Message from the Dean
At Coppin, we prepare scholars and professionals to lead, innovate, and create meaningful impact. Our graduate programs provide clear pathways to research, assistantships, and career-relevant opportunities-all supported by dedicated faculty and a vibrant academic community.
By choosing graduate study, you have taken a bold step toward new opportunities and deeper knowledge. At Coppin, you will be guided by faculty who are committed to mentoring and supported by programs designed to link learning with real-world experiences. Here, you will join a community that values innovation, leadership, and service-empowering you to achieve your goals and extend your impact.
Graduate education at Coppin is about more than earning a degree-it is about unlocking your potential and equipping you to make a difference in your career, your community, and beyond.
We are excited to partner with you on this journey. Together, let us open doors, expand knowledge, and make a difference-the Coppin way.
The School of Graduate Studies and Research catalog includes information on Coppin State University’s programs, courses, graduate policies and regulations. Additional information and Graduate Studies updates may be obtained by visiting the web site: https://www.coppin.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions
Sincerely,
Ronald C. Williams, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
School of Graduate Studies and Research
Summary Mission Statement
Approved by the Board of Regents, University System of Maryland
Coppin State University is an urban, comprehensive, and Historically Black Institution. Building on a legacy of excellence in teacher preparation in the metropolitan community, the university offers quality undergraduate and graduate programs in teacher education, liberal arts, health professions, technology and STEM disciplines.
Coppin, as an anchor institution, is committed to providing educational access and diverse opportunities for all students while emphasizing its unique role in educating residents of Metropolitan Baltimore and first-generation college students. Coppin is committed to community engagement and partnering with businesses, governmental and non-governmental agencies to meet workforce demands; preparing globally competent students; strengthening the economic development of Baltimore, Maryland and developing stronger strategic partnerships.
As a constituent institution of the USM, Coppin will continue to adopt and support USM’s strategic goals.
History of the University and The School of Graduate Studies
Coppin State University is a model urban, residential liberal arts university located in the northwest section of the City of Baltimore that provides academic programs in the arts and sciences, teacher education, nursing, graduate studies, and continuing education. An HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Coppin has a culturally rich history as an institution providing quality educational programs and community outreach services. Coppin offers 53 majors, 14 graduate-degree, and 15 graduate certificate programs. A fully accredited institution, Coppin serves Baltimore residents as well as students from around the world, with flexible course schedules that include convenient day, evening, and weekend classes and online courses.
Founded in 1900, Coppin was founded in 1900 at what was then called Colored High School (later named Douglass High School) on Pennsylvania Avenue by the Baltimore City School Board who initiated a one-year training course for the preparation of African American elementary school teachers. By 1902, the training program was expanded to a two-year Normal Department within the high school, and seven years later it was separated from the high school and given its own principal.
In 1926, this facility for teacher training was named Fanny Jackson Coppin Normal School in honor of the outstanding African American woman who was a pioneer in teacher education. Fanny Jackson Coppin was born a slave in Washington, D.C. She gained her freedom, graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio, and founded the Philadelphia Institute that was the forerunner of Cheyney State University.
By 1938 the curriculum of the normal school was lengthened to four years, authority was given for the granting of the Bachelor of Science degree, and the name of the Normal School was changed to Coppin Teachers College. In 1950, Coppin became part of the higher education system of Maryland under the State Department of Education and renamed Coppin State Teachers College. Two years later Coppin moved to its present site on West North Avenue.
In acknowledgment of the goals and objectives of the College, the Board of Trustees ruled in 1963 that the institution’s degree-granting authority would no longer be restricted to teacher education. Following this ruling, Coppin was officially renamed Coppin State College, and in 1967 the first Bachelor of Arts degree was conferred. In 1988, the College became part of the newly organized University of Maryland System (now the University System of Maryland.)
In 1972, a graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling was begun, leading to a Master of Education (M.Ed.) Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling.
In 1992, the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland (USM) and the Maryland Higher Education Council (MHEC) approved the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. This program is designed to prepare people with a liberal arts degree for a career in teaching. When students successfully complete the MAT program, they are eligible for certification in elementary education or secondary education. This program has Interstate Certification Compact (ICC) approval, assuring graduates of reciprocal certification without transcript evaluation in the ICC member states.
In 1999, USM and MHEC approved the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Distance Learning), Master of Science in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner) and Master of Science in Human Services Administration. The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction program is designed as a non-traditional approach to the delivery of instruction to meet the needs of a population of adult learners. It is delivered via a distance-learning format to assist adult learners in continuing their professional growth in a flexible manner while avoiding scheduling and personal conflicts that plague many adult learners today.
The purpose of the Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner program is to prepare practitioners to provide advanced primary health care to the underserved population in the urban setting.
The Master of Science program in Human Services Administration is a fully collaborative joint program between Coppin and the University of Baltimore. It is designed to prepare students for professional careers in the field of human services administration in a variety of settings (corporate, governmental, nonprofit and community).
In January 2000, the Board of Regents for the USM and MHEC approved the Master of Science in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling. As a human services program, it matches the institution’s mission and enhances its portfolio of human service programs to meet the needs of the citizens of Baltimore and the surrounding metropolitan area. Upon successful completion of the program, people are prepared for professional careers in alcohol and substance abuse counseling.
In 2001, the Master of Science in Reading was approved by the Board of Regents and MHEC. This program was designed to prepare reading specialists to competently meet the challenges and standards of providing excellence in reading instruction.
In 2003, Dr. Stanley F. Battle was appointed the third president of Coppin State College.
In 2005, the institution’s name was changed to Coppin State University and reorganization of academic programs resulted in the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Professional Studies, the School of Education, the School of Nursing, the School of Graduate Studies and the Honors College.
Presidents
For more information on the history of Coppin State University, please visit our web site at http://www.coppin.edu/info/200737/
Mission Statement
The School of Graduate Studies at Coppin State University offers professional programs and prepares students for advanced graduate work. The major goal is to provide a learning environment conducive to the development of skills, attitudes and competencies, which are applicable to growth and development in an urban setting and global environment.
The School of Graduate Studies has a strong commitment to excellence and makes a continuous effort to make its programs relevant to the changing needs of students, to the professional communities it serves, and to society. Applied research and public service endeavors are encouraged in keeping with the University’s overall urban mission.
The School of Graduate Studies offers Master’s degree programs through the departments of Instructional Leadership and Professional Development, Teaching and Learning, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Psychology, Counseling and Behavioral Health, and Applied Social and Political Sciences as well as a variety of professional advancement sequences in education and human services. All programs provide learning experiences which develop, in students, varied bodies of knowledge designed to enrich their lives, foster a commitment to ethical, intellectual, and social values, and encourage the pursuit of life-long learning.
Organization and Objectives
The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and the Graduate Council provide oversight for all doctoral, master’s degree programs, post-master’s certificates, and post-baccalaureate studies. They are responsible for establishing and maintaining degree and certificate requirements in accordance with the policies of the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents and the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).
Graduate departments are charged with delivering instruction, guiding student learning, conducting examinations, enforcing academic requirements, and recommending students for advancement to candidacy and graduation. Admission decisions are made by the School of Graduate Studies and Research Admissions Committee, while the Office of Records and Registration manage official academic transactions, including enrollment verification and degree conferral.
School of Graduate Studies & Research Objectives
The School of Graduate Studies & Research is dedicated to:
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