Our mission
Our vision
Our guiding principles
The mission of University of Phoenix is to provide access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the performance of their organizations and provide leadership and service to their communities.
The vision of University of Phoenix
is to be recognized as the most trusted provider of career-relevant higher
education for working adults. The University will earn that trust
through
its:
-
Deep understanding of students’ needs
-
Deep understanding of employers’ needs
-
World-class assessment, analytics and innovation
-
Operational excellence





Our students
Our students are working moms and dads who study during lunch breaks and sports practices, who dream of better lives for their families.
They’re adult learners, late bloomers, dream-chasers and trailblazers. We understand the key to serving our students well is knowing who they are.
Who they are
Our students are remarkable anecdotally. Here’s who they are statistically.
Total Degreed Enrollment
0
2/3students are female

37is the average student age

0
report as ethnic minorities
0
are first-generation college students
0
are employed while in school
0
have dependents
How they performed
University Learning Goals (ULGs) are a set of five overarching competencies that University of Phoenix incorporates into our academic programs. Students met or exceeded expectations for each of the following ULGs.
0
Professional Competence and Values
0
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
0
Communication
0
Information Utilization
0
Collaboration
How they rated us
We value what our students say. One way we listen to them is through surveys.



Student experience
University of Phoenix founder Dr. John Sperling knew what it meant to beat the odds. He grew up poor, he battled a learning disability, and he worked his way through school to earn a PhD.
The challenges he faced inspired him to create a better path for students like him. He saw adult learners struggling with rigid class schedules, often taking six to 10 years to earn a degree. And it gave him a revolutionary idea: What if he created a university for working adults?
His experiment didn't make earning a degree easier — only more practical, with schedules that made sense for working adults and coursework that translated immediately to the real world.
Diverse colleges
100+
Degrees & certificate programs
Innovative learning
At University of Phoenix, students are given more than just facts and information. They are pushed to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Every course is built to help students learn, practice and apply.

Learn
Everything hangs on quality content. Industry and professional standards guide the content of courses and programs.
Back

Practice
Students practice through assignments, often integrating their work experience. Students and instructors also give feedback.
Back

Apply
Students apply their knowledge to real-world problems, helping them move toward both school and career goals.
Back

Accreditation that matters

Years
Continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and its predecessor

Programs
Carry programmatic accreditation, an additional level of evaluation and quality assurance


Improving student outcomes
At University of Phoenix, we’ve built rigorous assessments into our courses that yield data on how well students are learning. We use this data to continuously improve the student experience.
Here's a snapshot of how we help students move toward their academic goals:
Here's a snapshot of how we help students move toward their academic goals:
University highlights of 2019
Prior Learning Assessment
PLA allows students to apply for credit for knowledge gained through on-the-job training, workplace certifications, military service or life experiences. For every three credits earned, students graduate five weeks faster and save almost $1,200 in tuition.
FY19 by the numbers
0
Students took advantage of PLA
0
total credits awarded through PLA
0
of applications resulted in PLA credit on at least one submission item
0
Mapproximate tuition saved through PLA
0
saved on tuition per PLA student, on average
Responsible and appropriate borrowing
We offer extensive tools and resources — before and after enrollment — to help our students understand the different types of student loans and loan amounts that might be right for them.
For example, we offer memberships at no additional cost to the iGrad® online money management tool, which students can use to learn how to budget, save, minimize borrowing and understand future student loan payments.

University of Phoenix
Average for proprietary schools
National average for all institutions
University retention and graduation rates
Data helps us improve our understanding of how to support our students through the obstacles they face on the way to their degrees.
Here’s a snapshot. Blended institutional graduation rates, which are a measure of multiple degree programs at the University, have improved year over year since 2016.

Blended undergraduate degrees
Blended associate, bachelor’s, master’s

Our faculty
University of Phoenix instructors bring a powerful combination of academic credentials and industry experience to every class they teach.
0
YEARSaverage professional experience in FY19
0
YEARSaverage UOPX teaching experience in FY19

Our leadership
Our leadership team is deeply committed to helping adult learners reach their education and career goals through continuous innovation that evolves with advances in education, technology and the workplace.


Alumni
We recognize the tremendous achievement of earning a college degree. Most of our students have worked years to reach this goal, and many are first-generation college students.
Read about David Fletcher (MBA, 2019), whose journey from military to management was aided through connections he made while a student at University of Phoenix.

David FletcherMBA, 2019


Community service
At University of Phoenix, we understand that community support and higher education go hand in hand. When we roll up our sleeves to help, we strengthen the communities we serve.
In 2019, the University gave:
“
There is something about volunteering that reminds you we’re all connected.”
Harper LinesSenior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility



Our commitment to diversity
The University’s Office of Educational Equity promotes diversity, equity and inclusion by:
- Promoting cultural understanding
- Providing thought leadership
- Developing community alliances
- Promoting and sustaining diversity and inclusion initiatives
Dr. Kimberly Underwood
A white paper authored by Dr. Kimberly Underwood and colleagues examines reasons, implications and solutions for the lack of Black, male educators in K-12 classrooms.

Kimberly UnderwoodResearch chair, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion University of Phoenix



B2B alliances
Learning while working can create a win-win situation: Employers gain a better trained and educated workforce while employees can gain skills and prepare for advancement without leaving their current roles.
In 2019 we focused on simplifying our benefit offerings, providing greater value while improving student progression. This year we engaged with our clients to activate new benefits — working together to achieve the goals established during the launch of their programs.
TAP Cap benefits
Pursuing higher education on the job at low or no-cost is an attractive employee benefit. For employers, it can also help to close the skills gap and improve employee retention. Our Tuition Assistance Cap Program does both while making every dollar count by combining client tuition assistance funding with significant University investments.
Because of the successful results of our first two TAP Cap clients, in 2019 we identified additional interest in our program, reaching six new TAP Cap agreements.




Thank you
This is just a glimpse into the work we’ve done in 2019. Download the full report to learn more.
Download full reportShare
