Kaplan University is the business name of the Iowa College Acquisition Corporation, owner of various independent, private, for-profit colleges. It was founded in 1937 as the American Institute of Commerce and went through a series of name changes before it became known as Kaplan College in 2000 following its purchase by Kaplan, Inc. It was in 2004, after it was granted permission to offer graduate-level degree programs, that Kaplan College became officially known as Kaplan University.
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), Kaplan University offers both campus-based as well as online degree programs although a large percentage of its curriculum is devoted to providing distance or online learning to its various students.
Kaplan’s goal is to allow anyone who wants to complete a degree to do so regardless of his or her situation in life. Whether they are fulltime workers, stay-at-home moms, or people who simply want to improve their careers, Kaplan’s online programs will give them a chance to pursue a professional degree. Through the use of the Internet, video chats, regular email exchanges and weekly online seminars, Kaplan is able to deliver education to its over 50,000 online students.
Kaplan offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees as well as certificates in various fields of specialization. Academically, Kaplan is divided into the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Criminal Justice, Education, Health Sciences, Information Systems Technology, Legal Studies, Nursing, Kaplan Continuing Education, and Concord Law School of Kaplan University. The university’s main administration building is situated in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Tuition rates vary according to the chosen degree program. Financial aid is available via loans, grants and scholarships.
