Phoenix University: Get a College Degree While You Work

Phoenix University, or the University of Phoenix, specializes in providing higher education to working adult students who want to add recognized degrees to their career portfolios.

It is the largest accredited, private University in the United States and it serves some 200,000 adult students enrolled in more than 250 campuses and online, all over North America.

The university was founded in 1976 by Dr. John Sperling, an economist and professor-turned-entrepreneur, who was educated at Cambridge.

The university offers flexible learning options like online classes and alternate schedules that are required by non-traditional adult learners. Many of these students are working and there are many first-generation college students and single parents among them.

Phoenix University has about 23,000 professional educators, who hold master's or doctoral degrees. Undergraduate or graduate-level faculty must be professionally employed in their fields. Students have access to tutorial services, academic counseling and 24-hour technical support.

The university offers associate's, undergraduate, graduate and doctorate-level degrees in a range of subjects, including Business, Education, Health Care, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Technology.

Accreditation

Phoenix University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits, and thus grants membership in the Commission and in the North Central Association (NCA), to degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Some of the programs offered by the university have accreditation approval from other agencies and organizations. For example, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Phoenix University is not accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International), which provides accreditation to traditional business schools.

Distance learning

Phoenix University was one of the first accredited universities to offer online education, including complete degree programs, through the Internet. The curriculum of the online degree programs has been designed and updated to provide students with the skills and expertise that are currently in demand.

Students can earn an online degree in two or three years. They can complete their education entirely through the Internet and attend online classes at their convenience, from anywhere and at any time.

For more than 30 years, Phoenix University has been helping working adults with busy schedules, to get recognized degrees, while meeting their work and family responsibilities.