Armstrong Atlantic State University, abbreviated AASU, is a state university located in Savannah, Georgia. It is a unit of the University System of Georgia and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. For alternate meanings see state university (disambiguation). ... Nickname: The Coastal Empire or The Hostess City Motto: Official website: Savannah, Georgia Location Government County Chatham Mayor Otis S. Johnson Geographical characteristics Area Total 202. ... The University System of Georgia (USG) is the organizational body that includes all public institutions of higher learning in Georgia. ... Generally, accreditation is the process by which a facility becomes officially certified as providing services of a reasonably good quality, so that the public can trust in the quality of its services. ... The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional accreditor for over 13,000 public and private educational institutions ranging from preschool to college level in the Southern United States. ...

The university was founded in 1935 as Armstrong Junior College, and was originally housed in a historic building adjacent to Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah. In 1959, as Armstrong College of Savannah, it became a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia. The Board of Regents conferred four-year status on Armstrong State College in 1964. Two years later the college moved to its present 268-acre site, a gift from the Mills B. Lane Foundation and Donald Livingston. 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Forsyth Park fountain Forsyth Park is a large city park that spans 30 acres in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia. ...

It was designated a university by the Georgia Board of Regents in 1996 and its name was changed to Armstrong Atlantic State University. Additional buildings joined the six original structures as Armstrong added professional and graduate programs and quadrupled in size. Fifty-five percent of the student population comes from outside the Savannah-Chatham County area including Georgia, the nation, and more than 60 countries. The Georgia Board of Regents was created in 1931 and is part of the states government. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Today the university offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in a number of areas. An associates degree is a degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges and some bachelors degree-granting colleges and universities in Canada and the United States upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ...

Armstrong Atlantic State University's athletics program (the Pirates) competes at the NCAA Division II level and the school is a charter member of the Peach Belt Conference. Of note, the women's tennis team has been quite successful, earning NCAA National Championships in 1995, 1996 and 2005. This article is about sea pirates. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ... The Peach Belt Conference (also known as the PBC) is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division II. The PBC was formed in 1990 with seven charter universities as the Peach Belt Athletic Conference. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ...

AASU Quick Facts Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU), part of the University System of Georgia, was founded in 1935 as Armstrong Junior College to enhance higher educational opportunities in the community. The foundation of the institution, then as now, was a firm commitment to the ideals of a liberal education.

The city-supported college was housed in the historic Armstrong House, a gift to the city from the family of George F. Armstrong. Over the years, the college occupied six additional buildings in the Forsyth Park and Monterey Square areas. In 1959, as Armstrong College of Savannah, it became a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia. In 1964 the Board of Regents conferred four-year status on Armstrong State College.

In January 1966, the college moved to its present site, a gift from Donald Livingston and the Mills B. Lane Foundation. Additional buildings joined the original structures as Armstrong added professional and graduate programs. In 1996, the institution gained state university status and a new name: Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Armstrong Atlantic today serves more than 6,700 students of all ages. Forty-three percent are from the Savannah-Chatham County area. Others come from throughout Georgia, the nation, and 74 countries. Degrees Awarded 2004-2005 Associate's 61 Baccalaureate 699 Master's 239 Total 999

Academic Programs

Associate Degree Programs Criminal Justice Dental Hygiene General Studies

Baccalaureate Degree Programs Applied Physics Art Art Education Biology* Chemistry (B.S.)* (with American Chemical Society certification) Chemistry (B.A.)** Communicative Disorders Computer Science Criminal Justice Dental Hygiene Education Early Childhood Education Economics English* English, Track:

 Communications 

Fine Arts General Studies Health & Physical Education Health Science, Tracks:

 Allied Health/Nursing Health and Fitness Management Health Services Administration Long Term Care Pre-Physical Therapy Public Health 

History* Information Technology Information Technology (WebBSIT—Georgia On-line Consortium) Law and Society*** Mathematical Sciences* Medical Technology Middle Grades Education Music Music Education Nursing Political Science* Psychology* Radiologic Sciences, Tracks:

 Nuclear Medicine Radiation Therapy Radiography Sonography 

Respiratory Therapy Spanish* Special Education Theatre

• Teacher Certification available
  • New program beginning fall 2006
    • New program anticipated

Pre-Professional Programs Business Dentistry Engineering Studies (including GTREP and RETP) Forestry Law Medicine Pharmacy Veterinary Medicine

Undergraduate Certificates Basic Law Enforcement European Union Studies Financial Economics Forensic Science Gender and Women's Studies Gerontology Information Technology (applications and programming) Latin American Studies Strength and Conditioning

Graduate Degree Programs Adult Education Communicative Disorders Computer Science Criminal Justice Curriculum and Instruction (with areas of emphasis in Art, English,

 Health & Physical Education, History, Math, Music, Science, and Spanish) 

Early Childhood Education Health Services Administration History Liberal and Professional Studies Middle Grades Education Nursing Physical Therapy Public Health Special Education

 Behavior Disorders General Special Education Learning Disabilities 

Sports Medicine

Advanced Certificates Adult Education Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialists (Post-Master's) Adult Nurse Practitioner (Post-Master's) Advanced Imaging (Post-Baccalaureate) Educational Technology Gender and Women's Studies Gerontology Heritage Tourism Medical Technology (Post-Baccalaureate) Nursing Administration (Post-Master's) Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Post-Master's) Pre-Medical Profession Radiation Therapy (Post-Baccalaureate) Reading Endorsement (Post-Baccalaureate) Strength and Conditioning

Professional and Continuing Education A wide array of short-term courses for professional and personal development is offered through the Department of Professional and Continuing Education.

Activities The university offers a variety of extracurricular activities including student publications, campus recreation, and more than 60 student clubs, professional organizations, academic honor societies, and Greek organizations.

Leadership opportunities are plentiful at AASU. Some of these opportunities include the Honors Program, the Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leader Program, Leaders Among Us, the Student Government Association, and the Graduate Coordinating Council.

Cultural opportunities include student dramatic, choral, and instrumental groups, and the Faculty Lecture Series. AASU hosts nationally-known speakers, contemporary concerts, art exhibits, and performances by classical and modern artists. With more than 200 events open to the public each year, Armstrong Atlantic is a cultural center for the Savannah metropolitan area.

Armstrong Atlantic is affiliated with the NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference. Men's athletic teams include basketball, baseball, tennis, and golf. Women's teams include basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis, golf, and soccer.

Economic Impact AASU has an economic impact on Savannah's metropolitan statistical area of more than $162 million. The AASU Center for Regional Analysis works closely with the business community to assess economic issues in the region. The center has been cited as one of the few in the country forecasting local economic conditions.

Undergraduate and Graduate Enrollment

Fall Semester 2005 Headcount enrollment 6,710

Student Demographics Joint Enrollment 0.6% 37

Freshmen 28.5% 1,913 Sophomores 18.6% 1,247 Juniors 17.4% 1,166 Seniors 19.8% 1,329 Graduate students 11.8% 795 Transient/others 3.3% 223

Male 30.8% 2,067 Female 69.2% 4,643

Full-time 58.1% 3,896 Part-time 41.9% 2,814

24 and younger 57.7% 3,869 25-35 27.0% 1,814 36-55 13.9% 935 56+ 1.4% 92

Average undergraduate student age 26 Average graduate student age 34

Asian/Pacific Islander 3.0% 203 Black/Non-Hispanic 22.1% 1,485 Hispanic 3.2% 214 Multi-Racial 5.5% 367 Native American 0.3% 23 White/Non-Hispanic 65.9% 4,418

Highlights

The College of Health Professions is the largest and most comprehensive health professions education center of its kind in Georgia.

The AASU Women's Tennis Team finished first in the 2005 Division II National Championships.

Ninety percent of law enforcement and corrections officers in southeast Georgia attended AASU.

Beginning in June 2006, AASU will offer the Medical College of Georgia's Doctor of Physical Therapy.

The College of Education's Educational Technology Training Center was one of 13 Georgia programs to receive the Best Professional Development Program of the Year Award from the Georgia Staff Development Council.

The National Science Foundation awarded a $224,098 grant to the School of Computing for the project, "Supporting Talented and Needy Students in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Mathematics."

Seven AASU faculty members published books during the 2004-05 academic year.

AASU professors chair four University System of Georgia academic committees.

Pass rates on national board exams were 100% in dental hygiene, medical technology, physical therapy, radiography, and radiation therapy.

Eighty percent of local nurses and non-physician medical staff attended AASU.

The Board of Regents approved two new undergraduate degrees: Law and Society and a B.A. in Chemistry.

Campuses, Centers, and Programs

The Armstrong Atlantic State University Liberty Center campus offers day and evening courses to accommodate students in the Liberty County area who are interested in pursuing higher education locally. The center offers learning support, core curriculum, and other courses leading to associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

The Brunswick Center is a consortium of AASU, Coastal Georgia Community College, and Georgia Southern University. The center offers baccalaureate degrees in criminal justice, nursing, education, history, and general studies to students in Glynn, Camden, and Wayne counties.

Armstrong Atlantic also has a dual-degree, undergraduate program with Georgia Tech. By taking the Georgia Tech Regional Engineering Program, a student may earn a Georgia Tech baccalaureate degree in computer, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering without leaving Savannah.

Facilities Armstrong Atlantic's 268-acre campus is an arboretum with more than 300 species of trees and over 700 species of shrubs and other woody plants. The International Garden features plants indigenous to five continents—Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America. Compass Point, University Crossings, and University Terrace offer on-campus two- and four-bedroom accommodations for 760 students.

University facilities include multimedia classrooms, five computer labs, writing and math tutorial labs, an advisement center, an honors suite, three theaters, and an art gallery.

The campus also offers lighted tennis courts, two indoor basketball courts, an indoor heated swimming pool, an indoor running track, a fitness center/weight room, and a baseball diamond.

Accreditation Armstrong Atlantic State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404.679.4501) to award associate's, baccalaureate, and master's degrees.

Some departments and programs also have accreditation through discipline-specific national and state agencies and governing bodies.

External links

Official website