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The University of Maryland is a public research university, founded in 1856. Its prime location is the city of College Park, where the university enrolls more than 37 thousand students. The institution has significantly improved its reputation and accomplishments during the last two decades, and is currently ranked 12th among all public U.S. universities and 36th worldwide. They have also been named one of the top 18 ‘green universities’ in the United States.

Furthermore, the university is a member of the Association of American Universities, and a founding member of the Atlantic Coast conference athletic league. The University of Maryland is the biggest institution of higher education in the state as well as in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The fact that the university is this close to the US capital has resulted in close research partnerships with the Federal government. Research funding is received by a good number of faculty members from agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Homeland Security.

In 2008, the university published a new ten-year strategic plan, including plans for building on-campus graduate student housing and a state-of-the-art music and entertainment center. There have also been discussions over the construction of a light-rail line through campus.

Students share that one of the main reasons to attend this university is the beautiful campus and outstanding facilities. Some of the most popular ones are the Campus Recreation Center (CRC), the Stamp Student Union, and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The recreation center is extremely big, located very close to residential halls, while swimming pools in it are heated, and have speakers mounted deep below. The Eppley Recreation Center is very popular too, as it includes a huge track, full size swimming pool, basketball courts, racket ball rooms, unlimited gym equipment and a lot more.

The Stamp Student Union features a huge food court, campus bookstore, a coffee shop, a bowling alley/arcade, an upscale restaurant, a movie theater, and loads of multi-purpose rooms available for student groups.

On top of sporting and union facilities, there are four libraries on campus, with the main one having floors that operate 24 hours. This is a feature many students find extremely useful. Classrooms are well-equipped, too, while a lot of the dormitories are air conditioned, provide laundry facilities, fish tanks, and great front desk service.

Students share that one of the main reasons to attend this university is the beautiful campus and outstanding facilities. Some of the most popular ones are the Campus Recreation Center (CRC), the Stamp Student Union, and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The recreation center is extremely big, located very close to residential halls, while swimming pools in it are heated, and have speakers mounted deep below. The Eppley Recreation Center is very popular too, as it includes a huge track, full size swimming pool, basketball courts, racket ball rooms, unlimited gym equipment and a lot more.

The Stamp Student Union features a huge food court, campus bookstore, a coffee shop, a bowling alley/arcade, an upscale restaurant, a movie theater, and loads of multi-purpose rooms available for student groups.

On top of sporting and union facilities, there are four libraries on campus, with the main one having floors that operate 24 hours. This is a feature many students find extremely useful. Classrooms are well-equipped, too, while a lot of the dormitories are air conditioned, provide laundry facilities, fish tanks, and great front desk service.

The University of Maryland’s campus is spread on 1,250 acres of land, comprising over 7,500 documented trees and special garden plantings. For this reason, the University of Maryland Arboretum & Botanical Garden has been designated, which has allowed the institution to display unique species and specific gardens, as well as organize multiple arboretum tours. Additionally, there are nearly 400 acres of urban forest located on campus

The university’s campus is also known for its red-brick Georgian buildings and its spacious central lawn, named McKeldin Mall, which actually serves as the center of campus. It is surrounded by many academic buildings, while the Campus Drive (the main street across campus) is running parallel to it.

Unlike other institutions, the university does not put stress on any special historical, research, or science buildings located on campus.

All Programs Available:
  • Architecture, Building and Landscape
    • Architecture
    • Landscape Architecture
  • Arts, Design and Crafts
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Performing Arts
    • Dance
    • Art Studies
    • Art Studio
    • Music Education
  • Business
    • Marketing
    • International Business
    • Logistics
    • Transportation and Logistics Management
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Environmental Technology Management
    • Business Studies
    • Governance
    • Operations Management
  • Communications
    • Communications
    • Journalism
    • Broadcast Journalism
  • Computing
    • Information Systems Management
  • Economics
    • Economics
    • Agricultural Economy
  • Education
    • Education
    • Early Childhood Education
    • Special Education
    • Elementary Education
    • Physical Education
  • Engineering
    • Engineering Science
    • Aerospace Engineering
    • Electrical Engineering
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Civil Engineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Computer Engineering
    • Materials Engineering
    • Fire Protection Engineering
  • Finance
    • Finance
    • Accounting
  • Health
    • Veterinary Medicine
    • Human Nutrition and Dietetics
    • Microbiology
    • Genetics
    • Kinesiology
    • Community Medicine
    • Speech and Hearing
    • Neurobiology
    • Environmental Health
  • Human Studies and Services
    • Family Sciences
  • Humanities
    • History
    • Art History
    • Philosophy
    • Eurasian Studies
  • Law
    • Criminal Justice
  • Philology, Languages, Literature
    • Philology and Linguistics
    • French Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • German language and literature (in Universities)
    • Italian Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • Modern Languages
    • Classics
    • Russian Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • Spanish Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • English Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • Chinese Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • Romance Language and Literature
    • Persian Language and Literature (in Universities)
    • Japanese Language and Culture (in Universities)
    • Letters and Sciences
  • Pre-professional studies
    • Pre-Medicine
    • Pre-Veterinarian
    • Pre-Phisical Therapy
    • Pre-Dentistry
    • Pre-Law
  • Sciences
    • Biology
    • Environmental Studies
    • Political Science
    • Physics
    • Geography
    • Geology
    • Mathematics
    • Psychology
    • Chemistry
    • Sociology
    • Food Sciences and Technology
    • Ecology
    • Anthropology
    • Astronomy
    • Criminology
    • Biochemistry
    • Natural Resources
    • Materials Science
    • Computer Science
    • Animal Science
    • Crop Science
    • Physiology
    • Cellular and Molecular Biology
    • Soil Sciences
    • Agriculture
    • Horticulture
    • Forestry
    • Equine Science
    • Environmental Chemistry
    • Water Science
    • Plant Sciences
  • Social and Cultural studies
    • Social Studies
    • American Studies
    • Women’s Studies
    • Jewish Studies
    • Afro-American Studies
    • Arabic Studies
  • Sports
    • Golf
  • Technology
    • Dietetic Technology
Language of instruction

English

Type of school

Public University

Telephone

301.405.5252

Location

2123 Lee Building, College Park, MD, The United States, 20742

More information about Academic Programs

The university organizes its academic program around 12 colleges and schools:

  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
  • College of Arts and Humanities
  • College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
  • Robert H. Smith School of Business
  • College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
  • College of Education
  • James Clark School of Engineering
  • The Graduate School
  • Philip Merrill College of Journalism
  • College of Information Studies
  • School of Public Health
  • School of Public Policy
  • Office of Undergraduate Studies

Overall, 127 undergraduate degrees and 112 graduate degrees are provided by the institution. Some of the noteworthy programs the university offers are the Gemstone Program, the College Park Scholars, and the QUEST. The Gemstone program distinguishes the university with the fact that it is a multidisciplinary four-year research program for select undergraduate honors students of all majors. Among other thing, the program offers students the opportunity to explore the interdependence of science and technology with society.

Admission Requirements

The university is a selective one, and only offers admission to the most competitive students that have applied, taking into consideration all aspects of the student’s qualifications. These aspects include the academic performance of the student; how challenging their curriculum has been during high school; SAT and ACT scores; class rankings; essay; extracurricular activities; recommendations, and responses to short answer questions. Special talents and abilities are also looked at.

Here are the minimum curriculum requirements for each applicant:

  • English – four years
  • Mathematics – three years, which should have included algebra I or applied math I & II, formal logic or geometry, and algebra II. A fourth year of mathematics is strongly recommended, too.
  • History or social science – three years
  • Science (in at least two different areas, with at least two lab experiences) – three years
  • One foreign language – two years

Please note that these are only minimum criteria, and most successful candidates exceed these expectations.

For international students, there are additional requirements:

  • You should complete your application by November 1st in order to be considered for the fall semester.
  • Pay a non-refundable $55 application fee.
  • Submit official secondary school transcripts, which should be completed in the native language of the candidate, together with a licensed translation.
  • Submit external Examination Results or Certificates, like GCSE/GCE, CBSE national and regional, CXC/CSEC and WAEC.
  • You should also provide proof of your proficiency in the English Language, and this is valid for all non-native speakers, regardless of citizenship. TOEFL or IELTS scores have to be sent directly to the university.
  • You should show proof of your financial situation, demonstrating that you can cover your education with U.S. $41,997 per year.
  • Submit a photocopy of I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, visa stamp, and current I-20 or DS2019 form.

Financial Aid

As international students have to show proof of their finances, no need-based financial aid is offered to them. There is the possibility to be considered for merit scholarships, for which the student must first apply for undergraduate admission. Admissions by the priority deadline will be given priority consideration for most merit scholarships.

Housing

First year freshmen are given priority as far as housing is concerned, as the university cannot accommodate all housing requests. For this reason, it is crucial that you meet all deadlines stated for application and admission. The second highest priority is given to students returning for a second year at the university, while transfer and older students have the least chance of being accepted at university housing.

Overall, there are about 8,245 beds in 36 residence halls, together with the 625-bed Leonardtown apartment community. These are divided into two residential areas - North Campus and South Campus, which, on the other hand are sub-divided into a total of seven residential communities. North Campus encompasses the Cambridge Community, Denton Community, and Ellicott Community. Additionally, South Campus is made up of the North Hill Community, South Hill Community, and Leonardtown Community, which offers apartment-style living. Furthermore, there is the the South Campus Commons Community, including seven other apartment-style buildings. Although situated on campus, it is managed by a private company, Capstone On-Campus Management, and is part of a public-private partnership between the company and the University of Maryland.

The majority of students at the university live in double rooms, but there are about 13% of beds placed in triple or quad rooms, which means students may also have two or three more roommates. Single-room options are only given to returning residence hall students through a seniority system. First year students don’t have access to one bedroom accommodation, and this is valid for students with disabilities, too. These students have to choose between traditional ‘dormitory-style’ housing (most of which are without air-conditioning) and furnished, carpeted, and air-conditioned apartments or suites.

Shuttle-UM, which is a free shuttle service on campus is provided for all UMD students, faculty, and staff. Moreover, the university is served by an off-campus stop on the Washington DC Metro Green Line, called College Park – University of Maryland. A Shuttle-UM bus arrives at the metro station every five minutes, allowing easy access to campus for all students and visitors. The DC Metrobus and the Prince George's Count bus services also stop on campus.

Another noteworthy fact is that the university is served by three main airports, while there is also a small public airport in College Park, College Park Airport, placed very close to campus.

Finally, the university has been making serious effort to introduce more bike-friendliness on campus, for which reason they have installed covered bike parking and bike lockers; they have also implemented a bike-sharing program, and there are plans for adding more bike lanes on campus.

Services and Activities

The center of campus life within the university is the Adele H. Stamp Student Union. It offers a great variety of ‘out of the classroom’ options for students to engage in activities and further enhance their personal development and growth. There is an Arts & Learning center, constantly adding new exciting classes to its program; some include Bhangra & Bollywood Dance, Introduction to Photography, Yoga Break, and Introduction to Painting. The Student Entertainment Events section within the union is very active, too, offering students a great variety of concerts and other on-campus events.

The school is also known for its diversity, and the Office of Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy is an embodiment of that. It provides support to students, while also offering a great number of student organizations: Asian American Student Involvement Organizations, Black Student Involvement Organizations, Latino Student Involvement Organizations, LGBT Involvement Student Organizations, and Native American Student Involvement Organizations.

IM and club sports are extremely popular on campus, too, and there is a great variety of them. Football, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer are the most popular ones, while the teams have been greatly improving over the years.

As a final point, the university is very proud with some of the other ‘off-classroom’ opportunities that it offers, including internships, research, and living and learning programs.

Because of the fact that the city of College Park is so close to cities like Washington DC and Baltimore, students don’t seem to enjoy much of it during their university years. Rather, they either travel to one of the bigger cities, or mostly stay on campus. Still, College Park has a nice business district, with a lot of places to eat and malls placed nearby. The Showcase Theatre is one of the other places students enjoy, and the good thing is it is very close to campus.

Students very much stress that the area is not safe; a lot of them emphasize that they spent their four years of university life on campus. Again, Washington DC is only 20 minutes metro drive away, and this is what they rather choose to do when it comes to shopping and entertainment out of the school area.