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Strayer University

Strayer University is a private for-profit university headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1892 as Strayer's Business College[1] and later became Strayer College,[2] before being granted university status in 1998.

Former names

Strayer's Business College
Strayer College

Transformation through Education

1892 (1892)

Andrea Backman

52,253

78 U.S. campuses
Online

Strayer University operates under the holding company Strategic Education, Inc. (NasdaqSTRA), which was established in 1996 and rebranded in 2018 following its merger with Capella University.[3][4][5]


Strayer enrolls more than 50,000 students through both its online learning programs and 64 campuses located throughout 15 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.[6] It offers in degree programs for working adults[7] and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting, business administration, criminal justice, education, health services administration, information technology and public administration.[8][9]

History[edit]

19th century[edit]

Siebert Irving Strayer founded Strayer's Business College in Baltimore in 1892.[1] Strayer established the college to teach business skills to former farm workers,[10] including shorthand, typing and accounting.[2][11] Thomas W. Donoho joined the school in 1902.[12]


In its first decade of operations, enrollment at the school gradually increased, attracting students from other states.

20th century[edit]

In 1904, Strayer opened a branch of the school in Washington, D.C.[1][2][12]


Enrollment further expanded as demand for trained accountants grew after the passage of the Revenue Act of 1913 and World War I increased the need for federal government clerks with office skills.[2] During the 1930s, the college was authorized to grant collegiate degrees in accountancy by the Washington, D.C., board of education.[2] The school founded Strayer Junior College in 1959, when it was given the right to confer two-year degrees. In 1969, the college received the accreditation needed to grant four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees and was renamed Strayer College.[2]


From the 1980s to the late 1990s, Strayer College grew rapidly; enrollment increased from approximately 1,800 in 1981 and 2,000 in 1983,[13][14] to around 9,000 by 1997.[11] The college expanded the range of degree programs and courses it offered to include subjects such as data processing management and health care management.[13] In 1987, the college was given authorization to grant Master of Science degrees.[3]


During the 1990s, the college began to focus on offering information technology courses.[8] According to The Washington Times, high demand for computer training due to the increased use of computers in offices and movement toward "knowledge-based" employment led to higher enrollment at Strayer.[11] In addition, Strayer began providing training programs in computer information systems for companies including AT&T Corporation and government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service.[15] In 1996, the college launched Strayer Online to offer classes via the Internet.[15][16]


In 1998, Strayer College was granted university status by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission and became Strayer University.[17]

Partnerships[edit]

Comedian and game show host Steve Harvey was a spokesperson for Strayer and has appeared in several advertisements[49][50] and spoke at Strayer's commencement ceremony in May 2015.[51] Strayer partnered with Daily Mail in February 2015 to produce a new section of the Daily Mail site named Strayer Business News. As part of the deal, Daily Mail would co-produce education and business content for its new business section.[52]


Strayer announced the launch of Strayer@Work, a new performance improvement solution for businesses in May 2015. As part of the launch, Strayer also announced a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to offer free college education to all participating FCA dealership employees.[53] FCA dealers pay a monthly fee to send employees to Strayer.[54][55] Strayer has educational partnerships with approximately 300 Fortune 1000 companies.[53]


In March 2017, Strayer announced a collaboration with financial news network Cheddar to produce digital entrepreneurship specialization as a part of Strayer's MBA program.[56]


In 2018, Queen Latifah became a spokesperson for Strayer.[57]


DevMountain partners with Strayer University to provide web development programs. In May 2023, DevMountain announced an expansion of its in-person coding bootcamps at Strayer University facilities.[58]

Academics[edit]

Admissions[edit]

The admissions requirement for undergraduate degree programs at Strayer University is a high school diploma or its equivalent. For graduate degrees (not including the Executive MBA) students must have proof of completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50, and official transcripts from all other colleges or universities attended.[63] Admissions requirements for the Jack Welch Executive MBA program include a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the United States, and 5 years professional experience.[64] An associate degree earned from a partner school can be transferred in its entirety toward a bachelor's degree.[65]

Academic programs and accreditation[edit]

Strayer's principal aim is to provide higher education to working adult students.[19][66] Strayer University's academic programs include undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The courses are business-focused, including courses in business administration and information technology.[8][9] Degrees can be earned in subjects such as accounting, business administration, criminal justice, education, health services administration, human resource management, information technology and public administration.[67]


Strayer University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, one of the six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Department of Education.[68][69]


The Jack Welch Management Institute, named after Jack Welch, former chief executive officer of General Electric, was acquired by Strayer University in 2011 following Welch's retirement from GE. The institute offers executive MBA degrees and executive certificates covering business-related topics.[9] In September 2016, it was announced that the Jack Welch Management Institute was ranked on Princeton Review's list of Top 25 Online MBA Programs of 2017.[70][71]


In May 2017, Strayer announced that its Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) program had earned accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).[72][73]


In 2020, Strayer began offering its Fellows for Justice Program Scholarship, an initiative designed to build leadership skills within students' respective communities.[74]

Gen. , retired assistant commandant of the Marine Corps [76]

Robert Magnus

businessman and former NFL football player[84]

Charles Mann

American surveyor and newspaper editor[85]

M. Virginia Rosenbaum

Don Watkins, author, columnist, and fellow at the [86]

Ayn Rand Institute

American lawyer, jurist and the Chief justice of the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas

Carolyn Wright

Notable alumni of Strayer University include:

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