Online Learning at Northern Illinois University

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Overview
Curriculum
Careers

Online Programs

16:1 Student-to-faculty Ratio

120+ Years of Excellence

250,000 Alumni Worldwide

Earn a Quality Degree in Business or Nursing

We designed each business and nursing program to instill the skills that employers demand, positioning you for career success after graduation. You can join us full or part time, selecting the study schedule that helps you meet your work and life obligations while taking classes online.

NIU is known for quality, as we’re ranked among Illinois’ top universities,1 and our degree programs have received impressive rankings from U.S. News & World Report.2 Moreover, we offer programs with accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), affirming the rigor of our coursework. Reach your potential in business or nursing online with Northern Illinois University. We offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs that align with the most in-demand fields, with flexible classes that you can complete 100% online.

NIU strives to achieve excellence in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, creativity and artistry and outreach and service. With our online degree programs, you can become a part of our inspiring educational community no matter where you are.

  • Named one of the top three universities in Illinois in 20211.
  • Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s top 140 online master’s in business programs outside the MBA category2.
  • Recognized for offering the No. 15 online master’s in nursing program for veterans2.
  • Received the 2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity3.

Online Business and Nursing Programs

Discover the degree program that provides a successful transition to the next phase of your business or nursing career.

Join an MBA program that provides flexible courses and hands-on skill development focusing on leading teams, solving problems, and identifying growth opportunities. You’ll learn from expert faculty who bring extensive experience to the online classroom, helping you gain the business acumen needed to become an innovative leader and boost your earning potential. The interdisciplinary coursework delves into financial analysis, strategic management, marketing management, and more topics that prepare you to thrive in a global economy.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 30.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $903.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in less than two years (full time).
  • Accreditation: AACSB.

Build a strong foundation in core accounting skillsets in online courses that offer preparation for the CPA exam.* Our faculty members bring extensive expertise to each class, teaching financial reporting, taxation principles, data analytics, auditing, and other essential accounting topics. You’ll graduate with industry-specific technical competencies and accounting expertise that enable you to play a vital role in business success.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 33.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $828.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as two years.
  • Accreditation: AACSB.

Learn to unlock the power of big data to solve business challenges and tailor strategies around harnessing the latest technologies. Our expert faculty also teach you to use data visualization tools, preparing you to present clear insights to stakeholders without technical backgrounds. Upon graduation, you’ll receive a dual Data Analytics Certification from NIU and SAS, the leader in data analytics software.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 30.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $903.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as 12 months (full time).
  • Accreditation: AACSB.

Digital now dominates every company’s marketing strategies. With this online program, you can acquire expertise in leading digital marketing efforts, including the development of content and strategies involving social media engagement and SEO. Our experienced faculty members teach immersive online courses focusing on mobile marketing, campaign measurement, online reputation management, and other specialties to equip you with the expertise that digital marketing managers must possess.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 30 to 39.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $903.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as 12 months (full time).
  • Accreditation: AACSB.

This online program enables registered nurses to access more career opportunities by acquiring a bachelor’s degree in nursing. NIU’s experienced faculty will prepare you to integrate evidence-based care into your practice, provide population-focused care, and move into nursing leadership. In addition to flexible online courses, this program includes a practicum that you can complete with your current employer.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 28.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $354.07.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as 12 months (full time).
  • Accreditation: CCNE.

Prepare to translate evidence-based research into practice in administrative nursing positions or provide advanced care as a family nurse practitioner. You’ll gain skills for advanced nursing roles involving the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of patients, helping close the gap between quality care, cost, and demand for services.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 76.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $743.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as four years (full time).
  • Accreditation: CCNE.

Promote health and well-being by developing nurse leadership skills that help improve patient care. You can select a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialization, preparing to assess, diagnose, and treat patients directly. After finishing this specialization, you’ll be prepared to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification exams for becoming an FNP. This online program also educates you to understand legal and regulatory policies while gaining science and humanities knowledge relevant to the nursing profession.

FNP Specialization Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 50.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $743.60.
  • Time to Completion: 2.5 years.
  • Accreditation: CCNE.

Take your nursing education to the highest level, becoming an expert in a specialized area of advanced nursing practice. With this online program, you’ll learn to lead evidence-based practice with the skills to formulate and implement patient care plans. At the same time, you can begin harnessing new approaches to care delivery and advanced nursing practices to improve patient outcomes and safety.

Program Highlights:

  • Credit Hours: 35.
  • Cost Per Credit Hour: $743.60.
  • Time to Completion: Finish in as few as two years (full time).
  • Accreditation: CCNE.

Quality Education That Supports Your Aspirations

NIU focuses on empowering your success through educational excellence and experiential learning. You will benefit from small class sizes and receive the faculty guidance needed to thrive in your career and life. Our online programs are an engine for innovation, preparing you to transform the world through research, artistry, teaching and outreach.

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Online Programs for Your Goals and Schedule

With NIU’s online programs, you can seek a high-quality degree no matter where you are. While you study online, we’ll provide the support and resources to propel your success and make your education personal. Collaborate with your classmates and faculty using the same technology that delivers your coursework and use the helpful services available to on-campus students. This includes dedicated career support even after you graduate as well as access to NIU libraries and online resources.

Online Courses Taught by Experienced Professionals

What’s the ideal way to develop career skills and expertise? By learning from people with real-world experience in your field. With NIU’s online business and nursing programs, you’ll take classes led by faculty with successful backgrounds working in health care and the private sector. As a result, you’ll delve into proven theories and practices that enable you to achieve your goals to improve patient care or innovate business opportunities. Our immersive programs provide a rich array of hands-on experiences, such as using emerging enterprise technologies and completing a nursing practicum in your community. We also designed our curricula to align with certification exams, including those required to become an FNP or CPA.*

Prepare for In-demand Careers in Business and Nursing

NIU’s online programs offer much more than flexibility, as completing your degree opens doors to a wealth of career opportunities. In the health care sector, 83% of nursing employers prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor’s degree,4 and we offer a direct path for earning this credential. You can also prepare for nurse practitioner positions for which hiring is projected to grow 46% from 2021 to 2031.5 Meanwhile, our business programs instill advanced skills to boost your professional status and earning potential. In fact, business and finance roles pay 67% more than the median for all occupations.6

Rewarding Careers for NIU Graduates

  • Accountant.
  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.
  • Business Intelligence Analyst.
  • Data Scientist.
  • Family Nurse Practitioner.
  • Financial Manager.
  • Marketing Manager.
  • Nursing Manager.
  • Nursing Director.
  • Sales Manager.

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Sources:

  1. uniRank. Top Universities in Illinois: 2021 Illinois University Ranking. Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.4icu.org/.
  2. U.S. News & World Report. Best Online Programs – Northern Illinois University. Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/.
  3. NIU Today. “Award honors NIU as a top college for diversity.” Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://niutoday.info.
  4. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Employment of New Nurse Graduates and Employer Preferences for Baccalaureate-Prepared Nurses.” Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/.
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners: Job Outlook. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/.
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Business and Financial Occupations. Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/.

*Out-of-state students will have a master’s degree that fulfills the requirements to take the CPA exam in most states. Check your state’s requirements for details.