For the first time ever, University of Maryland University College (UMUC) takes its regionally accredited and award-winning Master of Business Administration (MBA) program to military bases in Asia.

UMUC will begin offering the MBA there after being awarded a seven-year education contract by the U.S. Department of Defense in May to deliver programs on-site to U.S. troops stationed in countries in the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM). Under the contract, UMUC will be the exclusive provider of undergraduate coursework in liberal arts and business and the master’s degree in business administration.

UMUC, which has been providing higher education to military servicemembers in Asia since 1956 and in Europe since 1949, began offering MBA courses to active-duty military in Europe for the first time in 2013. Today, nearly 140 students are currently enrolled in courses at bases in that region. This latest contract makes it possible for UMUC to extend the reach of its offerings for years to come.

"We are very excited to offer our award-winning MBA program to active-duty soldiers in Asia," said Aric Krause, dean of UMUC's Graduate School. "We know that military students come to our program with tremendous leadership skills and are looking to give themselves advanced management training that will help them in the military as well as their post-military career."

The MBA classes will be taught by UMUC faculty who are experts in their subject areas, participate regularly in academic conferences, and hold advanced degrees in their fields. Students are not required to have an undergraduate degree in business to pursue their MBA.

"Helping our servicemembers achieve their career aspirations with this MBA program is perhaps one of the most exciting highlights of my career," Krause continued. "As a veteran myself, I work at UMUC because serving the active-duty community is so deeply ingrained in the university's DNA."

MBA classes start on October 7, 2015. Initially, courses are being offered at Kadena, Yokosuka, and Yongsan military installations, with plans to expand to most of the larger military communities in Okinawa. Further expansion plans will be determined by student demand.

View some of the many highlights of the new UMUC Asia MBA program. For more information, email mba-asia@umgc.edu or visit www.asia.umuc.edu/mba.

UMUC MBA Program Highlights

• Offers four 10-week terms per year with 42 credits offered in on-site, hybrid, and online formats.
• Won the Best Practices Award (Silver) in Distance Learning Programming-Higher Education from the U.S. Distance Learning Association.
• Awarded the Outstanding eLearning Program from the Instructional Technology Council.
• Accredited through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).
• Prepares students for upper-management and executive-level positions.
• Helps build a foundation for effective leadership while serving overseas.
• Develops skills to master the organizational and management processes of large public or private institutions.

About University of Maryland University College

UMUC was recently named 2015 Global Educator of the Year by the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C., for its role as a leader in innovative education models. It is also currently ranked as the #1 "Best for Vets" college by Military Times and has received the prestigious 2015 President's Award from the Open Education Consortium for its plan to replace publisher textbooks with embedded digital resources in all classes by fall 2016. In addition, UMUC's cyber competition teams have won 10 titles in the past four years, including the 2014 Global CyberLympics in Barcelona, Spain, and the first-ever Cyber DiploHack, sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

A pioneer in distance education since 1947, UMUC today is harnessing the power of learning science and technology to deliver high-quality education that is accessible and affordable. UMUC offers open access with a global footprint and a specific mission—to meet the learning needs of adult students whose responsibilities may include jobs, family, and military service.