General
“Yes! Charter Oak State College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). NECHE is the federally recognized regional accreditor for higher education institutions in the six New England states. Charter Oak is also a member of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. Want to know more? - please visit Our Advantages
Matriculation occurs when you officially become a degree-seeking student at Charter Oak State College.
The Admissions Team can be reached by sending an email to: admissions@charteroak.edu, or by calling (860) 515-3701 (Monday-Thursday from 8:30AM to 7:00PM EST and Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM EST) You may also submit paper requests by faxing to (860) 760-6047 or by mailing to:
Admissions Office / Charter Oak State College
55 Paul J. Manafort Drive
New Britain, CT 06053-2150
Please also visit the Admissions page for more information.
Applying
Admission is open to any person 16 years or older, regardless of level of formal education, who has earned nine acceptable college-level credits. International students should review the International Admissions Policy
Applying online is the easiest and quickest way to begin the admissions process. Access the online application or learn how to apply.
Yes. Due to the time commitment that is necessary in processing each application, there is a nominal application fee of $50. Students receive an evaluation of their current credits and how they may fit into a degree plan. For more information, please visit How to Apply.
No. Applications can be submitted at any time of year.
Please log in to your account in ACORN for more information.
Degree Completion
Charter Oak is authorized to award a Master of Science in Organizational Effectiveness & Leadership, Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Cyber Security, Health Care Administration, Health Information Management, Psychology and four General Studies degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Associate in Arts and Associate in Science. Please see Programs of Study for more information.
The undergraduate majors offered include Business Administration, Cyber Security, Health Care Administration, Health Information Management, Psychology, and General Studies. Students completing a general studies degree at the bachelor's level are able to "concentrate" their degree in a specific discipline or combination of subjects. Our most popular concentrations are workforce-driven and include Information Systems and Public Safety Administration.
Regardless of your area of concentration in a General Studies degree, your diploma will simply state that you have earned either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Information about your concentration is provided only on your official transcript. Please see Concentrations/ Fields of Study or Concentration Basics for more information. The majors of Business Administration, Cyber Security, Health Care Administration, Health Information Management, and Psychology will appear on your diploma.
It depends on you and how much time you have available to commit to your education each week. Our experience indicates that if you matriculate (enroll) with about 45 credits, you can finish your associate degree (60 semester credits) in less than a year. If you matriculate with about 90 credits, you can finish your bachelor's degree (120 semester credits) in 1-2 years. There are three graduation dates per year: May 31st, August 31st and December 31st. Please see Degree Completion Steps for an overview of the process.
Yes, you may pursue a second bachelor's degree, provided that degree is in a different field of study from your current degree, and you have received permission from the Provost. For more on this policy, please visit Second Baccalaureate Candidates.
Earning & Transferring Credits
Charter Oak has two academic residency requirements. The first is a 3-credit cornerstone course required for students enrolled in either an associate or bachelor's degree program at the college. The cornerstone course is taken in the student's first term as an enrolled Charter Oak student. The second is a 3-credit capstone course required of all students completing a bachelor's degree.
It depends upon your choice of concentration. Charter Oak offers many online courses, but it may not be possible to earn all the credits you need for your degree through our courses. You can take courses at colleges and universities close to your home; take tests to earn credits; and/or prepare a portfolio for assessment. You can also utilize Charter Oak's contract learning option.
Yes! Most people use the testing option to demonstrate what they have learned and know through experience. However, if there are no standardized exams available in your area of expertise, and if this expertise is equivalent to college-level work, you may want to investigate completing a portfolio assessment of your prior learning. In our portfolio format you will be required to find college courses equivalent to the knowledge you have acquired. You then provide relevant evidence and comprehensive narratives which are used to validate your college-level expertise. Please visit Portfolio Overview for more information.
You do not receive direct credit for the CEUs you have earned. However, they can serve as valuable background information when you are studying for an exam to earn credit or when documenting knowledge in the portfolio process.
Charter Oak welcomes students who are non-U.S. citizens or have international academic credentials. As a non-residential college, Charter Oak does not administer the I-20 form for purposes of issuing a student VISA. Credentials from non-U.S. colleges must be evaluated by a recognized agency prior to review by Charter Oak. The College recognizes any NACES approved member, including the following agencies: Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) and World Education Services (WES).
Charter Oak has a liberal credit transfer policy. We will accept most credits that have been successfully completed at other regionally accredited institutions. This includes up to 87 semester credits from regionally accredited, two-year colleges. Exceptions include courses in physical education, freshman orientation, and developmental courses. Please visit How to Apply to apply online and begin your credit evaluation.
Costs
How much will it cost to earn my degree? All students pay the application, semester-based college fee, and graduation fee. How you earn your remaining credits will determine your final cost. Please use our net price calculator for an estimate of tuition and fees In addition, the College offers Payment Plans to help you manage costs. Visit Tuition and Fees for more details on college costs.
Yes. Financial aid is available to degree-seeking students in the form of scholarships, grants and/or loans. Certain types of aid, such as loans, must be paid back, generally with interest. You may prefer to manage college costs through Charter Oak's convenient, interest-free Payment Plans. Complete financial aid information is available in the Financial Aid section of this site, or by calling (860) 515-3703.