UMGC Overview (FY2024)

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS OVERVIEW

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friend,

For more than 75 years, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has focused on serving adults in the workforce and the military, bringing the right experience to the right learner at the right time and in the right way. Our mission is to inspire hope, empower dreams, and transform lives . . . one student at a time.

Today, we rank as Maryland’s largest provider of postsecondary education, the country’s most transfer-friendly university, and the premier learning partner of the U.S. military, both stateside and abroad.

We maintain locations throughout Maryland, across the United States, and in more than 20 countries and territories around the world, offering our students unprecedented levels of service and support as we partner with major corporations, industry innovators, community colleges, and other organizations to expand learning options and opportunities for individuals who need more than traditional education can provide.

We use technology to increase access and efficiency, and we use analytics to drive a culture of constant improvement. Our learning experiences— whether offered online, face-to-face, or in a hybrid format or to high school, undergraduate, or graduate students—align with workforce needs and with the personal and professional objectives of adult learners. We also grant credit for learning acquired outside of the classroom, including military and other professional experiences and training.

In short, we place the needs of our students at the center of all that we do, and we measure our success by their success.

Thank you for your interest in UMGC. I invite you to join us as we work together to harness the power of higher education to transform lives, families, communities, and our world.

Sincerely,

Gregory W. Fowler, PhD President

University of Maryland Global Campus

ABOUT PRESIDENT GREGORY W. FOWLER, PhD

As president of University of Maryland Global Campus, Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, is leading a transformation that aligns the entire learning journey with the needs and expectations of nontraditional populations and the global workforce, informed by data science in accord with industry best practices.

Before joining UMGC as the university’s seventh president in January 2021, Fowler served as president of Southern New Hampshire University Global Campus. He also held senior-level academic and administrative positions at Western Governors University in Utah and Hesser College in New Hampshire.

Fowler served as a board member and commissioner of the New England Commission of Higher Education, where he co-chaired the team responsible for the future of post-pandemic remote learning experiences for colleges and universities. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the Presidents Forum, the Board of Directors of the National Cryptologic Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the Aspen Institute’s Postsecondary Leadership Circle, and as a MAPS Scholar for the Sorenson Institute.

A two-time Fulbright Scholar, Fowler completed his undergraduate studies at Morehouse College and Duke University, where he was a Charles A. Dana Scholar. In addition to an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from George Mason University, he holds a master’s degree in English from George Mason University, an MBA from Western Governors University, and a PhD in English and American Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He completed postgraduate programs in higher education administration and executive leadership and negotiation from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Law School, respectively.

A sought-after public speaker and expert in higher education leadership, Fowler’s presentations and interviews have been featured globally in seminars at Ivy League institutions and in international conferences and publications.

MISSION AND VISION

The mission of UMGC is to inspire hope, empower dreams, and transform lives . . . one student at a time.

That mission is expressed in Maryland statute as an obligation “to improve the lives of adult learners by operating as Maryland’s open university, serving working adults, military servicemembers, their families, and veterans across the United States, and around the world. UMGC provides our students with open, affordable, and quality higher education. As a recognized leader in career relevant education, the university embraces innovation and change aligned with our purpose and sharing our perspectives and expertise.”

The vision of UMGC is to be the school of choice for adults and business because we are learner-centric, data-driven, and skills-based.

ABOUT UMGC

UMGC was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults and military servicemembers. Today, UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education in Maryland and continues its global tradition with online and hybrid courses, more than 175 classroom and service locations worldwide, and more than 125 degrees and certificates backed by the reputation of a state university and the University System of Maryland (USM). For more information, visit umgc.edu

UMGC BY THE NUMBERS

#1

largest public university in the United States

125+ degree and certificate programs

4,500+ adjunct faculty members

56,000+ military-affiliated students

14,900+ degrees and certificates conferred in FY 23

175+

88,500+ students enrolled in FY 23

332,000+ course enrollments worldwide

280,000+ alumni worldwide

$0 textbook costs in most courses

$16 million in institutional scholarships awarded in FY 23

years of experience educating adult learners classroom and service locations

More than 20 countries and territories in which UMGC has a presence

95%

UMGC IN MARYLAND

UMGC is the single largest provider of postsecondary education for Maryland residents.

AMONG MARYLAND UNIVERSITIES, UMGC RANKS

#1 in USM degree conferrals

#1 in community college transfer students enrolled

#1 in number of minority students enrolled

#1 in granting cybersecurity and IT degrees to women and students of color

#1 in veteran students enrolled

33%

As of fall 2023, more than 100,000 Maryland residents are UMGC graduates.

In FY 23, 30,500+ Maryland residents took UMGC courses and 5,300+ Marylanders graduated from UMGC.

UMGC confers approximately 33 percent of all degrees granted by the University System of Maryland (USM).

More than 900 UMGC employees reside in Maryland.

LOCATIONS IN MARYLAND

UMGC Headquarters in Adelphi

Aberdeen Proving Ground

Anne Arundel Community College at Arundel Mills

Dorsey Station

Fort Detrick

Fort Meade

Joint Base Andrews

Laurel College Center

National Business Park

Odenton

Prince George’s Community College

Universities at La Plata

Universities at Shady Grove

University of Maryland, College Park

USM at Hagerstown

USM at Southern Maryland

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

UMGC LOCATIONS

List of countries and territories

③ Bahrain

③ Belgium

③ Djibouti

③ Egypt

③ Germany

③ Greece

③ Guam

③ Italy

③ Japan

③ Jordan

③ Korea

③ Kuwait

③ Netherlands

③ Poland

③ Portugal

③ Qatar

③ Romania

③ Saudi Arabia

③ Spain

③ Turkey

③ United Arab Emirates

③ United Kingdom

③ United States of America

Newest Locations

③ Chievres, Belgium

③ Fort Eustis, Virginia, USA

③ Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, USA

③ Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, USA

③ Joint Training Center, Jordan

③ Madrid, Spain

③ Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania

③ Morón Air Force Base, Spain

③ Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, USA

③ Powidz, Poland

③ Poznań, Poland

③ Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom

③ Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, USA

③ Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA

③ Żagań, Poland

GLOBAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES

UMGC leverages its global reach to engage local communities and enrich learning experiences through a variety of programs and initiatives, including

③ UMGC’s Bridge Program, which teaches English to Japanese students;

③ an innovative dual-enrollment program that positions UMGC to fill a critical gap for dependents of U.S. servicemembers stationed overseas, allowing high school students to earn college credit;

③ field study courses that allow learners on the ground to study everything from coral reefs in Guam and archaeological digs in Europe to historical sites in Korea; and much more!

classroom and service locations in more than 20 countries and territories.

SERVING ADULT LEARNERS

UMGC learning experiences are designed with input from industry leaders and focus on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions students need to succeed in their chosen fields.

All UMGC students are assigned success coaches who work with them over the course of their academic journeys, providing dedicated support as they progress toward their goals. Students can reach their coaches by email, text messaging, live chat, and virtual advising. Coaches help identify the root causes of obstacles to a student’s progress— whether life factors or academic challenges—and work to identify solutions before those challenges become overwhelming.

UMGC’s student portal gives students direct access to register or drop classes, manage administrative needs, access career services virtual tools, and engage and get support from other learners through UMGC’s peer-to-peer community.

With UMGC, students have access to mental health services and around-the-clock live tutoring, writing, and library support.

In their first seven credits at UMGC, undergraduates complete a PACE (Program and Career Explorations) course, in which they are matched with a faculty mentor who helps them develop academic and career plans and become familiar with university support services and resources, thus improving firstterm retention.

UMGC regularly launches new career-aligned programs and credentials. Recent additions have included the following programs:

③ Applied Social Sciences

③ Applied Technology

③ Clinical Mental Health Care

③ CyberAccounting

③ Data Science

③ Digital Design

③ Health and Aging

③ HR People Analytics

A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF ADULT LEARNERS

Median age of UMGC Students | Undergraduate: 29; Graduate: 35; All: 30

66%

55% 18%

are students of color

are first-generation college students*

speak English as a second language*

78%

work 40 hours or more per week*

45% have dependent children*

UMGC is committed to providing education that is accessible to students. Students with medical conditions protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act are provided accommodations in a timely manner. Accommodation ensures that students can access course materials and meet learning objectives by removing barriers to education. Nearly 900 students received accommodations in 2023.

* UMGC Fall Demographic Survey, 2021

Diversity in Action

UMGC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan (2021–2023), “Diversity in Action: Initiatives for Change and Opportunities for Growth,” was designed to serve as a roadmap, as well as the beginning of a broader conversation to invite and introduce voices and viewpoints from increasingly rich and diverse populations at every level of the university. UMGC has served underrepresented students in Maryland and around the world since 1947, and in 2023, the university was designated a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) by the U.S. Department of Education. The MSI designation recognizes UMGC’s status as an accredited institution with minority enrollments of greater than 50 percent as well as the university’s commitment to serving populations that have previously been underserved in higher education.

UMGC was awarded a $462,000 grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of an initiative to identify new models for closing the higher education equity gap and quickly scale up innovative programs and pathways for underrepresented students to excel in class and in their communities. The grant is part of an effort by the foundation’s Post-Secondary Success Team to leverage the experiences of UMGC and other national institutions with a large and diverse student population. The goal is to ensure that certain characteristics of historically underserved student populations, such as low income, are no longer predictors of postsecondary educational success.

“The MSI designation acknowledges that critical component of our mission and allows us to pursue new grants and other opportunities that will fund further innovation and research into the technology, support, and resources needed for us to best serve minority students and position them for success.”

—UMGC President Gregory Fowler

Student Headcounts by Race/Ethnicity FY 23

University of Maryland Global Campus is committed to providing education that is accessible to students. Students with medical conditions protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act are provided accommodations in a timely manner. Accommodation ensures that students can access course materials and meet learning objectives by removing barriers to education. Nearly 900 students received accommodations in 2023.

51% of UMGC degrees conferred in FY 23 were to people of color—28 percent African American and 13 percent Latino/Hispanic.

48% of UMGC STEM degrees conferred were to people of color—up 14 percent in the past three years alone.

27% of UMGC STEM degrees conferred were to women—a group historically underrepresented in STEM fields.

A 2023 report from Excelencia in Education lists UMGC as the #1 university in Maryland for enrolling and conferring bachelor’s degrees on Latino students. #1

UMGC FACULTY

③ Full-time collegiate faculty provide leadership to the academic programs and are responsible for the rigor, relevance, coherence, and industry alignment of the programs.

③ UMGC trains and evaluates faculty based on their ability to support nontraditional learners. All faculty members are offered additional training in coaching and mentoring students.

③ Analytics allow faculty and staff to identify when learners are struggling and to reach out with timely offers of support.

③ Collegiate faculty across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa teach courses to students face-to-face and are key contributors to our global academic community.

③ Adjunct faculty members are scholarpractitioners with solid academic credentials who work in the fields in which they teach, bringing to bear their rich, real-world experience for the benefit of UMGC students.

③ UMGC has 4,500+ adjunct faculty members with experience teaching adult learners face-toface, online, and in hybrid formats.

③ Stateside adjunct faculty hail from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and approximately one-third live in Maryland.

③ Nearly 400 overseas adjunct faculty and 70+ collegiate faculty live overseas and serve UMGC students in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Top Motivating Factors for Adjunct Faculty

③ Working with students

③ Sharing expertise

③ Giving back

③ Staying current in field

UMGC Adjunct Faculty: Spotlight on Scholar-Practitioners

Holly Ridgeway School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology

Holly Ridgeway teaches courses in cybersecurity, information systems management, and information assurance. She is the executive vice president and chief security officer (CSO) at Citizens Financial Group and was recently inducted into the CSO Hall of Fame.

Mark Livingston, DM School of Business

Mark Livingston teaches courses in strategic decisionmaking. A graduate of UMGC and former U.S. Marine intelligence officer, he is currently the assistant director, personnel security, for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).

Robert Carter III, PhD

School of Integrative and Professional Studies

Robert Carter III teaches courses in nutrition. A U.S. Army colonel, he serves in the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense and is a recognized scholar in the fields of integrative human physiology and performance.

SERVING THE MILITARY

③ More than 56,000 active-duty military servicemembers, reservists, veterans, and dependents enrolled at UMGC in FY 23.

③ UMGC is the largest provider of postsecondary education to active-duty servicemembers and veterans in Maryland and the largest university serving the U.S. military at locations around the world.

③ UMGC has held continuous contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide on-site instruction to U.S. troops in Europe (since 1949), Asia (since 1956), and the Middle East and North Africa (since 2005).

③ UMGC’s General John W. Vessey Jr. Online Veterans Resource Center aids student veterans making the transition to civilian life.

UMGC was named the top public university in the Military Times 2022 “Best for Vets” ranking of online and nontraditional universities. UMGC also ranked No. 1 among universities in the publication’s 2022 survey of “Best for Vets Employers.”

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense or military-themed visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

BROADENING OUR REACH: ACADEMIC AND CORPORATE ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS

UMGC’s alliances span a full range of organizations, including major corporations, the federal government, and community colleges across the United States.

150+ Corporate Partners, Including

③ Accenture Federal

③ Amazon

③ AT&T

③ CSX

③ GEICO

③ Maryland State Police

③ MedStar Health

③ Northwell Health

③ Smithsonian Institution

③ Uber

③ U.S. Postal Service

③ Walgreens

60+ Academic Alliances, Including

③ All Maryland community colleges

③ California Community Colleges (system)

③ College of Lake County in Illinois

③ Colorado Community College System

③ Community College of Philadelphia

③ Delaware Technical and Community College

③ Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

③ Kentucky Community and Technical College System

③ Northern Virginia Community College

③ U.S. Naval Community College

③ Wisconsin Technical College System

PARTNERS IN INNOVATION

UMGC’s partnerships with industry innovators are further expanding the ways learning can happen.

WORKFORCE FOWARD

UMGC and UMGC Ventures have partnered to offer a new learning platform, Workforce Forward. This online skills marketplace offers access to noncredit skills-focused content to UMGC’s corporate clients through bootcamps, certificate programs, trainings, certification preparation, and micro-credentials.

COURSERA

Starting in 2023, online learning provider Coursera will market select UMGC degree programs to more than 100 million learners through the Degree Destination program. Students who complete online learning through Coursera may be eligible to receive credit for UMGC programs.

GUILD

Through an alliance with social impact company Guild, UMGC’s wide range of career-focused online degree and certificate programs is now available to learners at Guild’s employer partners, including Discover, UC Health, and more. Tuition costs are paid by the respective employers.

PARCHMENT

UMGC has teamed up with Parchment, the industry leader in academic credentials management, on a pilot program to develop and issue Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs). The CLR gives UMGC students a better understanding of their learning outcomes and skills gained throughout their educational experiences by delivering a verified record of their knowledge and accomplishments that goes beyond the traditional transcript.

SPRINGBOARD

Springboard, an online learning platform that helps prepare students for in-demand careers through mentor-guided courses and programs, has provided bootcamp opportunities to more than 300 learners through an alliance in which UMGC students can take Springboard courses in software engineering, cybersecurity, data analytics, data science, and UI/UX design. An additional career track in machine learning is forthcoming. Students who complete Springboard’s six-month, noncredit courses can also receive credit toward a bachelor’s degree at UMGC.

VICTORYXR

UMGC is continuing its two-year pilot with VictoryXR, a global leader in creating learning environments that use immersive technology to enhance the delivery of education content. During the pilot, more than 20 different disciplines, including biology, human resources, and criminal justice, are available to participants.

ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, AND TRANSFERFRIENDLY HIGHER EDUCATION

UMGC provided students with more than $16 million in institutional scholarships in FY 23.

UMGC offers the second-lowest in-state tuition and fees among four-year Maryland public institutions.

This innovative partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools and Prince George’s Community College allows high-achieving students to complete a high school diploma, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree in less time and for less than $10,000. Pell-eligible students can graduate debt-free. The PG3D program has almost 200 participants; three from the first cohort have already completed their degrees.

More than 60% of UMGC undergraduates transfer 30 credits or more.

Maryland Completion Scholarship

According to U.S. News and World Report, UMGC enrolled the largest number of new transfer students in the nation in 2022.

18,000+ UMGC students received a Federal Pell Grant in FY 23.

This scholarship enables Maryland community college graduates to complete a UMGC bachelor’s degree for $12,000 or less. More than 15,000 Maryland Completion Scholarships have been awarded and more than 7,700 scholarship recipients have already graduated. In FY 23, UMGC provided students with more than $8.5 million in completion scholarship funding alone.

UMGC undergraduates owe $22,531 on average after completing a degree, well below the national average of $37,388.

The UMGC Student Aid Fund for Emergency Relief (SAFER) was established in response to the global pandemic to assist UMGC students worldwide who are experiencing financial hardship related to an unforeseen emergency. UMGC provided more than $160,000 in emergency grant funding to more than 300 students in FY 23.

President Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, and PG3D Scholar Nailah Gibson ’22

UMGC 2024–2030

STRATEGIC PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

For more than 75 years, UMGC has been a pioneer in serving adult learners in Maryland, across the country, and around the world. Now, the university is pleased to share our 2024–2030 Strategic Plan, a tool designed to guide the university as it works to achieve its vision of becoming the learner-centric, data-driven, and skills-based school of choice for adults and businesses.

This plan is rooted in foundational commitments reflecting our history and mission and establishes a series of strategic priorities that advance our vision, position us for growth, and build financial strength. It is the product of a collaborative process, guided by advisors from across the university and incorporating input and feedback from faculty and staff from a variety of units and geographic divisions.

UMGC Strategic Plan: Foundational Commitments

To best serve our learners, UMGC must align our forward-looking ambitions with our historic strengths. We commit to building on the following fundamental elements of our institutional character and drawing strength from them as we evolve to meet the dynamic needs of our learners and our community.

Learner Centricity

UMGC was built to meet the needs of nontraditional learners, putting students first and recognizing that each one is unique. Our strategy must put our diverse learners at its center by identifying their needs; removing barriers to learning; and responding with learning experiences that are accessible, affordable, aligned with workforce needs, and not readily available at other institutions. We will ensure the success of those learners by making decisions, designing processes, and providing services and support in ways that keep their perspectives and priorities at the forefront.

Our People

All of higher education—and the adult higher education industry in particular—can be characterized as a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment, and to survive and thrive, UMGC must embrace the process of change and rapid evolution. Thus, our global team is focused on and guided by the goals and pursuits of our learners. Together, this team embraces challenges and seizes opportunities. We recognize that achieving our vision and strategy requires foundational and ongoing investments in this team, their growth and development, the tools they need, and our culture as an organization.

State of Maryland

UMGC is first and foremost a Maryland institution. As the open university of the University System of Maryland (USM) and the single largest provider of postsecondary education for Maryland residents, UMGC must have strategic priorities that support access, educational attainment, postcareer education, and career success for Maryland’s diverse residents, businesses, and organizations. In a period of unprecedented volatility in the labor market and in the skill sets sought by employers, these priorities must also position UMGC as the state’s preeminent community and workforce development provider.

Global Reach

In keeping with our name, UMGC will continue our commitment to meeting adult learners where they are around the globe through our digital reach, global operations, and geographically distributed physical locations. This global presence will allow us to provide continuous, consistent, and inclusive experiences for learners of all backgrounds as they move through different stages of their lives, careers, and education journeys.

Military

UMGC is the premier provider of education services to the U.S. armed forces, and our long history of service to the military, combined with our geographic reach and in-depth understanding of and dedication to meeting the evolving needs of military and veteran communities, represent a competitive advantage that other institutions cannot match. UMGC’s commitment to the U.S. military and all who wear the uniform of our country will remain unwavering. We will continue to be a leading education provider to active-duty servicemembers, reservists, veterans, and their families.

Spirit of Innovation

From the first, UMGC was unusual in its willingness to consider, test, and adopt different approaches to serving adult learners. We have embraced technology and pedagogical innovations that allowed us to take our offerings throughout Maryland and around the globe. Our agile and innovative spirit has expanded the boundaries of traditional postsecondary education, and we have acted as a changemaker and innovation partner among our fellow institutions in the USM. UMGC will continue to be a catalyst for positive change in the education industry, the state of Maryland, the nation, and the world.

Digital Transformation

UMGC has been at the forefront of digital learning for more than two decades, and technology is the cornerstone that empowers us to serve our team members and learners, both in and out of the classroom. UMGC will invest in modernizing our technological capabilities—leveraging artificial intelligence and automation where appropriate—to enable our spirit of innovation, achieve our strategic priorities, and provide an experience for our learners and other partners that reduces friction and seamlessly meets their needs.

UMGC Strategic Plan: Five Strategic Priorities

UMGC will focus on the following five strategic priorities to pursue our stated vision, beginning immediately and continuing through 2030. We will work with internal and external stakeholders to define targets and benchmarks by which we will gauge progress and success.

③ Market-responsive portfolio management that continuously adapts to learner and employer needs

③ A skills architecture that can be translated between educational and work experiences

③ Targeted expansion that strengthens and diversifies our learner population

③ A responsive, tailored, and seamless experience to maximize the success of our diverse learners

③ Intentional study of and investment in our people’s needs

To read the entire UMGC Strategic Plan, visit umgc.edu/strategicplan

Accreditations + Accolades

③ University of Maryland Global Campus is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 23, 2016, was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE (msche.org) is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

③ UMGC holds specialized program accreditations for six professional degree programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Business Administration, Master of Education in Instructional Technology, and Master of Science in Health Information Management and Technology.

③ UMGC has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security and a National Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence by the Defense Cyber Crime Center Academic Cyber Curriculum Alliance.

Recent Awards

2023

UMGC Data Analytics Team, 1st place, IBM Global Watson Analytics Competition

UMGC Data Analytics Team, Winner, SAS Curiosity Cup

UMGC Cybersecurity Team Finalist, Hack the Building

2.0: Hospital Edition

Gold Award for MARS: UMGC’s Virtual and AI Applied Learning Environment, 1EdTech Learning Impact Awards

2022

UMGC Cybersecurity Team placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, MAGIC CTF Competition

Top-ranked public university—Best for Vets, Military Times

Excellence in Advancing Student Success, UPCEA

No. 5 Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in the U.S., OnlineU No. 1 Most Transfer Students, U.S. News & World Report

America's Best Online Learning Schools, Newsweek

2021

No. 9 Most Innovative School (Regional Universities North), U.S. News & World Report