UMBC, which is classified as a Doctoral University: Higher Research Activity by the Carnegie Foundation, enrolls nearly 14,000 students, including approximately 2,500 graduate students. UMBC is one of the 12 campuses of the University System of Maryland and is located on 500 wooded, rolling acres just outside of Baltimore and about 45 minutes from Washington, DC. UMBC offers 55 majors and 35 minors, as well as 24 certificate programs, spanning the arts, engineering and information technology, humanities, sciences, pre-professional studies and social sciences. UMBC’s Graduate School offers 41 master’s degree programs, 24 doctoral degree programs and 24 graduate certificates. Graduate programs include education, engineering, emergency health services, imaging and digital arts, information technology, aging studies, life sciences, psychology, public policy and a host of other fields. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is nationally recognized for its innovative undergraduate education.
THE UNIVERSITY
Creation of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County began in 1963. In a matter of months, UMBC began to take shape with ground breakings and hirings. Albin O. Kuhn, for whom the Library was named, first served as vice president of the so-called “Baltimore Campuses” and in 1967 was named UMBC Chancellor. John Haskell, Jr. was hired in 1965 as the first full-time UMBC employee and its first librarian. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County welcomed its first class of 750 students in September of 1966. In 1967, the campus enrollment nearly doubled to 1,400 students. Today UMBC is a nationally known success story and continues to enjoy remarkable momentum as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
UMBC integrates teaching, research, and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. At the graduate level, UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility, and lifelong learning.
Leadership
Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, has served as President of UMBC since 1992. His research and publications focus on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority participation and performance. In 2008, he was named one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report. TIME magazine named him one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents in 2009, and one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012. In 2011, he received both the TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence and the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Academic Leadership Award, recognized by many as the nation’s highest awards among higher education leaders. Also in 2011, he was named one of seven Top American Leaders by The Washington Post and the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. In 2012, he received the Heinz Award for his contributions to improving the “Human Condition” and was among the inaugural inductees into the U.S. News & World Report STEM Solutions Leadership Hall of Fame.
Strategic Plan
The University has recently completed a new strategic plan “Our UMBC: A Strategic Plan for Advancing Excellence”. The plan provides a focused, complementary set of goals, strategies and recommendations to guide faculty, staff, students and alumni to further UMBC’s evolution as a nationally and internationally recognized public research university. Please click here for more information on the UMBC Strategic Plan.
Campaign
The Exceptional by Example Campaign ran from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2011, with a public launch in 2006—UMBC’s 40th Anniversary year—and a goal of raising $100 million. The campaign surpassed its goal, closing at $115 million. More than $65 million went to programs that support student scholarship and success, and $46 million was allocated to support research and creativity. The previous campaign (1995-2002) had a goal of $50 million and raised $66 million. UMBC has approximately 70,000 active alumni.
In conjunction with the University’s 50th anniversary, UMBC is preparing for the public launch of its 3rd comprehensive campaign in Spring 2017. With fundraising priorities derived from the UMBC”s new strategic plan, this campaign is expected to have an ambitious goal of $150 million, and will build on the fundraising success enjoyed in each of two the prior fundraising campaigns.
Faculty and Staff
The University employs 533 full-time instructional faculty including 158 professors, 154 associate professors, 110 assistant professors, 12 instructors, and 99 lecturers. An additional 278 part-time instructional faculty provide dedicated service to UMBC students. In addition to their commitment to providing high-quality classroom instruction, the faculty at UMBC are active researchers and scholars with $74 million awarded for research, training contracts and grants in FY’14. For annual reports from the Office of Sponsored Research visit research.umbc.edu/osp-annual-reports.
The executive, professional non-faculty, skilled craft, technical paraprofessional, support and maintenance staff is comprised of 1,242 full-time and 49 part-time members.
Academics
UMBC offers 55 majors and 35 minors, as well as 24 certificate programs, spanning the arts, engineering and information technology, humanities, sciences, pre-professional studies, and social sciences.
UMBC’s Graduate School offers 41 Master’s degree programs, 24 doctoral degree programs and 24 graduate certificate programs. Programs are offered in education, engineering, emergency health services, imaging and digital arts, information technology, aging services, life sciences, psychology, public policy, and a host of other fields.
Students
UMBC students are hard-working, motivated and successful. The University is home to 11,142 undergraduate and 2,498 graduate students. Minority enrollment is 43.6 percent. The 2016 freshman class included 1,538 students with an average GPA of 3.75 and 1217 (2-part) and 1798 (3-part) SAT Score. First year retention numbers for students entering in Fall 2015 stood at 87.2 percent and the six year graduation rate is 63.5 percent. Students come from 45 states and 96 countries. International student enrollment is 1,012.
More than 400 student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division I sports. The UMBC Retrievers participate in the America East Conference. Facilities include a 4,000-seat stadium with a track and field complex, the 3,500-seat Retriever Activities Center (RAC) Arena, an indoor and outdoor aquatics complex, tennis courts, a soccer stadium, baseball and softball fields, and practice fields. A new Event Center is currently under construction with the opening scheduled for early 2018.
Finances
The University has an operating budget of $436 million. Approximately 27 percent of UMBC’s budget comes from the state.
Campus Location
UMBC’s 500-acre campus is located in suburban Baltimore County, on the I-95 corridor between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The campus is surrounded by one of the greatest concentrations of commercial, cultural and scientific activity in the nation. The location is a strength that gives UMBC a high profile in the metropolitan area and attracts new entrepreneurial partnerships.
RESEARCH PARK & TECH CENTER
bwtech@UMBC brings research, entrepreneurship, business leads, prospective clients, and economic development in the Maryland region to one singular place—a place full of like-minded businesses on the forefront of innovation. The bwtech@UMBC community is a center of innovation for businesses in all different stages of development. The 71-acre community is located minutes from BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and adjacent to UMBC. (www.bwtechumbc.com)
bwtech@UMBC North is a five building, 41-acre University-affiliated business park with over 350,000 square feet of Class A office and laboratory space designed for technology companies and research institutions. Over 80 organizations call the Park home, including the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA/Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, Allegis, and RMF Engineering. bwtech@UMBC’s unique public-private partnership offers tenants access to world-class UMBC faculty, students, technology, programs and facilities. The Cyber Incubator, as well as the Northrop Grumman Cync Program, is located within bwtech@UMBC North campus. Both the Cyber Incubator and the Cync Program were created to deliver business and technical support to early stage companies providing cybersecurity-related products and services.
The bwtech@UMBC South is a nationally-recognized life science and technology business incubation and accelerator program that is home to over 50 early-stage bioscience and technology companies. Clients enjoy 165,000 square feet of affordable office and wet lab space, flexible lease arrangements, as well as access to resources and networking opportunities to help their businesses succeed. An experienced entrepreneurial services staff provides resident companies with general business support services and access to an active network of mentors and investors. The program is unique in its affiliation with UMBC and provides for potential collaborative relationships with UMBC faculty and graduate students, and access to shared scientific equipment and other university resources. Since its inception in 1989, the bwtech@UMBC Life Sciences Incubator has graduated over 75 companies, including Celsis/InVitro Technologies, Next Breath LLC, AVIcode Inc., and Direct Dimensions.
THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND
Formed in 1988, The University System of Maryland consists of the campuses and research and service units formerly governed by the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland and the six state universities and colleges formerly under the aegis of the Board of Trustees of the State Universities and Colleges. The new System is governed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland.
The system includes eleven degree-granting campuses:
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
- University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP)
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
- University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
- Bowie State University
- Coppin State University
- Frostburg State University
- Salisbury University
- Towson University, and
- The University of Baltimore
In addition, there are large research and public service components of the University System of Maryland, including the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
Maryland has charged the System with ensuring distinctive and complementary missions for all campuses and with promoting academic excellence and economic development.
The Chancellor serves as Chief of Staff of the Board of Regents and as Chief Executive Officer of the University System of Maryland. The University System’s Headquarters directs and coordinates the eleven-campus system and the research and public service component. The administration of each campus is the responsibility of a President who reports to the Chancellor.
For additional information on the University System of Maryland (USM) visit www.usmd.edu/about_usm.