cultural and geospatial studies, cybersecurity, electrical engineering with a biomedical option, environmental science, game and interactive media design and physics education. In all, ATU offers more than 60 bachelor’s-degree programs.
CAMPUS LIFE
The Office of Campus Life at Arkansas Tech offers wide-ranging opportunities for all students to become involved. Campus recreation, Greek life, leadership programs, orientation, outdoor recreation, registered student organizations, service initiatives and spirit squads are some of the programs that connect Tech students to each other and the world around them.
ATU’s On Track program is a distinctive experience designed to enhance student development beyond the classroom setting, encourage students to network socially among peers and include students in traditional and signature university events. Each semester, a map of events and activities, categorized by interests, is available to students.
Undergraduate students who choose to complete all seven tracks become eligible to apply for an all- expenses-paid trip following the completion of the last track. Recent destinations for On Track trips have included Washington, D.C.; New York City; Chicago; and Los Angeles.
LIVING AT TECH
Arkansas Tech offers 16 housing options for its students. Residents may choose to share their space with one roommate or three and choose from apartment living and suite-style and traditional residence halls. All halls are completely furnished. Other amenities include cable television, internet and free laundry.
Many Tech students choose to live as part of a specific living and learning community (LLCs) based upon their academic program or year in school. Students in these programs take classes together, build friendships and have additional study spaces.