National Hispanic University
Encyclopedia
The National Hispanic University (NHU) is a small, private
university located in East San Jose, California
. The university is nonsectarian
and coeducation
al with 700 undergraduate students. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it is the foremost Hispanic-focused university in the United States.
The mission of the school is to provide a high-quality liberal education modeled in a more intimate, familia-like multicultural educational environment. The student body is predominantly female, Hispanic, and adult, making it demographically different from most institutions of higher education. The school seeks to attract a diverse range of students across racial and gender lines.
, to address the needs of Hispanic men and women. Founder Dr. Roberto Cruz had studied the disproportionately large impact historically black colleges and universities
had in generating both undergraduate and professional degree
graduates within the Black community
. Dr. Cruz's vision was to have similarly positive impact on the Hispanic community in the United States. In 1990, the university opened a San Jose campus and moved to a larger facility in Oakland. In 1994, NHU closed both campuses and moved to a new campus in San Jose.
In 2001, the school sponsored the Latino College Preparatory Academy
(LCPA), a charter high school adjacent to the NHU campus. A large majority of (LCPA) students matriculate at NHU.
In 2010, NHU became a member of the Laureate International Universities
network. Laureate International Universities is a global network of more than 50 accredited campus-based and online universities offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 550,000 students around the world. Laureate International Universities students are part of an international, academic community that spans 21 countries and more than 100 campuses throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Laureate International Universities offer more than 130 career-focused, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in fields including engineering, education, business, medicine, law, architecture, health sciences, hospitality, culinary arts, and information technology.
The university has a cross-enrollment agreement with San José State University (SJSU)
. Students at one institution are able to enroll in up to 6 credits a semester at the other institution. Additionally students can transfer between institutions with up to 60 credits. In 2009, given the budget-crisis driven reduction in the number of students at SJSU, many students have enrolled at National Hispanic University in order to take classes at SJSU.
and is rated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "Baccalaureate College", with an academic breadth rated as "Diverse Fields"
NHU hosts the San Francisco Bay Area Science Olympiad
.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
university located in East San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The university is nonsectarian
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
and coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al with 700 undergraduate students. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it is the foremost Hispanic-focused university in the United States.
The mission of the school is to provide a high-quality liberal education modeled in a more intimate, familia-like multicultural educational environment. The student body is predominantly female, Hispanic, and adult, making it demographically different from most institutions of higher education. The school seeks to attract a diverse range of students across racial and gender lines.
History
NHU was founded in 1981 in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, to address the needs of Hispanic men and women. Founder Dr. Roberto Cruz had studied the disproportionately large impact historically black colleges and universities
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
had in generating both undergraduate and professional degree
First professional degree
A professional degree prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
graduates within the Black community
African American culture
African-American culture, also known as black culture, in the United States refers to the cultural contributions of Americans of African descent to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from American culture. The distinct identity of African-American culture is rooted in...
. Dr. Cruz's vision was to have similarly positive impact on the Hispanic community in the United States. In 1990, the university opened a San Jose campus and moved to a larger facility in Oakland. In 1994, NHU closed both campuses and moved to a new campus in San Jose.
In 2001, the school sponsored the Latino College Preparatory Academy
Latino College Preparatory Academy
Latino College Preparatory Academy is a chartered high school in San Jose, California. It is situated within the East Side Union High School District, and specializes in providing a college preparatory environment for nearly 500 high school students from Spanish-speaking homes...
(LCPA), a charter high school adjacent to the NHU campus. A large majority of (LCPA) students matriculate at NHU.
In 2010, NHU became a member of the Laureate International Universities
Laureate International Universities
Laureate International Universities is a global network of more than 50 for-profit , accredited campus-based and online institutions of higher education offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 550,000 students around the world. LIU spans 21 countries and more than 100...
network. Laureate International Universities is a global network of more than 50 accredited campus-based and online universities offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 550,000 students around the world. Laureate International Universities students are part of an international, academic community that spans 21 countries and more than 100 campuses throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Laureate International Universities offer more than 130 career-focused, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in fields including engineering, education, business, medicine, law, architecture, health sciences, hospitality, culinary arts, and information technology.
Academics
NHU offers associate's, Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Sciences (A.S.), bachelor's, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. Degrees are offered in the following disciplines:- Business
- A.A. in Business Administration
- B.A. in Business Administration
- Computer Information Systems
- A.S. in Computer Networking
- B.S. in Computer Information Systems
- Liberal Studies
- A.A. Liberal Studies
- B.A. Liberal Studies (Cross-Cultural Studies, Child Development)
- Mathematics and Science
- A.S. in Mathematics and Science (with/without Engineering Emphasis)
- Early Childhood Education
- A.A. in Early Childhood Education
- Teaching Credential
- Multiple Subject (Bilingual Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development Emphasis)
- Single Subject (English, Social Science, Mathematics and Science)
The university has a cross-enrollment agreement with San José State University (SJSU)
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. Students at one institution are able to enroll in up to 6 credits a semester at the other institution. Additionally students can transfer between institutions with up to 60 credits. In 2009, given the budget-crisis driven reduction in the number of students at SJSU, many students have enrolled at National Hispanic University in order to take classes at SJSU.
Accreditation
The university is accredited by WASCWestern Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
and is rated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "Baccalaureate College", with an academic breadth rated as "Diverse Fields"
NHU hosts the San Francisco Bay Area Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
.