NU Editorial Contributors
National University Editorial Contributors include writers, editors, and academic professionals who are experts in creating high-quality educational content that is timely, accurate, informative, and easy to understand. All contributors who develop content for National University follow strict guidelines to ensure they provide credible and authoritative information that is independent, free from advertiser influence, and aligns with the high standards our readers and students expect from National University.
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Articles by NU Editorial Contributors
May 20, 2019The Introverted Writer: Benefits of Online Writing Degrees
Your personality type affects your learning style and preferences. For instance, by their very nature, online degrees are an appealing education option for those who may consider themselves more introverted than outgoing. Online learning allows you to set your own pace and find the space that is most conducive to your learning preferences. In addition, ...
May 16, 2019How to Get a Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate
More than 19 million Americans ages 12 and up battled a substance abuse disorder in 2017. Of those, 74% struggled with alcohol and 38% with illicit drug use. One in eight were affected by both. These numbers from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health may be startling, and they aren’t figures anyone wants ...
- May 13, 2019
Ask an Expert: Will Psychology Be Replaced by Neuroscience?
When you have a question, it’s always best to turn to a subject matter expert for answers. In our blog series, Ask An Expert, National University staff and faculty members take turns answering challenging questions in their areas of expertise. This time we ask psychology professor, Brian Tilley, “Will psychology be replaced by neuroscience?”
April 29, 2019Which Computer Science Career Is Right for Me?
Choosing the right computer science career depends on whether you prefer building products, analyzing data, defending systems, designing infrastructure, or working with hardware, each orientation maps to a distinct cluster of roles with different daily work and skill requirements. Software developers and full-stack engineers suit those who enjoy creative problem-solving through building applications and user interfaces; data scientists and machine learning engineers suit those drawn to mathematics, statistics, and training AI systems to make autonomous decisions; cybersecurity analysts suit those who thrive on adversarial thinking, risk management, and defending digital infrastructure from attack; cloud architects and systems analysts suit those who prefer designing and optimizing the infrastructure that applications run on; and computer hardware engineers suit those interested in the physical components, microchips, circuit boards, and embedded systems, that underlie all software.
April 25, 2019Ask an Expert: How Has Computer Science Impacted Games?
Computer science is the foundational engine of modern video games, transforming them from simple 2D pixelated screens into photorealistic virtual worlds, sophisticated AI systems, and global multiplayer ecosystems. Four domains of computer science have driven the most significant advances: graphics and rendering, where algorithms such as ray tracing simulate real-time light interaction to produce photorealistic visuals, and procedural generation creates infinite open-world content algorithmically; artificial intelligence, where NPCs now use pathfinding algorithms, decision trees, and machine learning to adapt dynamically to player behavior rather than following fixed loops; networking, where server-client architecture and latency-compensation algorithms allow millions of players to interact in MMOs and competitive global servers simultaneously; and game engines, where platforms such as Unity and Unreal Engine abstract complex memory management and compiler optimization into accessible development tools.
April 22, 2019What Is a Business Administration Degree?
There aren’t many fields of study that are as diverse as business administration. Professionals with knowledge gained and skills developed in this area will find a wealth of job opportunities. Companies and organizations of all kinds and all sizes rely on people with comprehensive business know-how to keep things running smoothly at every level, from ...
April 18, 2019What Is an MPA Degree? [Updated 2026]
A Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a professional graduate degree that prepares leaders for management, policy, and executive roles in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and public-facing private sector firms. Relative to other professional degrees, the MPA is interdisciplinary by design, drawing on economics, finance, management, political science, and psychology to equip graduates with the tools to navigate complex public systems and bring stakeholders together around shared goals. Core coursework typically covers public finance, policy analysis, research methods, ethics, and organizational management.
- April 15, 2019
What’s Digital Forensics? How Cybersleuths Work
Think of the word “forensics,” and you’ll probably conjure up images of grisly scenes from TV drama series like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. However, there is another world of forensic investigation, where bodies and bloodstain patterns are replaced by more mundane (but equally illustrative to the forensic mind), laptop computers, mobile devices, game consoles, Alexa-style ...
April 11, 2019Why Is Early Childhood Education Important?
Early childhood education is important because the first five years of life represent the most rapid and consequential period of brain development, the window during which foundational neural pathways for learning, emotional regulation, and social behavior are established. Neuroscience research shows that 90% of brain development occurs before age five, making high-quality early learning experiences during this period disproportionately influential on a child's long-term cognitive, social, and physical outcomes.
April 8, 2019What Can I Do With a Behavioral Analysis Degree?
A behavioral analysis degree is the primary educational pathway to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), teaching the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and preparing graduates to design and implement evidence-based interventions that improve socially significant behaviors in clinical, educational, and organizational settings. The pathway to BCBA certification requires a bachelor's degree in a behavioral science, followed by a master's degree in ABA or a closely related field with ABAI-verified coursework, 1,500 to 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork, and passing the BACB examination.
April 4, 2019Hot Careers: Getting A Computer Networks and Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree
Protecting data. Organizing information. Keeping employees connected. Today’s workplace relies on technology more than ever before. This also means we rely heavily on the professionals who keep our systems safe and operational. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that, as a whole, the need for computer and information technology (IT) ...
April 1, 2019Getting a Marketing MBA Online
Think about all the companies and brands you love. You likely know about them because of some form of marketing. Marketing is a diverse and growing field in itself, and many people interested in pursuing a master of business administration (MBA) intend to focus on this area of specialty. Marketing consists of many moving parts, ...
March 25, 2019Are Computer Science Jobs in Demand?
If you were to look up the term “computer science” in the dictionary, you’d find a variety of definitions. Collectively, the definitions coalesce around the concept that computer science is “a branch of science focusing on the theory of computation or the design of computers.” That sounds like a mouthful, but computer science also a ...
March 21, 2019Transitioning Out of the Military — Military-Friendly Colleges Online
About 350,000 men and women will leave the military this year. Some will leave on a Friday and want to start working toward a degree on Monday. Others want to take a few classes to supplement what they learned in service, and others just want to figure out what to do next. But for almost ...
March 14, 2019Ask an Expert: Who Invented Psychology?
Turning to a subject matter expert is the best way to get answers to difficult questions. In our blog series, Ask An Expert, National University faculty take turns answering challenging questions in their areas of expertise. In this post, we find out who invented psychology from Dr. Maureen O’Hara, professor of psychology and academic program ...
March 11, 2019MPA vs. MBA: Which is Right For You?
An MBA and an MPA are both advanced leadership degrees, but they serve fundamentally different sectors: the MBA prepares graduates to maximize profit and performance in the private sector through financial markets, corporate strategy, and market competition, while the MPA trains graduates to manage societal impact and policy in government agencies, nonprofits, and NGOs through public budgeting, policy analysis, and civic governance.
March 7, 2019Getting a Master’s in Computer Science: Online Degree Options
If you’ve ever considered getting a master’s in computer science online degree, one question you might have asked yourself is, “Is it really worth it?” After all, attending school would require time and financial commitments, both of which can seem rather daunting. So, let’s look at why many of your peers are finding a master’s ...
March 4, 2019Cybersecurity Classes You Can Take For Career Advancement
Cybercrime is on the rise. According to Symantec’s 2019 Internet Security Report, in 2018 these growing online threats included: An average of 4,800 websites compromised each month by formjacking attacks — crimes in which JavaScript code is used to steal personal information from website checkout pages. A 12 percent increase in ransomware attacks against enterprises, ...