Mercer University

Top-Tier Traditional and Non-Traditional Degrees at Mercer

Mercer University appears in our ranking of the 30 Best Online Bachelor’s in Emergency Management Degrees. Named Forbes’ 176th best research institution, Mercer University is a prestigious private, nonprofit NAICU member in Central Georgia that confers 101 bachelor’s, 57 master’s, three specialists, and 14 doctoral degrees, including 33 fully online, at a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. For example, the Penfield College led by Priscilla Danheiser debuted a 120-credit Health Informatics BS online in August 2019 with accelerated eight-week courses, such as Data Processing and Systems Analysis, for RHIA certification. Chaired by Dr. Joan Burtner, the Industrial Engineering BSE builds a 120-credit, ABET-accredited Macon curriculum where undergrads can pursue co-ops like Cisco or Tesla, conduct Robotics Lab projects, join the IIE Chapter, attend the Engineering Expo, and semester abroad in Japan. Online on Moodle, the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing admits cohorts of 30-35 for the 49-credit Family Nurse Practitioner MSN headed by Dr. Tammy Barbe that blends 600-level Web courses like Women’s Health with 660 clinical practicum hours for 96 percent AANP certification success. Directed by Dr. Kevin Jenkins, the Educational Leadership Ph.D. starts its 63-credit, CAEP-accredited hybrid tracks in Higher Education or P-12 Schooling each May for online and Saturday Atlanta sessions with dissertation work in the state-of-the-art Tift Research Center. Other Mercer degrees include the Accounting BBA, Homeland Security and Emergency Management BS, Psychology BS, Creative Writing BA, Global Development BA, Physics BS, Christian Ministry MA, Conducting MM, Innovation MBA, Physical Therapy DPT, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D.

About Mercer University

Mercer University originated on January 14, 1833, when Billington McCarthy Sanders opened a manual labor school on Josiah Penfield’s former estate for an inaugural class of 39 boys. In 1837, the Georgia General Assembly officially chartered the Mercer Institute named for Baptist minister Jesse Mercer. In 1844, manual labor training was eliminated in favor of classical and theological study. Open throughout the Civil War, Mercer relocated to Macon near the Ocmulgee River in 1871. Two years later, the School of Law was established for a Juris Doctor. In 1918, President Rufus Weaver formed a separate Mercer Seminary. On July 1, 1943, Mercer University became one of the earliest V-12 Navy College Training Program participants. In 1959, Mercer acquired the Southern School of Pharmacy to launch a PharmD. In 1972, Mercer merged with Atlanta Baptist College for a “Big Peach” extension. Endowed for $355.98 million, Mercer University now employs 1,806 staff serving 8,756 Bears from 56 countries online, on the 150-acre Macon campus, and at six satellite centers from Columbus to Robins Air Force Base with 140+ clubs like Alpha Epsilon Delta. In 2017, Mercer was designated a Benjamin A. Gilman Greatest Growth Institution. In 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency chose Mercer for the People, Prosperity, and Planet Grant. Mercer University won the 2018 AACP Award for Excellence in Assessment too. The U.S. News & World Report deemed Mercer the 138th best law school, 107th top nursing college, and 70th best online MBA provider. On Niche, Mercer boasts America’s 99th best criminal justice, 123rd top engineering, and 201st best finance degrees. The Princeton Review noticed Mercer University for the 12th best intramural sports and 11th most conservative students.

Mercer University Accreditation Details

On December 6, 2015, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees voted favorably to extend the Level VI accreditation at Mercer University through 2025-26 under the 18th president, Dr. William D. Underwood, who earned the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year Award. Located 89 miles up Interstate 75 in Decatur, this big 11-state Blue Ridge Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC). The Office of Institutional Effectiveness also lists the following programmatic accreditations:

• Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education
• Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
• American Council of Pharmaceutical Education
• Council on Education for Public Health
• American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation
• National Association of Schools of Music
• Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
• Liaison Committee on Medical Education
• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Mercer University Application Requirements

Enrollment at Mercer University is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s because only 3,479 of the 4,749 Fall 2017 applicants were triumphant for 73 percent acceptance. First-year Bears must exhibit academic and service achievement during a college-prep curriculum. Four units each of English and Mathematics are prerequisite. The Class of 2021 presented a median cumulative GPA of 3.92. The middle 50th percentile earned ACT scores of 25-30. Mid-range admitted SAT scores were 550-640 for Reading and 550-650 for Math. Eligible transfers must hold minimum 2.5 GPAs in 12-75 collegiate credits. International undergrads prove language skills with at least 80 TOEFL iBT or 6.5 IELTS scores. The Graduate & Professional Admission Office generally seeks entrants with GPAs over 3.0 in regionally accredited bachelor’s study. Doctor of Philosophy candidates are most competitive with GPAs above 3.5. Graduate testing minimums are currently 300 GRE and 500 GMAT. The School of Law accepts an average LSAT score of 155. School of Medicine cohorts report a mean 507 MCAT mark. Mercer University set freshman deadlines of October 15th for non-binding Early Action and March 15th for Regular Decision. Applying by February 1st ensures financial aid priority. Transfers should file before April 15th for Fall, November 15th for Spring, or March 15th for Summer starts. The Graduate & Professional Admission Office has wide-ranging dates though. Mechanical Engineering MSE cohorts must apply by November 1st or April 1st. The Master of Family Therapy closes on August 1st each year. Walter F. George School of Law entrants are welcome until March 15th. Accordingly, check specific deadlines for filing the $50 ($75 if graduate) Mercer or Common Application online. Forward official transcripts to 1501 University Drive in Macon, GA 31207. Attach additional items like the test scores, 1-3 recommendations, personal statement, state licensure, school counselor report, resume, and observation hour documentation. Contact (800) 840-8577 or admissions@mercer.edu with questions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, Mercer University charged full-time undergrads $18,297 each semester or $36,594 annually. Studying part-time incurred $1,220 per credit. Bachelor’s students paid the $150 facility and technology fee each term. Living at the Macon campus’ dorms like Dowell Hall added $11,616 for room and board yearly. Mercer budgeted $1,200 for books and $2,778 for personal expenses. Annual undergrad attendance equaled about $52,488 on-site or $40,872 at home. Online BA/BS courses were priced $448 per credit. Graduate programs had widely varying costs. For instance, the Day MBA billed $818 per credit. Master of Music cohorts spent $720 per credit. Doctor of Medicine candidates paid $42,286 each year. The Master of Athletic Training was $8,250 every semester. Engineering MSE tracks required $918 per credit. According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Planning in R. Kirby Godsey Administration Hall links 91 percent of full-time Mercer Bears to tuition aid averaging $21,573 each for $92.07 million combined. Institutional funds include the Griffith Scholarship, Heritage Day Scholarship, Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship, Media Changemaker Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, Tift Scholarship, Townsend School of Music Scholarship, Woodruff Scholarship, Jesse Mercer Scholarship, Public Interest Fellowship, Army ROTC Scholarship, Ministerial Aid, and Undergraduate Merit Scholarship. The Stamps Scholars Program gifts full tuition plus $16,00 enrichment stipends for five outstanding freshmen applying by October 15th. Since 1993, the Community Foundation of Central Georgia has developed local options, such as the Peyton Anderson Scholarship, Joseph Crawford Memorial Scholarship, and Flint Energies Foundation Scholarship. FAFSA applications coded 002641 will determine federal aid, including Teach Grant and Loan Forgiveness for Health Professions, eligibility. The Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant also offers up to $475 per semester at private schools like Mercer. Search through 12 accredited schools conferring 175+ degrees ranked 194th overall by The Wall Street Journal at the Mercer University website.