University of Massachusetts Global: An Overview

University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global), formerly Brandman University, is a private, nonprofit online university headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. As an affiliate of the University of Massachusetts, UMass Global is committed to serving adult learners by providing accessible and relevant education that fits into their busy lives.

History and Affiliation

The institutional history of UMass Global began in 1958 when faculty from then-Chapman College delivered on-base classes at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Orange County, California. Over time, Chapman expanded its educational services to additional military facilities and formed a Division of Residence Education Centers to manage these operations. This division evolved into the College of Lifelong Learning, which later became Chapman University College in 2001.

In September 2021, Brandman University affiliated with the University of Massachusetts (UMass) through a change of control agreement and rebranded as UMass Global. This development followed UMass' announcement two years prior that it would launch an online affiliate. The arrangement calls for Chapman to receive $96 million from UMass Global, with disbursements to be made over a 10-year term.

Accreditation and Recognition

UMass Global is accredited by the WSCUC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The university has also been repeatedly honored by U.S. News & World Report for educational excellence in its online bachelor’s programs, as well as master’s programs in business and education.

Academic Programs

UMass Global offers over 55 online programs tailored for workplace relevance, including associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, along with teaching credentials, stackable certificates, and authorizations. UMass Global faculty have their pulse on current employer needs and are committed to continuously updating and improving the curriculum to reflect what is going on in the real world. All UMass Global coursework is 100 percent online, which meshes with the busy lives of our non-traditional students. Many degree and certificate options are available in MyPath - UMass Global’s online, self-paced, competency-based education model.

Student Support and Success

UMass Global supports students at all stages of their academic career. An academic advisor will stay with you throughout your degree program and a One Stop Specialist will be there to help you finance your education. Our helpful career coaches can also work with you to align your studies with your career goals. UMass Global boasts high graduation and student satisfaction rates with 9 out of 10 former Brandman students stating they would recommend the University to their friends.

Financial Aid and Planning

Students who enroll in an undergraduate or graduate degree program may apply for financial aid to help finance their education. UMass Global also deployed Regent Plan, which provides informed planning, smart borrowing, and improved support to help students borrow responsibly and minimize debt while completing degree programs.

Partnerships

The University partners with organizations to help recruit, retain, and meet employer needs. One example of this model is the Automobile Club of Southern California, a AAA affiliate which has employees in 21 states including California. This employer-sponsored higher education enables employees to work toward college degrees without skipping a beat on the job. In addition, through a partnership with Guild Education, UMass Global is proud to offer online education to the employees of companies such as Discover, Disney, and Walmart, to name a few.

Efficiency and Technology

UMass Global has reported impressive efficiency metrics for processing both non-term and term-based financial aid. The automated processing, document management, and automatic tasks enabled by Regent Award and Regent Review have enabled the financial aid team to effectively manage two enrollment models and UMass Global’s corporate partnerships benefits program; reduce staff; and increase disbursements. This efficiency is true for both enrollment models and the diverse financial aid benefits offered by UMass Global’s corporate partners. On the regulatory side, federal updates are run in the background regularly, eliminating the margin for human error and reducing costly compliance risks. And, on the usability front, Regent’s intuitive navigation means that the average staff member can become an expert with less than a day of instruction. UMass Global also selected Regent Award for Salesforce - the only higher ed financial aid app on the Salesforce AppExchange - to enable its enrollment and student-success teams to access key financial aid insights to aid in student recruiting and advising, respectively.

Student Experience

UMass Global counts student service improvements among its successes as well. Students can gain real-time access to their accounts via a self-service portal, which offers a level of immediacy and transparency that didn’t exist previously. With staff no longer spending time on manual workarounds, when a student does need help, someone is available to deliver the personalized support that a community of students from diverse backgrounds with needs requires.

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