University of Michigan

The University of Michigan, founded in 1817, was one of the first universities in the country. The Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi people ceded 1,920 acres of land for a college in Detroit, but the school moved to Ann Arbor in 1837 as the fledgling city was booming with a courthouse, jail, bank, four churches and two mills. The 13-year old town was founded by John Allen and Elisha Rumsey, who named the town for their wives, Mary Ann Rumsey and Ann Allen as well as the natural arbor that massive oaks created in the area.

The college took four years to build and initially consisted of four faculty homes and one building used for a combination dormitory-classroom. The President's House today is one of those four original college buildings. The campus was a working farm for many years with cows grazing over much of the campus and summer crops of wheat, planted by the janitor as part of his salary while peaches were harvested in an orchard on the old Rumsey farm. A wooden fence was installed to keep the city and university cows separated.

The first year in Ann Arbor, the university had only seven students. Students who wished to attend were required to take admissions examinations in mathematics, geography, Latin, Greek and other subjects. In addition, students were required to provide testimonials that they were of good moral character. At the time, there was no tuition but students were required to pay an admission fee of ten dollars.

By 1866, enrollment had grown to 1,205 students, making it the largest university in the country. It is still considered one of the leading higher education institutions, offering the largest health care complex in the world, the best university library system in the country and is consistently ranked in the top three of public institutions in the United States.

University of Michigan Accreditation Details

The University of Michigan is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation assures students that the university offers quality education and works to improve programs in order to continue providing excellence in education. In addition to regional institutional accreditation, specific programs may be accredited by agencies from specific industries.

University of Michigan Application Requirements

Freshmen who wish to apply to the University of Michigan must provide an official high school transcript and school report. In addition, they must provide one teacher evaluation and a counselor recommendation, although not required, is recommended. Students must submit official SAT or ACT test scores as well. Students who wish to transfer from other universities or colleges must be in good standing both academically and socially. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or better and may be required to submit ACT or SAT scores as well. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be submitted as well as an academic evaluator or instructor evaluation.

Graduate students wishing to attend the University of Michigan must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Students must submit official GRE or GMAT test scores, depending on the program they wish to enter. Official transcripts must also be provided as well as a statement of purpose, personal statement and current resume. Students must also provide letters of recommendation as part of their application.

University of Michigan Tuition and Financial Aid

Full-time undergraduate tuition at the University of Michigan is $13,856 for freshmen and sophomores who are Michigan residents while junior and senior tuition for full-time Michigan residents is $15,602. Non-resident freshmen and sophomores pay $43,476 while juniors and seniors pay $46,528.

Financial aid is available through scholarships, grants and loans. Two out of three University of Michigan students receive financial aid. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive financial aid. In addition to scholarships, grants and loans, students may be eligible for federal work-study programs to offset the cost of tuition.

University of Michigan Online Degree(s) Available

Ph.D. in Business

The Ross School of Business offers doctoral degrees in business with the following concentrations:

• Accounting
• Strategy
• Finance
• Marketing
• Management and Organizations
• Business Economics
• Technology and Operations

Requirements for the Ph.D. in Business at the University of Michigan vary based on which concentration is selected. All concentrations require that the student have a background in algebra and calculus, although some programs may require extensive knowledge in these subjects. Students must be actively involved in research throughout the doctoral program. There is no qualifying examination or work experience for entering the doctoral program. Students must complete a dissertation proposal that must be approved by an appropriate committee of faculty. In order to be accepted into the program, students must hold a bachelor's degree or higher and must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all graduate work. Although courses for the Ph.D. program may be offered online, students must take a portion of their coursework on campus in order to successfully complete the degree.

Students are expected to complete the program within five years but may not take more than seven years after their first enrollment in the doctoral program to complete the Ph.D. in Business. In addition students must defend their dissertation with a public oral defense and must submit to a final oral examination report.

The University of Michigan Ph.D. in Business program admits, on average, 14 new students each year and receives more than 400 applications. Over the past five years, the university has awarded an average of 16 doctorate degrees in business each year and issued 23 in 2014. The average number of years students take to complete the degree is 5.7 years. Of the students enrolled in the program, 94 percent receive tuition and stipend support. Eighty-four percent of graduates held tenure-track faculty positions one-year after graduation in 2014 while 88 percent held such positions five years after graduation and 78 percent held tenure-track positions ten years after completing the program. Ten years after graduation, 13 percent of graduates were employed in non-tenure track faculty positions, such as researchers or administrators.

The University of Michigan is one of the largest universities in the country and offers students the opportunity to take some courses in an online, flexible format that allows adult students who may have social, work or family obligations that prevent them from attending traditional classes to reach their higher education goals.