History, Affiliations and Rankings

The University of Phoenix (UOP) is a for-profit university based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in 1976. In addition, John Sperling founded the university in response to evolving industrial needs. In 1980, the institution opened a branch in San Jose, California. Later that year, in 1989, the university began offering online courses. Despite the fact that the university's main campus is in Phoenix, the majority of students attend classes online. In 2010, approximately 470,000 students were enrolled, representing a significant increase with profits of around $4.95 billion. The fact that the UOP is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission is its most notable feature. The University of Phoenix is ranked #299-#391 in National Universities. 

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

Over 500 campuses and learning sites are managed by the University of Phoenix. Over 100 bachelor's, master's, certificate, associate's, and doctoral degrees and certificates are awarded by the university. School of Advanced Studies, College of Humanities and Sciences, School of Nursing, College of Health Professions, School of Business, College of Education, School of Health Services Administration, College of Information Systems and Technology, College of Social Sciences, and College of Security and Criminal Justice are among the schools that make up UOP. Students are given innovative teaching aids and a safe learning environment in the presence of qualified specialists. The university's academic staff members are all highly competent professionals with advanced degrees in their fields of specialisation. Aside from typical education programmes, it provides regular education courses for instructors and practitioners, professional development programmes for organisations, and military-specific courses of study. During each session, students spend 20 to 24 hours with an instructor. The University of Phoenix provides course-specific online resources such as an e-library and other study materials. Furthermore, the university maintains organisations and clubs to assist students in developing interests outside of academics.

Accomplishments and Alumni 

The University has witnessed various academic achievements and boasts of providing students with the best learning experience. The University of Phoenix offers 18 programmes with programmatic or specialist accreditation in business, healthcare, nursing, counselling, and education. Some University of Phoenix colleges have speciality accreditation or are pre-accredited by accrediting agencies recognised by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Graduates of the university include the four-time NBA Championship-winner Shaquille O'Neal, three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie, professional tennis player Michael Russell, and Arizona Cardinals professional NFL football player Larry Fitzgerald. Some other prominent and successful alumni include Howard Schmidt (Ex-Obama White House cybersecurity coordinator), Mary Peters (Ex-U.S. Transportation Secretary) and Brad Dee (Utah House of Representatives member).

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies

In 2018-19, approximately 90,000 students from various states and countries were enrolled entirely in online courses, including 4,400 students from Arizona or the jurisdiction in which the school is located. As of July 2022, the ethnic composition of the University of Phoenix student body is 39 percent unknown, 26 percent white, 20 percent black, 11 percent Hispanic, 2 percent multiracial, with 1 percent each for Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. According to the 2020 Academic Annual Report for UoPX, women make up two-thirds of the student body, the average student age is 37, and more than 83 percent of its students work while attending classes. According to the 2020 report, 21 percent of the student body is in the military, with 41 percent being women. Military-affiliated graduates made up about 26% of 2020 grads. KPMG, Amazon, Google, Well Fargo, Boston Dynamics, and others are among the biggest employers.