Excelsior University

What is the history of Excelsior University?

Excelsior University grew out of a New York State initiative to help adults earn degrees using college credits and learning acquired outside a traditional campus. It began in 1971 as the Regents External Degree Program, an alternative route to a credential for people who could not follow a conventional residential schedule.

The institution later became Regents College, adopted the name Excelsior College in 2001, and became Excelsior University in 2022. Those changes reflect its development from a degree-completion model into a university offering online courses and programs. Transfer credit and prior-learning assessment remain important parts of its approach.

What are the faculties and departments at Excelsior University?

Excelsior University offers associate, bachelor's, and graduate programs across business, health care, liberal arts, nursing, and technology. Its academic offerings include fields such as business administration, criminal justice, psychology, cybersecurity, engineering technology, and nursing.

Program choice matters more here than a general description of the university. A student entering nursing, for example, may face clinical or licensure requirements that do not apply to a liberal arts student. Applicants should consult the catalog for their intended degree to identify required courses, accepted transfer credit, and any professional prerequisites before enrolling.

What is the location of Excelsior University?

Excelsior University is based in Albany, New York, but its educational model is primarily online. Most students should evaluate the location in terms of any program-specific in-person requirements, rather than expect a conventional campus experience in Albany.

Albany is New York's state capital and has regional rail and bus connections; Albany International Airport serves the area. For a student studying from another state, the more consequential location question may be whether a degree involving clinical work, field placement, or professional licensure can be completed where the student lives.

What is the mission and vision of Excelsior University?

Excelsior University states that its mission centers on expanding educational opportunity for learners whose experience, work, or circumstances do not fit a traditional college pathway. Its emphasis on flexible online study and recognition of prior learning is consistent with that stated purpose.

That mission describes the university's aims, not a guarantee that every student can complete a degree quickly or receive credit for every prior experience. The practical test is how a particular program evaluates an applicant's credits, schedule, and career requirements.