Coppin State University: A Legacy of Education and Opportunity
Founded in 1900, Coppin State University stands as a comprehensive historically black institution deeply rooted in the urban landscape of Baltimore. The university is dedicated to providing students with a high-quality education and transformational experiences at an affordable cost.
A Commitment to Academic Excellence
Coppin State University offers a wide array of academic disciplines, including the arts, sciences, technology, teacher education, business, social and behavioral sciences, nursing, and health information management. Students can choose from 61 academic programs, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees, certificate programs, and one doctorate program.
Liberal Arts Education
Coppin State University believes a liberal arts education empowers students to change the world. With programs in humanities, math and computer science, as well as the natural sciences, the university encourages students to analyze, question, challenge, and discover. One of the values of a liberal arts education is that it covers a wide range of topics and experiences designed to make you look at the world a little differently. Students won’t just read, they’ll interpret and analyze. They’ll write to explain, persuade, and understand.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The student-faculty ratio at Coppin State University is 12:1, and 52.6% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. This allows for more personalized attention and a more engaging learning environment.
Popular Majors
The most popular majors at Coppin State University include:
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- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
- Social Work
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
- Psychology, General
- Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other
- Health Information / Medical Records Administration / Administrator
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 65%.
The School of Graduate Studies and Research
The Coppin State University School of Graduate Studies and Research offers professional and clinical programs that prepare each student for advanced careers. The School of Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR) is designed for busy working professionals. The conveniently located urban campus offers graduate degrees and certificates, many of which can be completed in about two years, in high-demand fields.
A Focus on Student Success
Coppin graduate programs prepare students for leadership and management roles, especially in urban and professional settings. Students develop the skills and confidence to make an impact in their field and their community.
Convenient and Affordable
Coppin's campus is easy to reach by car or public transit, and the university offers many graduate and doctoral classes in the evenings and on weekends. Small class sizes mean students get to know their professors and classmates. Graduate school is a major investment, and Coppin is committed to keeping it affordable. Students may be eligible for federal financial aid when they enroll in a graduate degree or certificate program.
Innovative Graduate Research
Coppin prepares graduate students to lead in a global, knowledge-driven world. Faculty research keeps programs current, strengthens the curriculum, and brings real examples into the classroom. Faculty stay connected to the communities they serve and work to solve pressing challenges in areas like criminology, nursing, rehabilitation counseling, polymer and materials science, and molecular biology. As a graduate student, you’ll learn from experts who are actively shaping their fields.
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Partnerships
Coppin partners with key Baltimore agencies, school systems, and employers so your graduate experience connects directly to real-world needs. These partnerships keep the curriculum current and aligned with today’s workforce. Coppin's professors are actively applying research to practice, keeping up with the latest advances in their fields and leading cutting-edge research.
College of Arts & Sciences and Education (CASE)
The College of Arts & Sciences and Education (CASE) transforms students into professionals and industry leaders. CASE programs encourage and create experiences that demonstrate appreciation for the arts and sciences in all human endeavors. Intimate classroom sizes foster extraordinary lifelong connections between students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Vision and Mission
The College of Arts & Sciences and Education (CASE) seeks to become a leading urban academic hub that fosters intellectual curiosity and creativity, while empowering scholars and practitioners to transform local and global communities. The College of Arts & Sciences, and Education (CASE) at Coppin State University (CSU) is committed to supporting students through rigorous academic programs, innovative research, and holistic learning environments.
School of Arts & Sciences (SAS)
The School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) focuses on delivering a global liberal arts education. SAS programs develop and support students in becoming communicators, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners. Regardless of major, undergraduate students must take SAS classes as part of Coppin’s General Educational Requirements (GERs).
School of Education
The School of Education offers both undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students to begin or advance their career in the education profession. Renowned for its long legacy of preparing urban teachers, the programs cover early childhood, elementary, adult, and special education, as well as school leadership.
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History and Evolution
The origin of Coppin State University dates to 1900, when the Baltimore City Board of Education initiated a one-year course for the training of African-American elementary school teachers at what was known as the Colored High and Training School (renamed Frederick Douglass High School in 1925).
Early Years
Classes began in January 1901. The program expanded in 1902 to a two-year Normal Department within the high school. "Normal" came from the French ecole normale, and the Prussian normal schools, that influenced American educators to establish norms or standards for the training of teachers. With its own principal, the Department became an institution separate from the high school in 1909, when it moved to the elementary school building at Saratoga and Mount Streets.
Coppin Normal School
This facility for teacher training in 1926 was named the Coppin Normal School to honor Fannie Jackson Coppin (1837-1913), educator, missionary, and outstanding African-American pioneer in teacher education. In 1928, Coppin Normal School moved to the Booker T. Washington High School building at Lafayette Avenue and McCullough Street, and in 1932 to Elementary School no.
Transition to Coppin State College
In 1938, the School was renamed Coppin Teachers College with a four-year curriculum and authority to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. Formerly under the Baltimore City Board of Education, the College was placed under the State Department of Education in 1950. The College became Coppin State Teachers College when it moved to its present location in July 1952. It was renamed Coppin State College in 1963 and placed under the Board of Trustees of State Colleges, when the institution's authority to grant degrees became more comprehensive (Chapter 41, Acts of 1963).
University System of Maryland
In 1988, the College joined the University of Maryland System (Chapter 246, Acts of 1988). The System was renamed University System of Maryland in 1997 (Chapter 114, Acts of 1997). In the fall of 1990, the Honors Division was established at Coppin State College.
Honors Program
In 1981, the Honors Program enrolled its first students. The Honors Program prepares academically outstanding students for employment or further study in graduate and professional schools. The Program is named for Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D.
Parlett L. Moore Library
In 1961, the Parlett L. Moore Library was constructed. It underwent extensive renovations in 1975. The Library is named for Parlett L. Moore (1908-2000), the University’s second president. To the University’s academic community, the Library offers print, electronic, and audio-visual resources. Students, faculty, and staff within the University System of Maryland and its affiliates also may access materials from the Library. Within the Library are the Cab Calloway Traditional African Art Gallery, the Eagle Achievement Center, and the Parren J.
College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Formation
Originally, the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education began as the Arts and Sciences Division and reformed as the School of Arts and Sciences in 2004. When the School of Education joined the School of Arts and Sciences in August 2013, the School of Arts and Sciences reorganized as the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education.
Science and Technology Center
Opened in October 2015, the Science and Technology Center is a hub for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in Baltimore.
School of Education Reformation
The School of Education formed in 1900 with the origins of the University as a teacher-training program at Douglass High School in Baltimore. It later reformed as a division in 2004, and became the Education Unit, relocated within the School of Professional Studies. In 2006, the Unit reorganized as the School of Education.
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences formed as the School of Professional Studies in 2004. It reorganized under its present name in August 2013. The College offers programs in Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling; Criminal Justice; Interdisciplinary Studies; Social Work; and Social Sciences.
College of Business
The College of Business originated as the Department of Management Science and Economics within the School of Arts and Sciences. In September 2007, it reformed as the School of Management Science and Economics. In April 2012, it was reorganized as the School of Business. Within the College of Business are three departments: Accounting and Management Information Systems; Management and Marketing; and Sport and Entertainment Management.
College of Health Professions
The College of Health Professions was established in July 2012. In September 1974, the Helene Fuld School of Nursing began in the Nursing Division at Coppin State College. The School was named in honor of Helene S. Fuld whose son, Dr. Felix Fuld, established the Helene Fuld Health Trust in her memory. The Trust is dedicated to improving the health, education, and welfare of nursing students. The Fuld School of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing. The School also manages the Community Health Center in Baltimore. The Community Health Center opened in July 1995 as the Coppin State Nursing Center. A primary-care facility, the Center serves as a clinical rotation for nurse practitioners and undergraduate nursing students. To low-income residents of the neighborhood adjacent to the University, the Center provides health services at reduced cost.
School of Graduate Studies
In 1968, the School of Graduate Studies started when a graduate program in special education was initiated. As programs were added, it became a division of the University and in 2004, was renamed the School of Graduate Studies.
Division of Administration and Finance
The Division of Administration and Finance is responsible for the University’s budget, managing daily operations, and developing financial plans. For Student Affairs, the Division directs four offices: Housing; Residence Life; Student Activities and Leadership; and Student Conduct and Community Standards. The Division also is responsible for International Student Services; the Student Emergency Fund; and Student Health Insurance. Within the Division are five units: Campus Technology Services; Information Systems; Instructional Technology and Training; IT Security; and IT Support.
Division of Institutional Advancement
The Division of Institutional Advancement manages fundraising for scholarships, endowments, operations, and special programs.
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