From the Watauga Academy of 1899 to the App State of today, the mission has remained the same: to provide access to education. This vision now extends to the Greater Hickory area.

At App State’s new Hickory campus, you’ll experience the same excellence that App State is known for — including small class sizes, high-quality student and faculty interaction and exciting undergraduate research opportunities.

You’ll be backed by the strength of the App State network, which includes expert faculty, supportive staff and more than 140,000 alumni worldwide ready to help you open doors to future opportunities.

Services, scholarships and savings

On-site services will provide resources and support, including advisors dedicated to App State Hickory students, a library facility, health and counseling services, tutoring, success coaching, career development services, technical support, computer labs and more. Student clubs and organizations, recreation opportunities and leadership experiences will also be available on the Hickory campus. And, you’ll be able to take full advantage of any aspects of the student experience you’d like on the Boone campus as well, including Mountaineer Football games!

You’ll save money by earning your App State degree while living at home.

Living at home and earning your degree on App State’s Hickory campus can result in significant savings, as App State’s annual tuition and fees for North Carolina residents total just over $8,000.

Apply now for eligibility for the Hickory First scholarship!

$2,000 scholarships are available to the first 500 students who enroll at the campus for 2023. Learn more about the Hickory First scholarship.

Opportunity + Innovation

In fall 2023, more than 100 undergraduate majors will be available at the Hickory campus.

Whether you attend full or part time, or you’re beginning or continuing your four-year degree, enroll in one of our industry-relevant bachelor’s programs in Hickory — while saving on the usual college room and board costs.

• Accounting 
• Actuarial Science
• Advertising
• Anthropology, BA
• Anthropology, BS
• Anthropology - Multidisciplinary
• Apparel Design and Merchandising
• Career & Technical Education - Agriculture Education
• Career & Technical Education - Business, Finance and Information Technology Education 
• Career & Technical Education - Business, Marketing and Entrepreneurship Education 
• Career & Technical Education - Family and Consumer Sciences Education 
• Career & Technical Education - Technology, Engineering and Design Education 
• Career & Technical Education - Trade and Industry Education 
• Career & Technical Education - Workforce Leadership & Development
• Child Development - Birth to Kindergarten 
• Child Development - Family and Child Studies
• Communication Science and Disorders
• Communication Studies 
• Community and Regional Planning
• Computer Information Systems - Cybersecurity
• Computer Information Systems - General Computer Information Systems 
• Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice - International Studies
• Digital Journalism
• Economics, BSBA 
• Economics - Environmental Economics and Policy 
• Economics - General Economics 
• Economics - International Economics 
• Economics - Regional Economic Development
• Electronic Media/Broadcasting
• Elementary Education
• English - Creative Writing 
• English - Film Studies 
• English - Literary Studies 
• English - Professional Writing 
• English, Secondary Education
• Finance and Banking
• Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies
• Geography
• Geography - General 
• Geography - Geographic Information Systems 
• Global Studies
• Health and Physical Education, K-12
• Health Care Management
• History
• History - Applied and Public History 
• History - Multidisciplinary 
• History/Social Studies Education
• Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Interdisciplinary Studies - Individually Designed
• International Business 
• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Spanish and Hispanic Studies 
• Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Spanish, Education (K-12) 
• Management - General Management
• Management - Human Resources
• Management - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Management - Sustainable Business
• Marketing - Digital Marketing 
• Marketing - General Marketing 
• Marketing - Sales 
• Mathematics
• Mathematics - Business 
• Mathematics - Computation 
• Mathematics - General Mathematics 
• Mathematics - Life Sciences 
• Mathematics - Physical Sciences 
• Mathematics - Secondary Education Licensure 
• Mathematics - Statistics 
• Middle Grades Education - Language Arts and Mathematics 
• Middle Grades Education - Language Arts and Science 
• Middle Grades Education - Language Arts and Social Studies 
• Middle Grades Education - Mathematics and Science 
• Middle Grades Education - Mathematics and Social Studies 
• Middle Grades Education - Science and Social Studies
• Nutrition and Foods - Dietetics
• Nutrition and Foods - Foodsystems Management
• Nutrition and Foods - Nutrition and Wellness 
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Political Science - American Politics 
• Political Science - International and Comparative Politics 
• Political Science - Pre-Professional Legal Studies 
• Political Science - Public Administration / Public Management 
• Political Science - Public Administration / Town Administrator, City County Management 
• Psychology
• Psychology - Business 
• Psychology - Education Studies 
• Psychology - Health Studies 
• Psychology - Human Services 
• Psychology - Natural Science 
• Psychology - Social Science 
• Psychology - Sustainability
• Public Health
• Public Relations 
• Recreation Management - Commercial Recreation & Tourism Management 
• Recreation Management - Outdoor Experiential Education 
• Recreation Management - Recreation and Park Management
• Religious Studies
• Risk Management and Insurance
• Social Work
• Sociology (BA)
• Sociology (BS) - Applied Research Methods
• Sociology (BS) - Criminology
• Sociology (BS) - Families and Intimate Relationships
• Sociology (BS) - Individually Designed
• Sociology (BS) - Power and Social Change
• Sociology (BS) - Social Inequalities
• Sociology (BS) – Sociology of Health and Aging
• Special Education - Adapted Curriculum K-12 
• Special Education - General Curriculum K-12
• Supply Chain Management
• Veterinary Technology

Degree completion may require that some courses be completed on the Boone campus or online. Note that the Hickory campus location is pending accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Accreditation is expected in summer 2023.