University of Phoenix March 9, 2009
Posted by admin in : Distance Education , add a commentLocated in Phoenix, in the state of Arizona in the United States of America, the University of Phoenix was established in the year 1976 with the motto “Thinking Ahead”.
The University is set up over large area of urban land, with over 200 campuses as well as learning centers. The University of Phoenix is the largest in the North American continent and is a for- profit educational establishment.
The University of Phoenix is owned and administered by the Apollo Group, Inc and was set up by Dr John Sperling in the year 1976. There are over a hundred degree course programs available, at all levels, from associate’s and bachelor’s to master’s and doctoral, ranging from a wide variety of subjects and matters.
The University of Phoenix has a multitude of campuses, spread over 40 states as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico, the Netherlands and the District of Columbia.
The University has carved a niche for itself in the field of online programs, with specialized tutoring and social centers which are used for learning as well as socializing purposes. Apart from the online programs, the onsite campuses also offer a plethora of other programs as well as services.
The University of Phoenix has four main schools, namely the Axia College, the School of Advanced Studies, the John Sperling School of Business and Technology and the Artemis School.
Apart from these four pillar colleges, the University also has a number of departments and institutions which have been specially established to cater to niche subjects.
The University of Phoenix along with the standard courses also offers courses in continuing education for teachers, courses for companies in professional development as well as courses concentrating on training for military personnel.
The criteria for admission to different courses and degree studies vary depending on the course. The criteria include factors such as certain GPA ratings, an adequate TOEFL score, on- going full time employment, corresponding degrees and diplomas and so on and so forth.
The ages of students at the University of Phoenix are on an average 33 years for the undergraduates and 36 years for the graduates. A large portion of the students registered at the University of Phoenix study business, succeeded by the number of students enrolled for associates degrees at the Axia College.
Also, out of the total number of students at the University of Phoenix, almost two- thirds of the population comprises female students.
The University of Phoenix is noted for having amongst its alumni some of the most famous and appreciated, as well as successful and accomplished men and women of today’s day and age. World famous NBA basket ball player Shaquille O’ Neal is one of the pass outs of the University, along with Howard Schmidt who is the former Chief Security Strategist for the US CERT Partners Program of the National Cyber Security Division and is the present President and CEO of the R&H Security Consulting LLC. Other illustrious alumni include Admiral Kirkland H. Donald who is the former Commander of the Submarine Force of the U. S. Atlantic Fleet as well as the current Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion. Mary Peters, the present United States Secretary of Transportation too graduated from the University of Phoenix.
The University of Phoenix is recognized for its unique concept of the “learning teams” which involves students teaching one another by working together on varying projects, devoting approximately four to five hours each week on these assignments. These also involve debates and discussions held amongst the students on the various study materials and topics included in their respective courses.
A consistent and structured course format is decided upon to teach the students, with no fluctuations or changes subjective of the faculty’s inclinations. The course program is pre- ordained and has to be followed throughout. It is to be noted that these course programs are better suited for professionals who have flexible hours and the ease to log on at varying times.
An electronic library, course books and other auxiliary materials are made available to the students online following the registration and enrollment processes. The online books have hyperlinks to lexicons as well as search engines which allow for research and review.
The University of Phoenix comprises a faculty of 1,500 core members and 20,000 additional faculty affiliates.
