University of Phoenix®
University of Phoenix (UOPX), established in Phoenix, in 1976 by Dr. John Sperling, was founded to provide access to higher education for working learners who wanted to advance their knowledge and achieve their professional goals. Since then it has become the largest private, accredited university in North America, continuing to champion the working learner.
Classes are offered at more than 100 U.S. locations, as well as through online programs available in most countries around the world, including some U.S. military bases. Faculty have real-world experience in the fields they teach that bridges the gap between theory and practice, so students can apply what they learn one day to their job the next.
Highlights
- More than 20 degree programs (at associates, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels), and more than 50 concentrations available nationwide
- Students in more than 100 locations nationwide
- Military Division dedicated to serving active-duty and veteran students
- University Library available online 24/7, featuring 30,000 full-text books, 44,000 full-text journals, and more than 250 individual informational repositories
- Graduation Team that supports students through entire educational program
- 25,000 faculty members
- University of Phoenix faculty work or have worked in 757 of the Fortune 1,000 companies
- Student population: 356,000 (February, 2012)
- Alumni population: 710,000 (March, 2012)
Milestones
| 1976 | Founded in Phoenix by John Sperling |
| 1978 | Accreditation granted by Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and reaffirmed in 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2002 |
| 1981 | Phoenix Campus conducts first commencement ceremony |
| 1989 | Begins offering degree programs online |
| 1994 | Parent company Apollo Group, Inc. goes public with initial public offering on NASDAQ |
| 1995 | University Library Online Collection debuts |
| 1997 | Becomes the largest private university in the country (in enrollment) |
| 1998 | First international expansion occurs (Vancouver, Canada) |
| 2000 | Enrollment reaches 100,000 students |
| 2002 | Wins Global Achievement Award for Innovation by Economist Intelligence Unit in recognition of leadership, creativity, success and contribution to our students’ lives, despite turbulent economic times |
| 2003 | Begins offering online textbooks |
| 2008 | Ranks 7th on the EPA’s Green Partner list |
| 2008 | Diverse Issues in Higher Education announces more minority students earn degrees from University of Phoenix than from any other university in the nation |
| 2011 | Ranks 83rd in Newsweek’s Green Rankings of the largest 500 public companies in the United States |
| 2011 | Named a “Military-Friendly School” for third year in a row by GI Jobs’ Military Friendly Schools and Military Advanced Education |