Perched on a scenic hilltop where three states meet, Briar Cliff University is a private, Catholic Franciscan institution that attracts students who dream about making a difference in the world.
As one of the country’s most service and outreach-oriented universities, Briar Cliff was founded in 1930 by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, with a mission to educate students in the Franciscan tradition of service, caring and openness to all.
More than three-quarters of classes at Briar Cliff are taught by full-time faculty — not adjunct instructors or graduate assistants — meaning students are able to form lasting relationships with their professors; working side-by-side on research, internship placements and networking opportunities. Briar Cliff faculty members are renowned and recognized in their field. They have published extensively, been recognized as Fulbright Scholars, worked on the global Human Genome Project and performed at Carnegie Hall. But more importantly, they take the most pride in the success of their students.
Briar Cliff’s students find success after graduation, with 95% of 2015’s graduates finding employment or continuing their education (74.2% finding employment and 20.7% pursuing graduate education). Of those finding employment, 78% found employment that was directly related to their major. Outside of the classroom, our students are also recognized for their efforts in giving back to the community, contributing over 10,000 hours of service to the region annually.
Beyond the classroom, Briar Cliff is nationally recognized for its community outreach as a member of the President’s National Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for six consecutive years. Briar Cliff students spend 10,000 hours annually spearheading service projects across the community, the region, the nation and the world. Often times, the service relates directly to the students’ chosen field of study: Education majors tutor children in after-school programs; nursing students help with Red Cross disaster relief; accounting majors help low-income families file their taxes; kinesiology majors develop exercise workouts for local senior centers; and biology majors work to restore natural habitat at our local parks and nature centers.
The University has garnered national attention for its innovative “Learning Communities” initiative. The program places first-year students who have similar interests into academically themed learning groups which enroll in similar classes, team up on service projects and adjust to college life together. The result for the Fall 2015 incoming cohort was a retention rate of 78.9 percent.
Briar Cliff is also viewed as a forward-thinking institution when it comes to non-traditional college students. With its online degree completion offerings and highly respected night-and-weekend adult study program, the University provides convenient and high quality education to students in all stages of life. Briar Cliff is ranked among the nation’s top 10 Catholic online institutions (onlinecolleges.com), its online Bachelor of Social Work program is ranked in the top 10 nationally (collegechoice.com) and BCU is listed as the second best online college in the state of Iowa (affordablecollegesonline.com).
Office of Admissions:
(800) 662-3303
briarcliff.edu/admissions
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