The Program
The University’s total fall 2010 enrollment of 2,982 includes 1,290 women and men at the undergraduate level who choose from studies in 29 majors. Overall enrollment reflects 30 percent students of color. Students come to Notre Dame from 19 states and 15 countries. The 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio allows professors the opportunity to engage with students in meaningful and substantive exchanges. Approximately 90 percent of all full-time faculty members hold the highest degree obtainable in their field of study and nearly two-thirds of the University’s faculty members are women.
Academic Programs
Notre Dame’s distinguished academic programs include education, biology, communication arts, English, business, and psychology. Innovative programs for women and men expand Notre Dame’s educational reach through the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies, serving part-time undergraduate students; and through the College of Graduate Studies, offering master’s degree programs in management, nonprofit management, nursing, liberal studies, communicating in contemporary culture, and education degrees which include a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and a Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations.
Student Activities
Leadership opportunities abound for Notre Dame’s undergraduate students in academic, athletic, and student life areas. A strong internship program provides students opportunities to test different areas of interest, gain valuable experience, and make important contacts in the professional world. Service-learning projects within courses enable students to work directly with local organizations, using their knowledge and skills while assisting worthwhile programs. Community service is a prominent value at Notre Dame, with the Academic Career and Enrichment Center (ACE) and the Office of Campus Ministry linking students to nonprofit enterprises throughout the area. Students also have the opportunity to participate in research projects and international study trips under the guidance of faculty mentors.
Institutional Development
Notre Dame of Maryland actively pursues funding from private and public sources to support faculty and student research and scholarship. Federal grants have included awards from National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The State of Maryland has also provided significant support for Nursing programs and School of Pharmacy capital projects at Notre Dame. Frequent partnerships with other institutions and community organizations also give Notre Dame extensive opportunities for collaboration. In partnership with the Davis United World College Scholars Program, Notre Dame students have been awarded $10,000 grants for Projects for Peace proposals in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Recent grant awards in 2010-2011, for areas including education, nursing, pharmacy, and athletics totaled nearly $1 million.
Academic Partnerships
Academic partnerships include institutions in the Baltimore area and in Japan, Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea and London. Many students choose to study abroad in one of more than 35 semester and 19 summer programs in more than 40 countries. The Notre Dame population is increasingly international, with students from outside the United States studying in both credit and noncredit programs.
Notre Dame’s five-year strategic plan (2008-2013) has Global Citizenship as one of its signature goals. An important focus of this particular goal is developing programs to address sustainability across the campus and throughout the larger community. Other major goals of the strategic plan include Centers of Excellence in adult education, the sciences, education and the linking of liberal arts and professional programs; Ensuring a Distinctive Learning Environment; and Driving Growth through Innovation.
Master Facility Plan
A robust master facility plan created by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern has guided the University’s development, providing for investments of more than $120 million in campus infrastructure, and laying a blueprint for continued aggressive growth. The institution is in the quiet phase of a comprehensive campaign with more than $11 million raised toward a minimum goal of $30 million.