University of the Potomac

About University of the Potomac

University of the Potomac began in 1989 as the Potomac Educational Foundation and opened as Potomac College in Maryland in 1991. It relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1997, expanded into online education in 2007, and adopted its present name in 2013. Its former Chicago learning site closed in December 2022; the university currently operates its licensed main campus in Washington, a branch campus in Falls Church, Virginia, and online programs. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirmed the university’s institutional accreditation on March 18, 2025, with the next evaluation visit scheduled for 2031–2032. The D.C. Higher Education Licensure Commission licenses the Washington site. Official federal information reproduced by the university characterizes it as proprietary, meaning it operates as a private for-profit institution. Potomac’s mission centers on career enhancement for multicultural adult learners. Its model emphasizes practitioner-led instruction, small classes, and flexible campus and online delivery rather than a traditional residential or research-intensive experience. Management, information technology, and business remain its central academic areas, with additional offerings in education, healthcare, data, hospitality, and geospatial fields. The Washington record should be understood as the main-campus reporting unit of University of the Potomac, not as a separate university from the Falls Church branch. Prospective students should compare delivery modes carefully: the university promotes both on-campus and online study, but its D.C. campus page cautions that individual classes may be offered at either the D.C. or Virginia location.

Admission requirements depend on level and applicant status. Undergraduate applicants should follow the university’s general application process and provide evidence of completed secondary education. Master’s applicants need a bachelor’s degree or an international equivalent; the admissions page also identifies two recommendations among the graduate materials. Doctoral applicants face a more extensive review that includes a résumé or curriculum vitae, two academic or professional recommendations, an essay addressing preparation, research interests, and goals, and a video interview. GRE or GMAT results are optional for doctoral admission. The August 2026 catalog gives separate rules for international students. International undergraduates must provide official secondary-school evidence translated into English, proof of finances, and immigration identity documents where applicable. Its listed English thresholds include TOEFL iBT 70, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 80, or specified alternatives. For international master’s applicants, the listed thresholds rise to TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, or Duolingo 90; doctoral applicants need TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, or Duolingo 100. Waivers are available in defined educational and nationality circumstances. The university does not publish a single universal deadline on the cited requirements page. Applicants should request the deadline and intended start session for their exact program, delivery mode, and immigration status. International applicants should allow additional time for credential review, financial documentation, and I-20 processing. Admission to the university should not be assumed to guarantee that every required class will meet in person at the Washington campus.

University of the Potomac awards degrees from the associate level through professional doctorates. Its current program listings include bachelor’s study in areas such as accounting, business, computer science, cybersecurity and policy, data analytics and management, early childhood development, health information management, hospitality and tourism, information technology, international business, and government contract management. Graduate options include business administration, accounting, computer science, data analytics, education, geospatial information technology, healthcare administration, healthcare informatics, and information technology. The doctoral portfolio comprises the Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Computer Science, and Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership. The August 2026 catalog states that a bachelor’s degree normally requires 120 credits, including 30 general-education credits, while a master’s degree requires 36 credits. Doctoral programs require 60 credits and a successful dissertation defense. Minimum residence-credit rules apply at every level, so transfer applicants should obtain a program-specific evaluation before estimating completion time or cost. Programs are built around applied and professional study rather than a broad liberal-arts or laboratory-research model. The university describes its faculty as professionally and academically qualified practitioners and offers both location-based and online learning. Even so, availability should be checked program by program: a degree appearing on the university-wide list does not guarantee that every course can be completed in person at the Washington campus. Students considering regulated careers should also verify independently whether a program meets the licensing or certification rules of the jurisdiction where they intend to work.

Key Highlights

• Licensed main campus in Washington, D.C., with a Virginia branch and online study options
• MSCHE accreditation reaffirmed on March 18, 2025
• Established in 1989 and renamed University of the Potomac in 2013
• Career-oriented institution serving a multicultural, adult-learner population

Student Life & Environment

Student life at Potomac differs from the residential-campus model. The Washington site occupies a downtown suite with classrooms and practical academic facilities rather than a large self-contained campus. Officially listed facilities include computer labs, a library, conference rooms, faculty and staff offices, and admissions offices. The university does not advertise institution-operated residence halls; instead, it directs students to a third-party off-campus housing search service. Students should therefore plan independently for rent, commuting, meals, and other living arrangements. Student Support Services provides academic, international, military, financial-aid, and disability-support contacts. Career Development Services offers workshops covering résumé development, interviews, employment applications, and networking. These services can be useful for working adults and international students navigating a compact institution, but students seeking extensive clubs, athletics, recreation facilities, or a conventional residential social environment should ask admissions what is currently active at the D.C. campus. The university explicitly states that it does not provide personal or psychological counseling. Students who request such support are referred to community resources through Student Services. That limitation is important when comparing support systems. The central location can broaden access to Washington’s public, cultural, and professional activities, but participation in city life and community building will depend substantially on the student’s own initiative, schedule, and commute.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus is at 1401 H Street NW, Suite 100, in Washington’s downtown government and business district. It is three blocks from the White House, adjacent to McPherson Square Metro station, and about three blocks from Metro Center. Those connections make the campus reachable from several parts of the District, Maryland, and Northern Virginia without a car. The setting places students near federal agencies, businesses, embassies, international organizations, nonprofits, museums, and major civic institutions. This can be useful for students studying government contracting, business, technology, international business, or related professional subjects, although the university does not promise internships simply because of its location. Students should budget for the realities of a central-city campus. Potomac does not present the D.C. location as a residential campus, and accommodation must be arranged separately. The immediate campus facilities are compact, while dining, recreation, and much of the social environment come from the surrounding city. Applicants should also confirm their timetable and teaching location before committing to housing, since the university says classes may be offered at either the Washington or Falls Church campus.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university’s current tuition page uses program-level and per-credit pricing rather than one campus-wide annual figure. It lists domestic tuition of $240 per credit for associate and bachelor’s programs, $450 for master’s programs, and $517 for doctoral study. Published international rates are $588 per undergraduate credit and $900 per master’s credit, while the doctoral rate shown is $517. Technology fees are charged by three-credit course, and the page also lists estimated book expenses and administrative fees. Actual totals can change with transfer credit, repeated courses, examinations, and study pace, so students should request an individualized written estimate. The August 2026 catalog describes several scholarships, including an international tuition scholarship that may cover up to 35% of normal international tuition for eligible new full-time students. It also identifies a Good Hope Scholarship for qualifying students from the Washington metropolitan area. Scholarship eligibility, renewal standards, and interaction with other aid should be confirmed before relying on an award. Career Development Services offers practical job-search workshops in résumé writing, interviewing, employment applications, and networking. The institution’s curriculum is designed for career enhancement, particularly in business and technology-related fields. However, the reviewed official sources do not establish placement rates, typical salaries, guaranteed internships, or specific employer pipelines. Students should evaluate likely outcomes using the curriculum, their prior experience, location, work authorization, and the relevance of the selected degree to their target occupation.