University Of Maryland Baltimore County UMBC
“I attended UMBC from fall 2008 to spring 2012, graduating with a BA in History and a minor in Ancient Studies. As a Baltimore native, I was able to receive tuition assistance, allowing me to pay my own tuition and graduate without student debt while still receiving a great education. UMBC offers a variety of extracurricular activities that enrich your college experience. My club of choice for blowing off steam after classes was Humans vs. Zombies, a type of Nerf war with about 100 participants during my time there. The friends I made at UMBC are folks I still hang out with to this day. The time management skills and work ethic I developed through my various classes prepared me for my career in museums.”
-UMBC Alumnus & Battleship New Jersey Curator Ryan Szimanski
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is recognized as a public research institution situated in Catonsville, Maryland, which draws its name from the surrounding county.
As of fall 2022, it boasted an enrollment of 13,991 students, offering 61 undergraduate programs and an extensive array of 92 graduate offerings, including 38 master’s, 25 doctoral, and 29 graduate certificate programs. Notably, UMBC houses Maryland’s pioneering university research park and ranks as an “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity.”
Administration Building
Founded in 1966 as part of the University System of Maryland, UMBC made history as the first state college open to students of all races. It ranks fourth in enrollment within its university system, with particular strengths in the natural sciences, engineering, and also in the liberal arts and social sciences. In athletics, UMBC fields 17 NCAA Division I teams under the America East Conference.
UMBC’s inception was influenced by the need for expanded higher education opportunities in the post-World War II era, fueled by the GI Bill and significant demographic and industrial growth in the Baltimore-Washington area. Discussions in the 1950s led to the 1958 proposal for a new branch campus, and by 1963, state legislature had green-lit the development of new educational institutions across Maryland.
Engineering Building
Moreover, the UMBC campus was strategically placed in southwestern Baltimore on 435 acres acquired from Spring Grove State Hospital, with accessibility designed from key transport routes. The campus planning and architectural design were executed at the University of Maryland, College Park, with Albin Owings Kuhn as a pivotal figure in its development.
Baltimore Harbor
UMBC began classes in September 1966 with three buildings and a modest yet diverse student body. Over the decades, it has not only expanded academically but also played a crucial role in reflecting and responding to societal changes through the 1960s and beyond. By the 1980s, UMBC established traditions like Homecoming and introduced significant campus facilities, with continued growth in student enrollment and campus infrastructure through the 1990s and into the 21st century.
University Center
Today, UMBC offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs through its three colleges and schools, covering natural and mathematical sciences, engineering and information technology, and arts, humanities, and social sciences. Its graduate school collaborates closely with the University of Maryland, Baltimore, enhancing its extensive research and academic offerings.
Baltimore’s City Hall
UMBC’s reputation as a leading research university is supported by significant federal research funding, particularly in areas such as environmental sciences, health and life sciences, and data and security sciences. The university’s partnership with NASA and other major research entities underscores its status as a center of academic excellence and innovation. UMBC’s faculty have been distinguished with numerous prestigious awards, reflecting the university’s commitment to cutting-edge research and teaching.