This entry provides a definition of a proprietary college or university, reviews diversity at proprietary colleges and universities, and recommends areas for future research on the topic.

Definition of a Proprietary College

There are thousands of proprietary schools in the United States, and they are quite diverse. Like traditional nonprofit schools, proprietary colleges and universities vary dramatically in size, mission, and income. Some proprietary schools prepare students for trades or vocations, while others offer the same degrees that nonproprietary schools offer. As a convention, most scholars who study and write about proprietary colleges and universities focus on the degree-granting proprietary schools because they are most like traditional colleges and universities. It is argued that in this way, proprietary and nonproprietary schools can be better understood and more ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles