Ottawa University Human Resources Degree Programs
Ottawa University is also featured in our ranking 50 Most Affordable Human Resource MBA Degree Programs.
Ottawa University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources degree that aligns with the SHRM HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates. The degree can be concentrated in the following areas:
- Communication
- Entrepreneurship
- Global Operations
- Health Care Management
- Leadership and Management
The program is available online, on campus or in a hybrid version. Students learn how human resource planning is essential for creating an effective, efficient workforce as well as methods to keep an organization running at peak efficiency. They also gain an understanding of issues that face human resources today, including rising healthcare costs, increased need for employee training and the need for specialist services in many industries. Some of the courses required for the program include:
- Accounting for Business Operations
- Behavior in Organizations
- Business Ethics
- Business Statistics
- College Algebra
- Compensation and Benefits
- Employment and Staffing
- Employment Law and Policies
- Human Resources Administration
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
- Planning and Budgeting
- Seminar in Applied Human Resources
- Training and Development
Master of Arts in Human Resources
The Master of Arts in Human Resources is designed for those who wish to positively impact the lives of others. The program is available online, on campus or in a hybrid version. The program promotes professional excellence, academic attainment and teaches students how to synthesize, integrate and apply human resource skills in ways that help improve organizations. Completion of the program qualifies students to sit for the SHRM Certified Professional or SHRM Senior Certified Professional examination. Some of the courses required for the program include:
- Applied Case Studies in Human Resources
- Career Development
- Employment Law
- Human Resources Planning and Administration
- Managing a Culturally Diverse Workplace
- Managing Human Resources Costs
- Organization and Consultation Skills
- Organizational Behavior and Theory
- Recruitment Selection and Placement
- Research: Assessment and Evaluation
- SHRM Certification Course
- Training and Development
- Trends, Issues and Perspectives in Human Resources
- Value Systems and Professional Ethics
- Wage, Salary and Benefit Administration
Students may also concentrate their studies in Leadership Development or Population Health/Health Care Management. Students who enter the Leadership Development concentration develop an understanding of leadership in the area of human services while those in the Population Health/Health Care Management concentration gain an understanding of legal, ethical and political aspects of healthcare management as well as systems and assessments used in developing the human capital of a healthcare organization.
About Ottawa University
Ottawa University was founded in 1865 and from the beginning, has focused on providing education to underserved populations. The roots of the University can be found in the Baptist missionaries who worked to educate the Ottawa Indian tribes on the banks of the Marais des Cygnes in Kansas. Reverend Jotham Meeker and his wife, Eleanor, dedicated their lives to service as ministers, medical professionals, business agents, counselors, teachers and spiritual guides for the tribes in the area. Along with John Tecumseh “Tauy” Jones, the couple organized a school based in the Baptist faith for the children of the Ottawas.
Initially, the school was designed to educate children between the ages of 6 and 18 at a school built on 20,000 acres of land given to the missionaries by the Tribe. The school was able to sell portions of the land in order to fund the school which would be operated by the Baptists. Attendance at the school would be free to members of the Tribe. However, there was controversy when the school initially began with some board members taking advantage of the donated land and the subsequent sale of those lands. It was determined that adding higher education would be an economic benefit to the area as well.
The new school struggled as the new frontier was settled as well as dealing with the aftermath of the Civil War. Tensions grew between Native American tribes and settlers. Poor oversight and accounting practices also added to the financial struggles of the school. However, the relationship between the Baptist missionaries and the Ottawa Indians remained strong, a relationship that kept the school operational until new leadership was able to take control of the school’s finances.
Ottawa University grew slowly and, by the mid-1920s, had an endowment of $600,000. However, World War II once again threatened the financial security of the University as students left to serve in the military. A Civil Aeronautics Administration’s Civil Pilot Training Unit assisted in keeping the school open during low enrollment. Once the war ended, enrollment grew as soldiers returned home to take advantage of the GI Bill.
By the early 1970s, Ottawa University became known as an innovator in higher education. The school’s New Plan for Education resulted in further expansion and the school was one of the first to embrace flexible programs for adult students. The first adult campus was opened at the University in 1974. Online programs began being offered in 2008. That same year, as a demonstration of the continued relationship between Ottawa University and the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, an agreement between the University and the Tribe was signed that allows any certified member of the Tribe to attend the residential college in Ottawa free of tuition, board and room charges. They may also attend any adult on-ground or online program tuition-free. This agreement is to be recognized “in perpetuity.”
The school continues to operate under the American Baptist Churches USA and all programs are offered with a Christian focus.
Ottawa University Accreditation Details
Ottawa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Commission is an independent agency, founded in 1895, and is one of six regional accrediting agencies in the country. Accreditation indicates that students at the University are receiving an education that is of the highest quality and qualifies students who attend the school for federal financial aid. In addition to regional accreditation, programs throughout the University are accredited by the following organizations:
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission
- National Association of Teacher Education
Ottawa University Application Requirements
Undergraduate students must complete an application and pay the application fee. Official high school transcripts are required. Applicants may transfer up to 80 credit hours toward a 124-credit hour program and must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Graduate applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. They must submit an application as well as official undergraduate transcripts. They must have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. A personal statement outlining career goals, a current resume and three letters of recommendation are also required.
Tribal applicants must contact their Tribal Higher Education Office and speak to an admission officer. They must submit an application and provide official transcripts from high school as well as any colleges or universities attended.
Ottawa University Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for undergraduate courses at all Ottawa University campuses, including online, is $499 per credit hour. Tuition for the Master of Arts In Human Resources is $649 per credit hour at all campuses and online.
Financial aid is available and is based on information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Assistance may be in the form of grants or scholarships which do not need to be repaid. On-campus students may be offered work-study programs and on-campus graduate students may be offered fellowships or assistantships. Students whose financial aid packages include loans must complete entrance counseling through the Department of Education to be sure they understand how the repayment process works and to be sure they are aware what taking out student debt means for their financial stability after graduation.
The mission of Ottawa University is to build on its foundation as a Christ-inspired community of learning, open inquiry and grace. Ottawa University prepares graduates for a lifetime of personal significance and vocational fulfillment with a desire to serve God and the community.
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