Higher Education
Jacksonville is home to several institutions of higher learning. There are two public institutions. University of North Florida (UNF), founded in 1969, is a member of the State University System of Florida. It has over 16,000 students and offers a variety of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Florida State College at Jacksonville is a public state college in the Florida College System. It has over 80,000 enrolled full- and part-time students and offers two-year associate's degrees as well as some four-year bachelor's programs. Additionally, St. Johns River State College is a state college in the wider area with campuses in St. Augustine, Orange Park, and Palatka.
There are a number of private colleges and universities as well. Jacksonville University, established in 1934, is a private, four-year institution. It enrolls around 3,500 students a year and offers a number of bachelor's and master's programs. Edward Waters College, founded in 1866, is Jacksonville's oldest institution of higher education, as well as the Florida's oldest historically black college. It enrolls around 800 students and offers associate's and bachelor's programs. Also in the area is Flagler College, a private college in St. Augustine.
There are a number of specialty and for-profit schools in the area. These include Jones College, founded in 1918, which enrolls 630 students and offers associate's & bachelor's programs. Florida Coastal School of Law, founded in 1996, is the city's only law school; it enrolls 1,400 students, and offers Juris Doctorates and specialized law certificates. The Art Institute of Jacksonville is one of The Art Institutes, a for-profit chain of art schools. A number of other for-profit schools have campuses in Jacksonville.
A 2010 survey by The Florida Times-Union found that most employers view education from for-profit schools acceptable for entry-level jobs, but in a situation where two equally qualified individuals applied for a job, the person with a degree from the public university would be hired. Another consideration was accreditation; most institutions have at least national accreditation, but some individual medical or technical programs require additional accreditation. Another question was whether course credits would transfer to other institutions; most institutions do not accept credits from nationally-accredited schools.
Read more about this topic: Education In Jacksonville
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