The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) traces its origins to the College of Medicine of Maryland, founded in 1807. The institution grew into a university centered on health care, law, and public service rather than a conventional undergraduate campus.
Its medical school became the foundation for the university established in the early nineteenth century. Other schools developed over time, including programs in law, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, and social work. The School of Dentistry's history includes the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, founded in 1840 as the world's first dental college. Today, UMB's mix of professional schools and selected undergraduate programs reflects that history: many students arrive after completing earlier college coursework elsewhere.
UMB is organized into seven schools: Dentistry, Graduate Studies, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work. Its academic focus is concentrated in the health professions, biomedical sciences, legal education, and social services.
Programs range from selected bachelor's degrees, including nursing and health-related fields, to master's degrees, research doctorates, and professional degrees such as the JD, MD, DDS, and PharmD. The Graduate School also administers programs that draw on faculty and research across the professional schools. Applicants should use the catalog for their intended school: prerequisite courses, clinical placements, licensing preparation, and degree timelines differ considerably between programs.
UMB occupies an urban campus in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, near the University of Maryland Medical Center and other health care and legal institutions. The medical center is closely associated with UMB, but it is a separate organization.
The location gives many students access to clinical, research, public-service, and professional settings within or near campus. It also means commuting requires planning: UMB is served by Baltimore-area transit, while parking arrangements and costs depend on the facility and permit. Applicants visiting a particular school should confirm its building address rather than assuming every program meets in one central classroom building.
UMB describes its mission in terms of education, research, clinical care, and public service. Its stated priorities connect professional training with work intended to improve health, well-being, and justice.
That purpose is reflected in its organization: students in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, social work, law, and other fields may encounter opportunities for interdisciplinary study or community-based work. A particular opportunity is not necessarily available to every degree program, however. Prospective students should judge the fit through their own program's curriculum and placement requirements, not the university-wide mission alone.
Name of the institution
University of Maryland, BaltimoreLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PublicSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
5,000 - 9,999Main student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
4-1-4Foundation year
1807University of Maryland, Baltimore 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 2, 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.