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Morgan State University is a historically black institution with the unique designation as Maryland’s public urban university. As an urban university, Morgan serves an ethnically and culturally diverse student body, among which are some of Maryland’s best and brightest students as well as representative numbers of high school graduates from urban communities who would not otherwise pursue the baccalaureate degree. Similarly, the student body reflects the traditional college-going cohort as well as part-time and adult learners.
The University’s curricula are designed to meet the educational needs of city residents and the needs of the city and the state for professionals trained in a variety of areas. Academic offerings consist of major programs in the arts and humanities, the social sciences, science, engineering, education, business, and a selected number of professional areas. A major focus of the curriculum is on the social, economic, and political characteristics of the city so that the capacity to understand urban life and phenomena is a central part of the education of the students. Also, the comprehensiveness of Morgan’s programs reflects the commitment of the University to have major impact upon the problem of the under representation of blacks and other minorities in the professional labor force within the city, state, and nation.
Consistent with the diversity of the student body, the University has as supplements to the standard curriculum an honors program for high academic achievers and a network of academic enrichment programs, academic advising and counseling services for students needing special assistance. Also, it employs a variety of methodologies, pedagogic approaches, and delivery systems, which facilitate achievement among traditional and nontraditional students, at on-campus and off-campus sites.
The research program of the University involves both basic and applied research. Because of the urban emphasis, however, a substantial amount of research is focused on urban life and phenomena with a bent toward education, service and public policy development. The research is oftentimes oriented toward specific urban problems and issues, such as human resource development, economic development and competitiveness, health care, environment, transportation, aging, and substance abuse.
In fulfilling its service function, Morgan is committed to serving the professional communities represented by its academic programs, while also assisting local government, local businesses and community groups in addressing the problems they face in urban Baltimore. Special attention is given to in-service training for public school teachers and enrichment programs and counseling services for students who would not otherwise have an opportunity for pursuing college study. Likewise, the University seeks to promote economic development through its partnerships with business and industry and its focus on minority business development. Finally, Morgan serves as an important cultural and intellectual center for a major segment of the community and contributes much to improving the quality of life for citizens throughout the Greater Baltimore Community.
*Abridged version of Mission Statement as approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, June 27, 1990.
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