


Courtesy of Morgan State University
Morgan State University is a public historically Black university founded in Baltimore in 1867. It began as the Centenary Biblical Institute, established by the Methodist Episcopal Church to educate young men for ministry. Its history helps explain both its longstanding commitment to expanding educational access and its present-day identity as a public research university.
The institution became Morgan College in 1890, taking its name from the Rev. Lyttleton F. Morgan. It moved to its present northeast Baltimore location in 1917. Maryland acquired the college in 1939, making it a public institution, and it became Morgan State University in 1975. A 2017 Maryland law designated Morgan the state's preeminent public urban research university - a description of its statutory role, not a measure of any individual program's outcomes.
Morgan State organizes its programs across schools and colleges in fields ranging from engineering and business to the arts, education, and health. Students can pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees; the appropriate academic home depends on the major and credential they choose.
Its academic units include the College of Liberal Arts; the School of Engineering; the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences; the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management; the School of Architecture and Planning; the School of Education and Urban Studies; the School of Social Work; the School of Global Journalism and Communication; and the School of Community Health and Policy. Examples of areas of study include civil and electrical engineering, nursing, accounting, journalism, social work, and architecture.
Applicants should check the current program directory rather than assume that admission to the university establishes eligibility for every major. A degree with professional requirements, such as nursing or architecture, may have a separate sequence, prerequisites, or admission process.
Morgan State's main campus is in northeast Baltimore, Maryland. Its city location gives students access to Baltimore-area employers, cultural institutions, and public transit, while commuting time and transportation costs depend substantially on where a student lives.
Prospective commuters should compare the timing of their classes with available transit routes and parking arrangements. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, but permission to do so does not eliminate parking rules or associated charges. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is the nearest major airport and may be useful to students traveling from outside the region.
Morgan State describes its mission in terms of teaching, research, and service, with particular attention to urban issues and educating a diverse student body. Its stated vision emphasizes a stronger role as a research university addressing needs in Baltimore, Maryland, and beyond. These are institutional priorities, not guarantees of a particular student experience or result.
The university's historically Black identity remains central to its history and educational purpose. Although it was founded by a Methodist organization, Morgan is now a public university rather than a church-operated institution. Students interested in how its mission applies to a specific major can look at that program's curriculum, research opportunities, and community partnerships.
Name of the institution
Morgan State UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PublicSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
10,000 - 19,999School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1867Morgan State University is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.