Capitol At-A-Glance

Location
Capitol College is located in Laurel, Maryland, midway between Washington, DC, and Baltimore. Just off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, the campus is near NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. The campus occupies the site of the former Beltsville Speedway.

Campus
The 52-acre Laurel campus consists of academic and administrative buildings, and residential halls, all in a green, suburban environment. The academic halls are connected by glass-enclosed pedestrian walkways. The residential halls are apartment-style. Parking is free and readily available. The William G. McGowan Academic Center opened in fall 2005.

Academic Character
Capitol College fills a unique niche through a program that integrates scientific theory with hands-on experience. The curriculum is designed so students gain practical knowledge, ensuring they are immediately prepared for their professional careers. All undergraduate programs are enriched by liberal arts courses that provide every student with an enhanced sense of self and society. The college has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency and operates the Space Operations Institute as a partnership with NASA.

Student Enrollment
Capitol's undergraduate students come from 15 states and several foreign countries, ranging in age from 18 to 55. Sixty percent of Capitol undergraduates represent traditionally underserved populations.

Faculty and Staff
As scholarly practitioners, Capitol's faculty members are recognized in their fields and are well-connected to the industry. With small classes and a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students can interact closely with instructors. Students get individualized attention early and often.

Programs of Study
Capitol offers bachelor of science degrees in 12 undergraduate areas of study, six master's degrees, and a doctor of science in information assurance. All majors are in the areas of engineering, computer science, information technology and business. All of the master's and doctorate-level degrees are available online using software that delivers live, real-time audio lectures.

Tuition
For the 2010-2011 academic year, undergraduate full-time (12-18 credits) tuition is $9,945 per semester plus fees; part-time (1-11 credits) is $638 per credit hour, plus fees. Business and management degree program credits are $342 per credit hour, plus fees. Online graduate courses are $554 per credit hour plus fees. Eighty percent of the full-time students receive some form of financial aid.

Student Activities
The college organizes a range of activities, such as barbecues, coffee houses, casino nights, spring fling and "see it before you rent it" movies. Students can participate is a variety of clubs: IEEE, National Society of Black Engineers, Radio Club, the Society of Women Engineers and several honor societies.

Residence Life
Apartment-style student housing is available for up to 120 students. Each single-sex apartment has four bedrooms (two singles and two doubles), one bathroom and a combined living, dining and kitchen area. The apartments, 1,400-square-feet in size, are fully furnished with kitchen appliances such as an electric range, refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher and garbage disposal.

Library
The John G. and Beverly A. Puente Library specializes in materials that support the technical and general studies curriculum of the College. Holdings include more than 10,000 books, CD-ROMs, audio and videocassettes, computer-based information and periodicals. Access to the library is provided by an online public access catalog. Additional research materials are available online from the Maryland Digital Library and other research databases.

Accreditation
Capitol College is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Academic programs are approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).