The University of Phoenix was established in 1976 by Dr. John Sperling. Dr. Sperling was educated as an economist at Cambridge, and his goal was to provide higher education through innovative new methods such as online and evening classes and other flexible formats. His goal was to reach adults that were unable to attend school by traditional classroom means on traditional class scheduling. The University is primarily known for its online programs, but also has over 200 campus locations around the world. The University of Phoenix also boasts a digital library, computer simulations, and 20 years of experience in online education.
Key Statistics
• Founded –
• Type – Private, for-profit
• Undergraduate students Fall 2009 – 4,736
•Graduate students Fall 2009 – 1,803
• Locations – over 200 worldwide
• 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees - $9,360
Top Degrees Offered
Top bachelors programs include business administration, marketing, office management and supervision, computer science, education, health science programs, human service, and criminal justice. Top masters programs include business administration, marketing, human resource management, curriculum and instruction, secondary education and teaching, and mental health counseling. The University of Phoenix also offers a nurse practitioner’s certificate.
Accreditation
The University of Phoenix has been accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Higher Learning Commission since 1978. In addition, the nursing education program is accredited through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the graduate teacher education program is pre-accredited through the Teacher Education Accreditation Council Accreditation Committee.
Famous Alumni
Notable alumni of the University of Phoenix include Kirkland H. Donald, Howard Schmidt, Mary Peters, Shaquille O’Neal, and Lisa Leslie.
