University of Maryland, Baltimore County

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"UMBC" redirects here. For the political party in Nigeria, see United Middle Belt Congress.
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Motto An Honors University in Maryland
Established 1966
Type Public university
President Freeman Hrabowski III
Academic staff 766[1]
Students 12,888[1]
Undergraduates 10,210[2]
Postgraduates 2,678[1]
Location Catonsville, Maryland, United States
(39°15′19.80″N 76°42′40.52″W / 39.2555°N 76.7112556°W / 39.2555; -76.7112556Coordinates: 39°15′19.80″N 76°42′40.52″W / 39.2555°N 76.7112556°W / 39.2555; -76.7112556)
Campus Suburban, 500 acres (2 km²)
Colors Black, Gold[3]
         
Athletics The UMBC Retrievers,
17 varsity teams,
NCAA Division I
Nickname Retrievers
Mascot True Grit
Affiliations America East Conference; MAISA; University System of Maryland
Website www.umbc.edu
www.umbcretrievers.com
UMBC Logo

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County[4] (often referred to as UMBC) is an American public research university, located in Baltimore County, Maryland, mostly in the community of Catonsville. Established as a part of the University System of Maryland in 1966, the university specializes in the natural sciences and engineering, while also offering programs in the liberal arts.[2]

Contents

[edit] Academics

Main article: University of Maryland, Baltimore County Majors and Programs

UMBC offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a variety of areas of study. There are 54 majors, 42 minors and 20 certificate offerings in its undergraduate program. UMBC's Graduate School offers 33 master's degree programs, 23 doctoral degree programs and 20 graduate certificate programs. The university is divided into three colleges, two schools, as well as its graduate school.

[edit] Colleges

  • The College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences includes the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics. It also home to the new Department of Marine Biotechnology.[5]
  • The College of Engineering and Information Technology offers different areas of study in five departments: the Departments of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, and Mechanical Engineering.[6]
  • The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences houses the most departments in the university and awards more than half of all undergraduate and graduate degrees.[7] Among many others, it includes the departments of Political Science, History, Music, Visual Arts, and Sociology. Many of the departments will be soon housed in the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building. Groundbreaking is scheduled for September 2010.[8]

[edit] Schools

  • The Erickson School of Aging offers undergraduate and graduate level programs that focuses on various aspects of aging studies, including policy and management issues.
  • The School of Social Work links with the University of Maryland, Baltimore's (UMB) School of Social work in offering undergraduate and graduate level programs.

[edit] Student Profile

The average cumulative GPA of all undergraduate students in the Spring 2009 semester was 2.87.[9]

[edit] Campus

[edit] Location

UMBC's campus is located on 500 acres. It is 15 minutes from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and 45 minutes from Washington, D.C. Baltimore Washington International Airport is five minutes away, as are AMTRAK and light rail stations. UMBC, three miles outside the Baltimore city limits, successfully lobbied the government to use 'Baltimore' as its address. While its suburban campus has minimal interaction with its surroundings, students variously consider it to be located in the towns of Catonsville (by CDP) or Arbutus (whose street grid it borders).

[edit] Research and Technology Park

bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park is a 71 acre development on the campus hosting technology, bioscience and research organizations, many of which are engaged in partnership with the University.[10] Research Park tenants include the US Geological Survey, RWD Technologies, US Forestry Service, CardioMed Device Consultants, Audacious Inquiry, Med-IQ, Physician Practice, Inc., Retirement Living TV, Ascentium Corporation, Solvern Innovations, RMF Engineering, Inc., Convergent Technology, Clear Resolution Consulting, Fearless Solutions, and Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center.

[edit] Campus police

UMBC maintains a 24-hour police staff of sworn officers. Unlike the campus police of the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the campus police are not accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.[11][12] Accreditation is expected by the University System of Maryland mandated 2013 deadline.[citation needed]

[edit] Student life

Main article: University of Maryland, Baltimore County student organizations

The Resident Student Association and Student Events Board provide social programming during all academic semesters at UMBC. Over 100 student-run organizations exist on campus.[13]

[edit] Residential life

There are ten housing areas housing approximately 4,500 students.

[edit] Chess

UMBC has won the Pan American Chess Tournament an astounding 9 times in 13 years (1996–2009). The school provides substantial chess scholarships to outstanding high school graduate players at the International or Grandmaster level. Former UMBC team captain GM Alexander Onischuk has gone on to become US Champion in 2006.[14] Professor of Computer Science Alan Sherman has been instrumental in building up the UMBC chess dynasty by recruiting players from around the world.

[edit] Athletics

Main article: UMBC Retrievers
UMBC Retrievers Logo from 2001-2010

The school's sports teams are called the Retrievers, with colors black and gold. The mascot of the University is the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the state dog of Maryland, named True Grit. There is a statue of True Grit that stands in front of the Retriever Activities Center (RAC). The Retrievers participate in NCAA Division 1 as a part of the America East Conference, fielding 17 varsity sports; eight men and nine women. The Retrievers fight song is the UMBC Riser, and was written by Dr. George LaNoue, a professor of policy sciences.

In 2009, the men's lacrosse team secured their fifth consecutive outright or shared America East regular season championship and their third America East tournament championship in four years. UMBC has secured a berth in the NCAA tournament each of the past four seasons.[15][16] In 2007, the unseeded Retrievers upset seventh-seeded Maryland, 13–9, in the NCAA tournament to advance to the Division I second round for the first, and so far only, time in school history.[17]

The Retrievers won their first regular season American East Men's Basketball title in 2007-08, and also qualified for their first NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. They had previously competed in the Division II men's basketball tournament.

The Retrievers Men's Soccer Team won the America East Conference in 2010 receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament. The Retrievers won their first round game against Princeton but lost in the second round in a shootout to a ranked Dartmouth team. This is the best UMBC has ever done at the tournament. Star striker, Levi Houapeu, from that 2010 team was drafted as a 5th pick in the 3rd round of the 2011 MLS Superdraft by the Philadelphia Union. He is the first UMBC player to be drafted into the MLS.

The Retrievers, Men's Swimming and Diving Program captured their 13th straight conference championship in the 2009-2010 Season. Since Joining the America East Conference in 2004, the Retriever Men have not lost their crown.

Retrievers Basketball games are broadcast by Paul Mittermeier and Gary Stein.

In 2010, a contest was launched to find a new logo for Athletics.[18] In May 2010, the UMBC Athletic Department unveiled a new logo for the Retrievers created by Jim Lord.

[edit] Financial aid and scholarships

The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at UMBC is a program focused on the cultivation of underrepresented minority scholarship and awareness in the math, science, and engineering disciplines. Other scholarship programs include the CWIT Scholars Program, the Humanities Scholars Program, the Linehan Artist Scholars Program, the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program and the Sherman Teacher Education Scholars Program.

[edit] Rankings

Only the most recent ranking from each source is listed in the table below.

Ranking System Rank
US News Up-and-Coming Schools[19] 1
MUP Top Research Universities[20] 46
US News Top Public Schools[19] 83
US News High School Counselor Ranking[19] 147
US News and World Report National University[19] 157
Washington Monthly National University[21] 181
US News Best Undergraduate Teaching[19] 4
US News Best Engineering Grad Schools Ranking[22] 118
US News Graduate Program Ranking - Computer Science[23] 72

The University is ranked 157th in the latest 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings of "National Universities" across the United States, and it is ranked 83rd nationally among public universities.UMBC ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in the production of IT degrees and certificates, according to U.S. Department of Education data. The data shows UMBC ranking #21 in MS, and #31 in PhD IT degree production.[24] The Carnegie Foundation classifies UMBC as a research university with high research activity.[25] An overall ranking by U.S. News placed this university first in its 2012 list of Up and Coming schools.[26] For the past 9 years, UMBC has been listed in the top 5 "up and coming" national universities. The U.S. News undergraduate teaching ranking for all national universities ranked UMBC 4th for 2012 tied with Yale.[27] UMBC is also listed in Princeton Review's The Best 371 Colleges.[28]

[edit] Notable professors

See also: Category: University of Maryland, Baltimore County faculty
Art
  • Maurice Berger - Research Professor and Chief Curator of the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture
Aging Studies
Computer Science
Emergency Health Services
English
Gender and Women's Studies
  • Anne Brodsky - Director of the Gender and Women's Studies Program.
  • Carole McCann - researches reproductive politics, cultural politics of gender, sexuality, race and science, U.S. women's history
Language, Literacy, and Culture
  • Christine Mallinson - sociolinguistics scholar and co-author of Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools.[31]
Political Science
Philosophy

[edit] Notable alumni

See also: Category: University of Maryland, Baltimore County alumni
Arts and entertainment
Journalism
Politics
Sports

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c UMBC Facts
  2. ^ a b http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/Profile.php?Inst=UMBC
  3. ^ Graphic Standards
  4. ^ "UMBC Style Guide" (PDF). UMBC. http://www.umbc.edu/umbcstyle/writing_stand.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 
  5. ^ http://www.umbc.edu/CNMS/
  6. ^ http://www.coeit.umbc.edu/
  7. ^ http://www.umbc.edu/cahss/
  8. ^ http://www.umbc.edu/pahb/phases.html
  9. ^ http://www.umbc.edu/greek/docs/grades/spring09.pdf
  10. ^ bwtech@umbc (2010), BWTECH@UMBC website, http://www.bwtechumbc.com/, retrieved 2010-12-22 
  11. ^ http://www.calea.org/agcysearch/agencydisplay.cfm?ID=91053001
  12. ^ http://www.calea.org/agcysearch/agencydisplay.cfm?ID=94041904
  13. ^ http://www.umbc.edu/studentlife/getinvolved/organizations.php
  14. ^ http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2005/12/gm-onischuk-led-umbc-team-to-7th.html
  15. ^ America East announces all-league honors, Inside Lacrosse, April 28, 2009.
  16. ^ All-Time Records (PDF), 2009 UMBC Retrievers Men's Lacrosse Media Guide, p. 41–50, UMBC, 2009.
  17. ^ UMBC 13, Maryland 9, NCAA, May 13, 2007.
  18. ^ [1]
  19. ^ a b c d e "UMBC". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-maryland-baltimore-county-163268/overall-rankings. Retrieved 2011-11-31. 
  20. ^ "The Top American Research Universities". The Center for Measuring University Performance. http://mup.asu.edu/research2010.pdf. Retrieved 2011-11-31. 
  21. ^ "National University Rankings 2010". Washington Monthly. http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/national_university_rank.php. Retrieved 2011-11-31. 
  22. ^ "UMBC". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/college-of-engineering-and-information-technology-02220. Retrieved 2011-11-31. 
  23. ^ "UMBC". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings/page+4. Retrieved 2011-12-29. 
  24. ^ [2]
  25. ^ Carnegie Foundation (2010). "Carnegie Classifications - UMBC". http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/lookup_listings/view_institution.php?unit_id=163268&start_page=institution.php&clq=%7B%22ipug2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ipgrad2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22enrprofile2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ugprfile2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22sizeset2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22basic2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22eng2005_ids%22%3A%22%22%2C%22search_string%22%3A%22university+of+maryland%22%2C%22first_letter%22%3A%22%22%2C%22level%22%3A%22%22%2C%22control%22%3A%22%22%2C%22accred%22%3A%22%22%2C%22state%22%3A%22%22%2C%22region%22%3A%22%22%2C%22urbanicity%22%3A%22%22%2C%22womens%22%3A%22%22%2C%22hbcu%22%3A%22%22%2C%22hsi%22%3A%22%22%2C%22tribal%22%3A%22%22%2C%22msi%22%3A%22%22%2C%22landgrant%22%3A%22%22%2C%22coplac%22%3A%22%22%2C%22urban%22%3A%22%22%7D. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
  26. ^ US News and World Report (2011). "Up-and-coming National Universities". http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-uc-rank. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  27. ^ US News and World Report (2011). "Undergraduate Teaching at National Universities". http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-ut-rank. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  28. ^ Review, Princeton (2009-07-28). The Best 371 Colleges, 2010 Edition (Original ed.). Princeton Review. ISBN 0375429387. 
  29. ^ http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-12-31/news/0512310184_1_umbc-college-chess-team-chess-championship
  30. ^ www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/41814/chairman-of-the-chess-board-alan-shermans-umbc-college-chess/
  31. ^ http://christinemallinson.com/about/
  32. ^ a b UMBC Retrievers Hall of Fame, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, retrieved June 14, 2009.
  33. ^ Big signings for Titans, NLL.com, November 16, 2006.
  34. ^ Ratcliffe retires after eight seasons, NLL.com, August 25, 2008.
  35. ^ #14 Drew Westervelt, A, Denver Outlaws, retrieved June 14, 2009.

[edit] External links

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