American Public University System
Encyclopedia
The American Public University System (APUS) is a for-profit
, online learning
institution of higher education that is composed of the American Military University and the American Public University. APUS maintains corporate and academic offices in Charles Town, West Virginia
, administrative offices in Manassas, Virginia
, and offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees through its two constituent universities. APUS is wholly owned by American Public Education, Inc., a publicly traded corporation .
and military intelligence
, that were not included in typical university offerings. In the early years, instruction was done through conventional correspondence.
In June 1995, AMU became nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). In January of the following year, the school introduced its first undergraduate programs. In 1998, AMU made the transition from conventional correspondence to an online learning format.
In 2002, AMU expanded to become the American Public University System and established American Public University, intended primarily for civilians and public service programs.
In 2006, APUS was granted regional accreditation
from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
.
by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
, a regional accreditor
, and the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council
. The University's School of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Academic Honor Societies include: Alpha Phi Sigma
, Delta Epsilon Tau, Epsilon Pi Phi, Golden Key
, Pi Gamma Mu
, and Sigma Iota Rho
.
For-Profit School
For-profit education refers to educational institutions operated by private, profit-seeking businesses....
, online learning
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
institution of higher education that is composed of the American Military University and the American Public University. APUS maintains corporate and academic offices in Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, administrative offices in Manassas, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
, and offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees through its two constituent universities. APUS is wholly owned by American Public Education, Inc., a publicly traded corporation .
History
The university was founded in 1991 by Major James P. Etter (USMC, retired) as the American Military University (AMU). Operations began in January 1993 with the enrollment of 18 graduate-level students. Initially, the main goal of the university was to meet the unique educational needs of military personnel needing courses in specialized areas, such as counter-terrorismCounter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
and military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
, that were not included in typical university offerings. In the early years, instruction was done through conventional correspondence.
In June 1995, AMU became nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). In January of the following year, the school introduced its first undergraduate programs. In 1998, AMU made the transition from conventional correspondence to an online learning format.
In 2002, AMU expanded to become the American Public University System and established American Public University, intended primarily for civilians and public service programs.
In 2006, APUS was granted regional accreditation
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
.
Accreditation
American Public University System (APUS) is accreditedHigher education accreditation
Higher education accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of post-secondary educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
, a regional accreditor
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
, and the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council
Distance Education and Training Council
The Distance Education and Training Council is a non-profit national educational accreditation agency in the United States specializing in the accreditation of distance education institutions.- History :...
. The University's School of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Academic schools
American Public University System offer 87 degree programs and 68 certificates across seven academic schools through American Military University and American Public University. They include:- School of Arts and Humanities
- School of Business
- School of Education
- School of Management
- School of Public Safety and Health
- School of Security and Global Studies
- School of Science and Technology
Notable faculty
- Dani Babb, author and regular contributor to Fox News as a business analyst.
- Alan HaleAlan HaleAlan Hale may refer to:*Alan Hale, Sr. , American actor; played Little John in three different Robin Hood films*Alan Hale, Jr. , American actor in television show Gilligan's Island; son of Alan Hale, Sr....
, co-discoverer of Comet Hale-BoppComet Hale-BoppComet Hale–Bopp was perhaps the most widely observed comet of the 20th century, and one of the brightest seen for many decades...
. - James F. ReillyJames F. ReillyJames Francis Reilly, II, Ph.D. is an American geologist and a former NASA astronaut who has flown on three space shuttle missions: STS-89, STS-104 and STS-117. He was born at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and considers Mesquite, Texas to be his hometown...
, geologist and former NASA astronaut. - Wendy B. LawrenceWendy B. LawrenceWendy Barrien Lawrence is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, former helicopter pilot, an engineer, and a former NASA astronaut. She was the first female graduate of the US Naval Academy to fly in space and she has also visited the Russian Space Station Mir. She was a mission specialist on STS-114, the...
, former NASA astronaut.
Notable alumni
- Nicole MalachowskiNicole MalachowskiNicole Margaret Ellingwood Malachowski is a United States Air Force officer and the first female pilot selected to fly as part of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds...
, United States Air Force officer and the first female pilot selected to fly as part of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds.
Student organizations
Students at APUS are involved in a variety of different student organizations and honor societies. This includes chapters for the National Association for Environmental Professionals, International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), Student Veteran’s of America (SVA), and the Society of Human Resources Management.Academic Honor Societies include: Alpha Phi Sigma
Alpha Phi Sigma
Alpha Phi Sigma is the only Criminal Justice Honor Society accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies. Traditionally a national organization serving United States universities, recent expansion into Canadian universities has distinguished Alpha Phi Sigma as an international honor...
, Delta Epsilon Tau, Epsilon Pi Phi, Golden Key
Golden key
Golden key or Golden Key can mean:* the Latin phrase clavis aurea, used metaphorically in literature* Golden Key International Honour Society...
, Pi Gamma Mu
Pi Gamma Mu
Pi Gamma Mu or ΠΓΜ is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences. It is also the only interdisciplinary social science honor society. It serves the various social science disciplines which seek to understand and explain human behavior and social relationships as well as their...
, and Sigma Iota Rho
Sigma Iota Rho
Sigma Iota Rho is a collegiate honor society of international studies founded in 1984 whose members are advanced students with outstanding academic performance in the field, as well as, extracurricular involvement...
.