South University to Open Campus Near Town Center in Virginia Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- South University, founded in 1899, will expand into Hampton Roads with the addition of a 32,600-square foot campus in the Convergence Center office park off I-264 near Virginia Beach Town Center.  South University-Virginia Beach will begin classes on April 5, 2010.  It will be the Savannah, Georgia-based institution's seventh campus and second in Virginia, the first having opened in Richmond in 2009.

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"We are growing in the Old Dominion because Virginia is a business-friendly and education-friendly state," says John T. South III, chancellor of South University.  "Virginians take education seriously, and it shows; more Virginians hold bachelor's and master's level degrees than the national average," Chancellor South says referencing Claritas demographics. Hampton Roads has a significant number of residents, however, who begin college but leave school before earning their degree.  "South University has a strong track record of meeting the needs of these individuals," says the chancellor.  "Many of our new students are not new to college at all, but what they find at South University, in terms of rigor, convenience and attention to their needs, is new."

South University – Virginia Beach will initially offer:

• an associates degree program in Paralegal Studies,
• bachelor's degree programs in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Healthcare Management, Legal Studies, Psychology, and a RN to BSN (registered nurse to bachelor of science, nursing), and
• graduate programs including a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and a Master of Business Administration.

"As a branch campus of an institution of higher learning with a 111-year history, our aim is to become very integrated into the life of the Hampton Roads area," says Seth Saunders, the first president of South University – Virginia Beach. "Our programs are designed to graduate students who possess the professional skills that are in demand by employers in the region, and we look forward to working together to provide quality learning experiences, including internships and clinical rotation sites, for our students."  Saunders says students, particularly ones who are balancing careers, families and military obligations, will have the option to take classes at South University's Virginia Beach campus, located just off the Independence Boulevard North exit, or through the school's extensive online program.

For more information about South University, call 877-206-1845 or visit http://www.southuniversity.edu/pr.aspx?ID=su1000.

About South University

Established in 1899, South University is a private academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University offers educational programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels with campuses located in Columbia, S.C.; Montgomery, Ala.; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; Savannah, Ga.; Tampa and West Palm Beach, Fla.

Licensing and Accreditation Statements

South University-Virginia Beach, a branch of South University, is certified by The State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (James Monroe Building, 101 North Fourteenth Street, Richmond, VA 23219; 804-225-2600) to operate in Virginia.

The campus will open pending approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

SOURCE South University