University of Phoenix

The University of Phoenix (UPX,UoP UOPX) is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is a publicly traded Samp;P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona. The university has more than 200 campuses worldwide and confers degrees in over 100 degree programs at the associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels, although there have been some reports that the university degree is not accepted at many high-level corporations. The University of Phoenix is one of the largest higher education providers in North America. Although the university attained a peak enrollment of almost 600,000 students in 2010, a 30% enrollment drop in 2011 has been attributed to operational changes amid criticism of high debt loads and low job prospects for UOPX students. These changes include allowing students to try classes before officially enrolling and recruiter training programs that are designed to improve student retention and completion rates. University of Phoenix has an open enrollment admission policy, requiring a high-school diploma, GED, or its equivalent as its criteria for admissions. The school also provides associate or bachelor's degree applicants opportunity for advanced placement through its prior learning assessment, which, aside from previous coursework, college credit can come from experiential learning essays, corporate training, and certificates or licenses.