University of Maryland College Park

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Degrees and Programs at the University of Maryland at College Park

University of Maryland College Park appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the Northeast.

University of Maryland College Park has more than 200 degree-granting programs that are offered through the school’s twelve colleges and schools. Many of the programs are innovative and have great affiliations for internships and other opportunities because of the proximity to the nation’s capitol.

The College of Agriculture, Planning and Preservation has eight majors, four minors and two certificates. Some of the areas in which degrees are offered are Animal and Avian Sciences; Environmental Science and Policy; Environmental Science and Technology; International Agriculture and National Resources Certificate; Nutrition and Food Science and more.

The School of Architecture and Preservation degree in landscape architecture studies the use of wise planning to sustain natural and created environments. The Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture is studio-and-laboratory-based and includes an internship. There is also a graduate degree in the discipline that can be earned as a two-or-three-year program. The College of Architecture, Planning and Natural Resources has undergraduate and graduate degrees plus minors. There is also a dual degree that allows students to earn a Master of Historical Preservation and a Master of Landscape Architecture concurrently.

The College of Arts and Humanities houses undergraduate programs in areas such as art, communications, dance, linguistics, history, and others. There are 37 graduate majors through the college including an MA and a Ph.D. in American Studies; an MFA in Art ( Studio Art); MA or Ph.D. in Art History and Archaeology and others. The Master of Arts in English, for example, may be earned with concentrations in Literature or in Writing Studies and Rhetoric. The last concentration prepares students to enter doctoral studies or serves as a terminal degree. The program contains 30 credit-hours and culminates in a capstone project or a thesis. It is also offered as a Ph.D. degree.

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences houses the psychology degree programs as well as African American Studies, anthropology, economics, government and politics, and others. The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree is a 120-credit program that requires students to complete the university general education courses, plus foundational courses, distributive courses and diversity studies along with courses in the major. The program allows students to take an elective course as either independent study, additional non-requisite criminal justice courses or an internship. The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice teaches students how to conduct research. It addresses criminological theory and gives a broad overview of the criminal justice system along with other issues in the discipline. Other degrees in Criminal Justice include a Ph.D. and a Joint MA/JD degree.

Other colleges at the school are the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences and the College of Education, which houses the Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education; the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology and the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership. The Education Department features a Bachelor of Science in Special Education; Elementary/Middle School Education and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education. The middle school/ elementary program involves three phases. The first two years are spent in completing the university general education requisites and in taking pre-professional or supportive courses in teaching. During the junior year, students take courses in special education and teaching techniques. They also undergo observational opportunities in classrooms. The last year consists of opportunities for fieldwork and a full-year internship with students who have various levels of disabilities. The Special Education programs at this university are ranked 1th in the nation.

There is a Master of Science teacher certification in Special Education that focuses on the diversity of students, an M.Ed. in Special Education with Severe Disabilities Certification, a Master of Arts in Special Education and an M.Ed. in Special Education without the certification as well as the M.Ed., Specialty Program ( Non-Certification) : Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Developmental Delays and Disabilities that is presented off campus.

Other colleges at the university are the College of Information Studies, the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, the School of Public Health and the School of Public Policy. Many of the degree programs offered at the graduate level are presented online as well as in traditional format. There are 21 programs offered through distance learning including 11 Master’s programs, three doctoral degrees, and seven post-graduate programs.

About the University of Maryland College Park

This school is the flagship institution in the University of Maryland System. The public research university was founded in 1856 as the Maryland Agricultural College. It has a student body of more than 40,000 students. There are 200 programs offered through 12 colleges that include 92 undergraduate degrees, 107 master’s degrees, 83 doctoral programs as well as certificates and minors.

A unique feature of the school is the Living Learning program. This innovation allows students with similar academic or career goals to live in the same residential area and to undergo special courses and participate in research in their areas of interest.

Because it is close to Washington, D.C., the University of Maryland College Park has many affiliations and working relationships within the government. These provide excellent opportunities for internships and residencies.

The US News and World Report ranks the school as # 63 of National Universities and #20 of Public Universities. There are many online courses offered through the College Park institution, however, the University also has an alter-ego: The University of Maryland University Campus which provides adult and continuing education online.

The University of Maryland College Park Accreditation Details

  • Middle States Association of the Commission on Higher Education
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Accreditation of Speech-Language Pathology
  • Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • American Bar Association
  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
  • And others.

The University of Maryland College Park Application Requirements

All students complete an online application. The freshman application includes an essay, but the university uses it to consider students for merit-based university scholarships and special programs. There is a $75 non-refundable application fee that must be paid online. Applicants also must furnish two letters of recommendation and arrange to have their official high school transcripts plus official standardized test scores ( SAT/ACT) submitted to the university. Students should also complete the application component that asks about work experience and any awards they received.

Graduate students apply online as well. They must furnish contact information for four references as well as the official transcript for each academic institution they attended and official test scores for any tests required by their programs. They also are required to pay the $75 application fee.

Students applying to the School of Business or the School of Public Health complete separate specific forms.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition at this school is $8,826 plus a “differential tuition” of $2,856 for certain courses. Additionally, students must pay fees, room and board and persona, expenses. Graduate tuition is estimated at $731 per credit hour plus fees and other costs, calculated upon 12 credit hours.

Students are urged to complete the FAFSA form as a part of the admissions process and submit it as soon as possible. After receiving their awards letter, they will know how much more money they will need to pay for their degrees.

Maryland had more than 30 grants and scholarships available for residents who are completing a degree program. This is in addition to the Pell Grant and the SEOG, student and parent loans and work-study opportunities offered by the federal government. The university also has grants, loans, and scholarships for students who qualify because of financial need, academic prowess, extracurricular activity participation or because they belong to a special demographic. All of these state and school programs can be found on the school website.

Additionally, many individuals and families endow scholarships for students with specific qualifications. Grants and scholarships are also funded by service and religious organizations or by corporate entities. This assistance can be found through an Internet search.

Student and private loans are other resources, although they carry with them the risk of having a cumbersome financial burden upon graduation. Part-time employment or work-study jobs are ideal for individuals who can budget their time because they offer a salary and the benefit of job experience to students pursuing degrees at the University of Maryland College Park.