Colorado State University Pueblo Division of Extended Studies houses several academic and professional development opportunities for the university. Through collaboration with Academic Departments, a variety of courses and programs are offered, including CSU Pueblo Online, the Independent Study degree program, External Degree program, the High School University Bridge Program, and Short Courses and Conferences.

Both degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students may participate in Extended Studies programs. (Only degree-seeking students are eligible for financial aid.) Persons desiring classification as degree-seeking students in the External Degree Completion Program must fill out the External Degree Completion Application. Credit courses taken through the Colorado State University Pueblo Extended Studies program have the same credit value as those conducted on campus and may be used in meeting the institutional residency requirement.

A primary aim of Extended Studies is to provide courses to additional academic access opportunities to students. A variety of educational methods – classroom instruction, correspondence courses, on-line courses, conferences, workshops and seminars – are utilized to expand educational access and meet the needs of students at convenient times and settings. Students may earn academic credit toward a degree, study for career advancement, or pursue cultural and avocational interests.

Extended Studies courses are of varied lengths. Intensive classes usually are held in the evening or on weekends for the convenience of working students.

CSU Pueblo Division of Extended Studies also operates the satellite Tower Campus in south Colorado Springs and has an off-site office location for student support at the Fort Carson Army Base.

External Degree Program

The external degree program allows students to complete the entire degree via correspondence or web-based education. The two degrees that are available are Bachelors of Science in Sociology and Bachelors of Science in Criminology. A student must be fully admitted into the university as a degree seeking student to receive a degree. The courses for the external degree are a part of the Independent Study Program.

High School University Program

Extended Studies also administers programs in partnership with high schools through the High School University Bridge (HUB) programs. These programs include Senior-to-Sophomore (STS) and Concurrent Enrollment. The Senior-to-Sophomore (STS) program enrolls eligible high school students in dual credit courses which are delivered by highly qualified teachers on the high school campus. The Concurrent Enrollment program enrolls eligible Colorado high school students in college credit courses in accordance with Colorado Concurrent Enrollment policy. These courses may be offered on or off campus. Students enrolled in the High School University Bridge (HUB) programs are not eligible for Financial Aid; however, some students may receive financial assistance from their home high school.

Under Colorado’s Concurrent Enrollment and ASCENT Programs, high school students may register for classes at the University based on the availability of existing Concurrent Enrollment and ASCENT agreements. Information on these programs is available in the CSU Pueblo Office of Extended Studies and at participating high schools.

The University also offers the STS program by agreement with various high school districts. High school students in this program are afforded the opportunity to study in university level courses while remaining in their high school classrooms and are considered unclassified students by the University. Students must submit an application for admission, transcript of their high school record and ACT or SAT scores. Those STS students who are in their senior year are given consideration for admission as regular first-time students for the fall semester following their high school graduation. Students interested in this program are encouraged to seek information from their high school guidance counselor or from the University’s Office of Extended Studies at 719-549-2316.

Independent Study Program

Independent study courses offer students the opportunity to complete print-based or web-based correspondence courses at their own pace over a six month time period. Independent Study provides flexibility and convenience. A student can enroll at almost any time during the year and study where and when it is convenient. If utilizing government financial aid degree-seeking student can combine the advantages of self-paced correspondence courses with web-based tools to complete your course work in 12-16 weeks. Students who utilize financial aid are required to complete the course in the semester in which they registered. Courses follow the traditional semester schedule. Independent Study courses are taught by CSU Pueblo academically approved faculty/adjuncts members and qualified subject-matter experts who possess both a post-graduate degree and college or university teaching experience in their field. All instructors and curriculum are reviewed and approved by the Department Chair and Dean of the respective departments/colleges.

CSU Pueblo Online

CSU Pueblo Online offers undergraduate and graduate programs in partnership with academic units at CSU Pueblo. The current online academic programs include: Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, Registered Nurse-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN), and Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Courses are offered in eight-week modules and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere with internet access. CSU Pueblo Online offers a flat tuition rate, regardless of residency status. Please contact CSU Pueblo Online for more information. Scholarships are available for those military service members who qualify.

Short Courses & Conferences

Short courses, workshops, or conferences can offer both credit and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) based upon need and contact hours. Although the majority of course offerings are initiated by the University, courses may originate through requests by individuals and interested groups. Such special request courses may take place either on or off campus.

In-house training programs, administered under the Conference and Short Courses Program, are available to meet the ever-changing needs of business and industry. The programs can be designed to meet the specific needs of an organization and may be presented at a company site or, if requested, at the University.

Teacher Education Program

In collaboration with the Teacher Education Department, Extended Studies offers graduate-level coursework for degree- and non-degree-seeking educators interested in professional development, recertification, and/or graduate degrees. This program associates with education partners external to the university who offer graduate credit in a variety of disciplines, as well as curriculum and instruction. The credits are transcribed as ED 500 (Workshop) for those courses that are designed for professional development and recertification only and ED 501 (Graduate Topics in Education) for those courses eligible to count toward graduate degrees, professional development, and/or recertification. All curricula and faculty are supervised by the Teacher Education Department.  For more information about how this program connects with graduate degrees at CSU Pueblo, please see the Master of Education (M.Ed.) section of this catalog.