CCU Tops 9,000 Students for the First Time
Record enrollment marks 12 consecutive years of growth at the University
Colorado Christian University, the flagship Christian liberal arts university in the Rocky Mountain region, surpassed 9,000 students for the first time in the institution's 108-year history. A record-breaking class of just over 500 first-year students has pushed enrollment in the College of Undergraduate Studies (CUS) to more than 1,500 students for the first time, while the mostly online enrollment in the College of Adult and Graduate Students (CAGS) rose to 7,603. Within CAGS, total graduate student enrollment rose to a record 1,786.
Both the College of Adult and Graduate Studies and the College of Undergraduate Studies experienced 6% growth from the previous year to notch the University's 12th consecutive year of record enrollment. "
"Colorado Christian University is dedicated to molding competent, courageous leaders of character who impact the world every day with grace and truth," Dr. Donald W. Sweeting, CCU president, said. "Our commitment to Christ-centered education resonates with students and families who desire not only world-class academics, but also educational sanity in a time when so much of higher education seems to be losing its way. I believe our continued growth, year after year, reflects this desire."
The 2021-22 academic year marks the first time that the CUS School of Science and Engineering (SSE), which serves 170 nursing students, is the largest school in CUS. Program offerings in SSE have grown in recent years to include nursing, pre-physical therapy, industrial engineering, and kinesiology. Roughly one-third of CUS students are enrolled in SSE or nursing and health sciences. The University is in the beginning stages of a new dedicated science center to better meet the demand for science, health, and engineering programs.
"Our professors firmly believe that God created humans in His image, the imago Dei, and because of this, they consider it a privilege to teach about what God created and the structures of His creation," said Dr. Janet Black, vice president of Academic Affairs for the College of Undergraduate Studies. "The CCU science curricula focuses on the student as a whole person, providing a whole education: we produce well-rounded students who think deeply about science, but who also can place their discipline within the larger world of ideas. Theology and the humanities are not just a lens through which students study sciences and health professions; rather, these fields are integrated in a purposeful way."
From 2019-2020, the number of students who declared majors in science fields, including biology, health sciences, nursing, pre-med, and engineering, grew 28%. That growth has been mirrored in 2021, as the number is up an additional 28%.
In the College of Adult and Graduate Studies, the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MACMHC) program has seen exponential growth, expanding from 310 students in 2015 to 941 students currently. MACMHC has the largest enrollment of any program at the University. This growth has been fueled, in part, by counseling students and graduates valuing the Christ-centered approach to mental health. In a recent MACMHC alumni survey, 100% of respondents believe that their clinical work is having a kingdom impact.
"It is encouraging to see that all students surveyed believe they are sharing the restorative mission of Christ," Dr. Ryan M. Burkhart, associate dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and director of MACMHC, said. "The MACMHC recently added emphases in marriage and family therapy and substance use disorders which address the growing demand for compassionate professionals who can provide biblically informed prevention, intervention, and healing for distressed families, couples, and individuals."
CCU's enrollment growth coincides with the University's expansion of undergraduate and graduate degrees. The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 100 academic programs in business, liberal arts, music, sciences and pre-professional studies at the Lakewood residential campus. Additionally, CAGS offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs for adult students, with nearly all programs available entirely online.
To learn more about Colorado Christian University, visit ccu.edu.