University of Maryland Global Campus
The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC, formerly University of Maryland University College) is a public university in Adelphi, Maryland. It is the largest institution in the University System of Maryland[5] Established in 1947 with origins in the College of Special and Continuation Studies of the University of Maryland, College Park for mid-career working professionals and non-traditional students, UMGC offers online, hybrid and face-to-face instruction at education centers across the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area, throughout Maryland, and across the world.
UMGC is open to all applicants for undergraduate programs,[6] and is among the top 10 recipients of the federal G.I. Bill benefits.[7] The university offers 125 academic programs in online, hybrid and face-to-face classes, including bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates.[5] UMGC is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[8]
Campuses[edit]
Headquarters/main campus[edit]
The headquarters for UMGC is located in Adelphi, Maryland near the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. Until late 2000, the UMGC headquarters was listed in College Park, Maryland. In an attempt to establish its own identity as an independent university, UMGC changed its postal address to Adelphi, an unincorporated community that borders College Park. The address change with the U.S. Postal Service involved no physical move of people and facilities. The marketing decision to change its postal address was one of many undertaken by UMGC to distinguish the university as one of the largest distance-education centers, with over 248,000 students enrolled worldwide in FY 2015.[12]
Students[edit]
UMGC specializes in distance learning for adult, non-traditional students in Maryland, across the country, and around the world by operating education centers and offering online instruction.[35] In FY 2023 the university enrolled almost 53,000[12] military-affiliated students from around the world.[12] In FY 2023, more than 32,000 Marylanders attended UMGC.[12]
About three-quarters of the undergraduate students attend part-time.[36] Over ninety-two percent of UMGC students are employed full-time.[37] The majority of undergraduate students are female.[36] The median age of stateside undergraduate students is 31. Almost two-thirds of the graduate MBA students are married, half are female, and over a third are minorities.[38] Over a third of UMGC's stateside students were African-American, and this minority group earned over a third of the degrees awarded by the university.
Rankings and awards[edit]
UMGC was ranked #1 in The Military Times “Best for Vets: Colleges 2015” list of top online and nontraditional schools in 2015.[39] Military Times “Best for Vets” is one of the most respected and comprehensive rankings for veterans who are considering higher education. The publication looked at U.S. Department of Education statistics on student success and academic quality, as well as areas such as university culture, student support, and academic policies in evaluating hundreds of schools.
U.S. News & World Report ranked UMGC #131-171 in Regional Universities North for its 2022 edition of Best Colleges.[40]