Kaplan University
Kaplan University (KU) was a private online for-profit university owned by Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company. It was predominantly a distance learning institution, maintaining 14 ground locations across the United States. The university was named in honor of Stanley H. Kaplan, who founded Kaplan Test Prep. It was regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of seven major accrediting bodies in the U.S., but some programs did not have the field-specific accreditation needed for graduates to obtain certification.
| Type | Private online for-profit university subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Active | 1937–2018 |
Parent institution | Kaplan Higher Education Corporation, Graham Holdings Company |
| President | Betty Vandenbosch |
Academic staff | Nearly 3,600 |
| Students | 30,000 online and campus-based students |
| Location | , Iowa , United States (with main administrative building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) |
| Campus | 14 campuses in Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin and 1 Kaplan University Learning Center in Maryland |
| Website | KaplanUniversity.edu |
In 2017, Graham sold Kaplan University to Purdue University for $1, with the aim of changing it into a nonprofit online institution now known as Purdue University Global. The acquisition, announced in April 2017, was completed in March 2018.