Morgan State University

Morgan State University is a public historically Black research university located in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1867, it is one of the nation’s oldest historically Black colleges and universities and operates as Maryland’s designated public urban research university. Morgan State offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees across disciplines including engineering, business, education, architecture, social sciences, and the arts. The university is classified among doctoral institutions with high research activity and enrolls a diverse student body from Maryland, across the United States, and internationally. Students drawn to Morgan State University often seek a campus experience rooted in the HBCU tradition, strong professional programs, and opportunities for research and community engagement in an urban setting.

Morgan State University was founded in 1867 in Baltimore, Maryland, as the Centenary Biblical Institute, a seminary established by the Methodist Episcopal Church to train young men for the ministry. Classes were first held at Sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1890, the institution was renamed Morgan College in honor of Lyttleton F. Morgan, a minister and board chairman who supported the school’s growth. The mission expanded beyond theological education to include teacher preparation and liberal arts study, and women were admitted in the nineteenth century. In 1939, the State of Maryland purchased the college, renaming it Morgan State College and broadening its public role. In 1975, the institution was granted university status and became Morgan State University. Over time, Morgan State University developed graduate and doctoral programs and grew into a public research university serving a diverse student population in Baltimore.