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COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, New Dining Hall, Coppin State University, Baltimore, Maryland] Set on thirty-eight acres in northwest Baltimore City, Coppin State University is an historically African-American liberal arts college. A four-year institution, Coppin offers academic programs through five divisions: Arts and Sciences; Education; Honors and McNair Program; Nursing; and Graduate Studies. The fully accredited residential campus serves Baltimore residents and students from around the world. Coppin offers flexibility in course scheduling with convenient day, evening and weekend classes.

New Dining Hall, Coppin State University, Baltimore, Maryland, 2004. Photo by Thomas Henderson.

The origin of Coppin State University dates to 1900. In that year, the Baltimore City School Board initiated a one-year course for the training of African-American elementary school teachers at Douglass High School on Pennsylvania Avenue. In 1902, the program expanded to a two-year Normal Department within the high school. The Department became a separate institution with its own principal in 1909. This facility for teacher training in 1926 was named the Coppin Normal School to honor Fannie Jackson Coppin (1837-1913), educator, missionary, and outstanding African-American pioneer in teacher education. In 1938, the School was renamed Coppin Teachers College with a four-year curriculum and authority to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. The College became Coppin State Teachers College at its present location in 1952 and was renamed Coppin State College in 1963 when the institution's authority to grant degrees became more comprehensive (Chapter 41, Acts of 1963). In 1988, the College joined the University of Maryland System (Chapter 246, Acts of 1988). The System was renamed University System of Maryland in 1997 (Chapter 114, Acts of 1997). In April 2004, the College was renamed Coppin State University (Chapter 63, Acts of 2004).

The University is organized into five divisions: Arts and Sciences; Education; Graduate Studies; Honors; and Nursing.

ARTS & SCIENCES DIVISION

Within the Arts and Sciences Division are eleven departments: Applied Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling; Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement; Fine and Communication Arts; History, Geography and Global Studies; Humanities and Media; Management Science and Economics; Mathematics and Computer Science; Military Science; Natural Sciences; Social Sciences; and Social Work.

EDUCATION DIVISION

At Coppin State University, the Education Division is responsible for four main departments: Adult and General Education; Curriculum and Instruction; Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance; and Special Education.

GRADUATE STUDIES DIVISION

The Graduate Studies Division started in 1968 when a graduate program in special education was initiated. Since then, the Division has expanded to offer degrees in Adult and General Education; Correctional Education; Criminal Justice; Curriculum and Instruction; Family Nurse Practitioner; Human Services Administration; Reading; Rehabilitation Counseling; Special Education; and Teaching.

HONORS DIVISION

In the fall of 1990, the Honors Division was established at Coppin State College. Now, under Coppin State University, the Division administers the Honors Program, and the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program.

McNAIR SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The McNair Scholars Program prepares junior undergraduates for doctoral study. The Program began in 1989 with funds granted from the U.S. Department of Education.

NURSING DIVISION

The Nursing Division oversees the Helene Fuld School of Nursing, and the Coppin State University Division of Nursing Community Health Center.

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