MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

In 1867, Morgan State University originated as the Centenary Biblical Institute under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Classes for the Institute were held first at the Sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore. In 1890, the Institute was renamed Morgan College in honor of Lyttleton F. Morgan, minister and first president of the Institute's board of trustees (Chapter 326, Acts of 1890). Dr. Morgan's financial support enabled the school to offer academic work at the college level. The College remained under church jurisdiction until purchased by the State in 1939 when it became Morgan State College (Chapter 331, Acts of 1939). In 1975, the College was granted university status (Chapter 550, Acts of 1975).

Morgan State University is a public university. It includes the College of Liberal Arts, the Institute of Architecture and Planning, and the Schools of Business and Management; Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences; Education and Urban Studies; Engineering; and Graduate Studies. The undergraduate program is built upon the liberal arts. Baccalaureate degrees are conferred in many disciplines, including preprofessional programs. The University's School of Graduate Studies first offered advanced degrees in education in 1964. Since then, the scope of graduate studies has broadened to include a wide range of degrees in the arts and sciences, and professional fields.

With thirty departments, Morgan State University offers 36 baccalaureate-degree programs and 20 master-degree programs, as well as 9 programs leading to the doctorate. All academic programs are approved by the faculty.

The University is governed by an independent Board of Regents. The Board's fifteen members are appointed by the Governor with Senate advice and consent. Fourteen members serve six-year terms; a student member serves a one-year term (Code Education Article, secs. 14-101 through 14-107).

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

The College of Liberal Arts started as the College of Arts and Sciences and adopted its present name in September 1999.

INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING

The study of architecture and planning at Morgan began as urban policy studies within the School of Urban Studies and Human Development. As the Department of Built Environment Studies, it reformed in the School of Education in 1979, and became the Institute of Architecture and Planning in 1991.

The Institute of Architecture and Planning offers three professional graduate programs: Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture. The program in architecture is the only accredited such program in the Baltimore region, and one of only two in Maryland.

EARL G. GRAVES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT

The Graves School of Business & Management offers courses through three main departments: Accounting and Finance; Business Administration; and Information Science and Systems.

SCHOOL OF COMPUTER, MATHEMATICAL & NATURAL SCIENCES

Within the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences are five departments: Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Mathematics; and Physics and Engineering Physics.

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