Skip to Main Content Skip to bottom Skip to Chat, Email, Text

Championing the success and goals of adult students

Committed to helping working adults meet their academic, professional, and personal goals.

University of Phoenix graduates

About University of Phoenix

John Sperling, PhD, a Cambridge-educated economist, professor and entrepreneur, founded University of Phoenix in 1976 in response to the changing needs of the workplace. It was part of his commitment to provide adults with the higher education they would need to fill those needs and for forty years, that’s exactly what we’ve done.

The times have changed, but our objective has remained the same – to help people enhance their lives through education. Together we will keep working to fulfill Dr. Sperling’s vision, improve the lives of our students and strengthen our communities.

We are proud to provide students access to quality education, ongoing support and a range of resources to help them succeed. Through innovation and dedication we can continue to work toward a better tomorrow.

We invite you to learn about our University and see how we can help you pursue your education and follow your dreams.

The college tour

Life as a Phoenix

Experience what it’s like to be a Phoenix with The College Tour, as seen on Amazon Prime. This series showcases students and alumni nationwide who pursued their educational goals through University of Phoenix while balancing school, work and life.

×

    

"As a working professional, I could fit my classes around my work and my life."

Dr. Rose Lorenzo

BSCJA 2014 | MBA 2016 | DM 2020

×

    

"I knew I needed a University who would have my back, the way my family always does."

Jahmar Robinson

BSCPS, 2021

×

    

"University of Phoenix makes it possible to satisy educational needs while maintaining a work-life balance."

Scott Kirby

BSM, 2020, MBA, 2021

×

    

"The competency-based program challenged me to leverage the knowledge and skills I've gained from work experience—while fitting school into my budget and schedule, and not the other way around."

Jason Wells

MBA CBE, 2022

×

    

"...we share skills, contacts, advice and opportunities. We help each other navigate life’s challenges."

Paula Hutchinson

AABF, 2018, BSB, 2020, MAEDT, 2022

An innovative approach to education

As an institution always focused on the needs of an adult learner population, our Instructional Framework reflects the instructional strategies most important for this population.

University of Phoenix was founded upon the vision of making higher education more available, even if you’re a professional with a full time commitment to work and family. With 40 years of experience, we continue to focus on meeting the needs of adult learners. Malcolm Knowles identified the characteristics of adult learners as differing from the classic 18-22 year-old college students; through areas such as the learner’s need to know, self-concept, experience, readiness to learn, orientation to learning and motivation. These characteristics influence the instructional design process – shifting our framework from content-driven to context-driven and reinforcing relevant application to the real world.

Developed by faculty who are practitioners in their field, our curriculum integrates academic theory, lifelong learning and professional practice – and is designed to support the needs of adult learners. We strive to help students develop relevant skills that can be easily applied to their current work and life experiences.

Our convenient classes, offered online or on-campus at selection locations, make going back to school a real option for working adults. Access your class online, study on your own schedule and earn your degree.

Although you might not be on campus, you’re never alone. We’re here to guide you from enrollment through graduation.  As a student you have access to our innovative learning platform, career services and wealth of educational resources such as an online librarywriting and math labs and a university-wide academic social network.

We offer associatebachelor’smaster’s and doctoral degrees and a variety of certificate programs so that you can match your education to your interest and professional goals.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you create the future you deserve.

One man's vision.
One million lives changed.

Forty years ago, colleges weren't meeting the needs of working adults, so our founder, Dr. John Sperling, started a University that did.

John Sperling
Smiling enrollment representative

Start a conversation about your future with an enrollment representative today.