Originally founded as LaGrange College in 1830, the University of North Alabama was reestablished in 1872 as the first state-supported teachers college south of the Ohio River and became one of the first coed colleges in the nation. Since that time, the University of North Alabama has turned into a comprehensive regional university providing quality educational opportunities for students, with majors in four colleges – arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing and allied health.

Online Learning
As technological capabilities have advanced and the varied needs of students have increased, the development of a distance education became a natural extension of the University of North Alabama. The format and content of UNA’s Distance Learning is driven by the educational needs of current and potential students. It is under constant review and will be altered according to changing needs and expanding technological capabilities.

The purpose of the Distance Learning is to coordinate the provision of high quality distance education opportunities to qualified individuals in support of the teaching, research, and public service mission of the University of North Alabama.

The typical distance learning student has special scheduling needs because of different reasons, such as employment, family responsibilities, or geographic distances. Distance Learning courses offer these students’ flexibility by offering classes online. Each Distance Learning class is facilitated by a University of North Alabama faculty member. These classes feature online lectures, List-Servers, and threaded mail discussion groups. Most classes have online testing, but a few courses do require proctored exams.

At the present time, distance learning classes offered by the University of North Alabama are courses produced by UNA faculty, or are professionally produced audio or video programs licensed through the Public Broadcasting System, Adult Learning Services, or other reputable professional organization/agency and facilitated by faculty at UNA.

Financial Aid
Student loans are the primary source of student aid at UNA. In addition, the University of North Alabama offers a comprehensive scholarship program. Moreover, UNA offers two types of student employment: Federal Work Study and University Work Study. The University of North Alabama participates in both the Federal Pell Grant and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs, in addition to the Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP).