University of Phoenix was founded in 1976 by Dr. John Sperling. Sperling, an economist, saw the demand for higher education from working adults on the brink of exploding in popularity due to the popularity of the personal computer and the Internet. Sperling also believed that those adults, with the pressures of work and home life, would demand an educational experience that conforms to their time and demographic constraints.
University of Phoenix offers day and evening classes at about 200 locations in North America. It also offers online classes that are available to anyone who has access to the Internet around the globe. The university offers more than 100 educational programs for students who are pursuing associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.
Tuition and fees at University of Phoenix depend on the student's location, level of education and area of interest. Students can obtain financial aid through the federal government or apply for scholarships through the school to help offset the cost of tuition and fees. Loans are also available for students who attend the University of Phoenix. The school also grants tuition discounts to qualified military personnel and their spouses.
Students must meet several criteria to be admitted to the University of Phoenix. They must be a high school graduate or have earned their GED, California High School Proficiency Examination certificate or foreign secondary school equivalent. Prospective students must also be employed and be a citizen of the United States or have a visa that allows them to attend school in the country. Students who wish to attend the university must also fill out admission documentation and submit transcripts from all universities and colleges previously attended.
At the time of writing, University of Phoenix has more than 21,500 faculty members -- 1,500 of those are core faculty members that oversee curriculum and instruction. Faculty members are experts and work professionally in their respective fields, as well as holding Ph.D. or master's degrees.