The University of Michigan–Dearborn (UM-Dearborn) is a public university located in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1959 with a donation from the Ford Motor Company. At first, it was called the Dearborn Center and operated as a branch of the University of Michigan. In 1970, after receiving its own official recognition, it became a full university and was renamed the University of Michigan–Dearborn. It follows the rules set by the University of Michigan Board of Regents and does not have its own separate leadership group.

UM-Dearborn is classified as an "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research spending and doctorate production" in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, as of the 2025 update. It is located in Metro Detroit and is known for its efforts to work closely with the local community. Along with Oakland University, the University of Michigan-Flint, and Wayne State University, UM-Dearborn is one of four members of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) in Michigan.

The university’s athletic teams are called the Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines. They mainly compete in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference. The University of Michigan-Dearborn Fieldhouse, which opened in 1978, is the home venue for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Notable alumni include Kumar Galhotra, a former chief operating officer of Ford Motor Company; Saul Anuzis, a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party; and George Darany, a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives.

History

The story of UM-Dearborn began in the mid-1950s with Archie Pearson, who was the director of training at Ford Motor Company. Pearson studied the needs of Ford’s future workers and found that there would be a growing shortage of college-educated engineers and junior administrators. To solve this, Pearson quietly contacted colleges in Metro Detroit to see if they could change their programs to meet the needs of the automotive industry.

On December 17, 1956, Ford Motor Company gave land and money to the University of Michigan’s Regents to create a branch campus in Dearborn. This branch would offer upper-division undergraduate and master’s programs. In February 1957, the University of Michigan’s Regents agreed to accept the gift and started building the Dearborn Center.

The Dearborn Center required students in business and engineering to complete work-study programs, which gave them real-world experience to help them find jobs. The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor would provide courses in liberal arts and other subjects needed to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Construction of the campus began on May 22, 1958, and William E. Stirton became the first director on October 1, 1958.

The campus opened with 34 students on September 28, 1959. In 1960, it added programs in liberal arts, electrical engineering, and teacher education. The first 12 graduates received their degrees on January 20, 1962. In 1963, the campus was renamed the Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan to show it was an independent part of the university.

In 1969, a planning committee suggested adding lower-division undergraduate courses and expanding non-cooperative programs. The University of Michigan’s Regents approved these ideas in November 1969.

In 1970, a bill was proposed to make the Dearborn campus an independent university named “Fairlane University.” However, this idea failed due to strong opposition from students and faculty. That same year, Oakland University became independent from Michigan State University. Meanwhile, the Dearborn campus continued to grow, earning its own accreditation in August 1970 and being renamed the University of Michigan–Dearborn (UM–Dearborn) in April 1971.

In 1972, a similar change happened in Virginia, where George Mason College became George Mason University. In August 1970, UM–Dearborn received its first independent accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In April 1971, it was officially named UM–Dearborn. Leonard E. Goodall became its first chancellor in July 1971, and the university became a four-year institution in the fall of 1971, welcoming 313 freshmen. Enrollment grew to 1,369 that year. By 1979, enrollment reached over 6,000 students. In 1973, UM–Dearborn announced a $19 million campus development plan and created its Alumni Society.

Between 1978 and 1980, three new buildings were added: the Fieldhouse and Ice Arena, the University Library, and the University Mall. These changes shifted the campus center south of the original buildings.

In July 1980, William A. Jenkins became the second chancellor of UM–Dearborn. He faced financial challenges due to a state recession, which cut the university’s budget by $500,000 in 1981. In 1981, history professor Sidney Bolkosky started the Holocaust Survivor Oral History Project. Minority enrollment reached 9.6% in 1983. In 1984–85, the state increased the university’s funding, allowing it to restore salary raises. In 1986, UM–Dearborn opened the Armenian Research Center, the first of its kind at a university.

In November 1988, Blenda Wilson became the third chancellor. In 1989, the university began a $11.6 million renovation project funded by the state. In 1990, the university ended its varsity ice hockey program, and hockey became a club sport. In 1991, graduate enrollment reached 1,000 for the first time, and tuition revenue surpassed state funding. In 1992, Wilson resigned to take a position at California State University.

In 1993, James C. Renick became the fourth chancellor. In 1995 and 1996, total enrollment reached new records (8,214 and 8,324, respectively). In 1997, UM–Dearborn started its first graduate program in the College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters: a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. In 1999, the FUTURES Planning Resource Council said UM–Dearborn’s top goal was to become a nationally respected regional university.

In 2000, Daniel E. Little became the fifth chancellor. In 2001, the Environmental Interpretive Center and the CASL Building opened. In 2003, enrollment reached 9,000 for the first time, and graduate enrollment made up 25% of total students. In 2004, the university acquired the Fairlane Training Center from Ford and renamed it the Fairlane Center. In 2006, UM–Dearborn opened its Science Learning and Research Center. In 2008, the University of Michigan approved doctoral programs in Automotive Systems Engineering and Information Systems Engineering. In 2009, a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program was approved. In May 2009, the University of Michigan announced the renaming of the School of Management as the College of…

Campus

The UM–Dearborn campus is located on the old estate of Henry Ford. It is divided into several parts: The Henry Ford Estate, known as Fair Lane, The Fairlane Center, Main Campus, and the Early Childhood Education Center, which is just south of campus. In addition, the university has over 70 acres (283,000 m²) of nature preserve and a bird observatory called the Rouge River Bird Observatory. This observatory has operated on campus since 1992 and is the longest-running, full-time urban bird research station in North America.

Main Campus includes the facilities for the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), the Environmental Interpretive Center, Administration, the Mardigian Library, the Institute for Advanced Vehicle Studies, the University Center, the Computing Building, and the Fieldhouse. Within both CASL and CECS, many different buildings house programs, departments, research centers, student life centers, and academic resources.

Fair Lane and the nature preserve west of campus are along the Rouge River. There is a small waterfall, rose garden, meadow, lake, and reflecting pond surrounded by acres of forest. The forest has many walking paths that connect the Environmental Interpretive Center, Henry Ford Community College, Downtown West Dearborn, Hines Drive, the university's Main Campus, and Fair Lane. Fair Lane has recently been handed over to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. The Edsel Ford Estate will work on restoring the property, which will cost 50 million dollars or more. Most of the funding will be used for full home restoration and grounds preservation. The project will open rooms that were not available for public tours before.

Organization

UM-Dearborn, a branch of the University of Michigan, has followed the rules of the University of Michigan's Board of Regents since it received official approval in 1970. The Board of Regents is the leadership group responsible for choosing the university president. The president leads meetings of the Board but does not vote. Instead, the president suggests a person to be the chancellor, who must be approved by the Board of Regents. The chancellor is the top administrator and manages daily operations of the university.

• Leonard E. Goodall (August 1971 – June 1979)
• William A. Jenkins (July 1980 – June 1988)
• Blenda J. Wilson (July 1988 – August 1992)
• James C. Renick (January 1993 – July 1999)
• Bernard W. Klein (July 1979 – June 1980 (acting), September – December 1992 (interim), July 1999 – June 2000 (interim))
• Daniel E. Little (July 2000 – July 2018)
• Domenico Grasso (August 2018 – May 2025)
• Gabriella Scarlatta (May 2025 – present (interim))

The UM-Dearborn faculty governance includes three groups: the Faculty Congress, Faculty Senate, and Faculty Senate Council. The Faculty Senate's decisions remain valid unless the Faculty Congress changes them. The campus has four representatives in the Senate Assembly, which includes 77 members from all three university campuses.

In the fiscal year 2022–23, UM-Dearborn's operating budget was $192 million. This budget comes from four main sources: the General Fund ($165.41 million), Expendable Restricted Funds ($24.91 million), Auxiliary Funds ($1.25 million), and Designated Funds ($500,000). The Office of Budget and Planning reports that student tuition and fees contributed $135.3 million to the General Fund, which is 70.46% of the total budget. The State of Michigan provided $28.18 million, or 14.67% of the budget. Revenue from government-sponsored programs added $20.5 million to the Expendable Restricted Funds, which is 10.67% of the total budget.

UM-Dearborn has four colleges: the College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters (CASL), the College of Engineering & Computer Science (CECS), the College of Business (COB), and the College of Education, Health, & Human Services (CEHHS).

The College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), pronounced "castle," offers five graduate programs, 32 undergraduate majors, and programs in environmental sciences, mathematics, applied statistics, physical sciences, religious diversity, cultural studies, health policy studies, health psychology, civic engagement, and leadership. CASL began as the Literature, Science, and the Arts division in 1960 and became a college in 1973.

The main building houses CASL's administrative offices and departments such as Behavioral Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Literature, Philosophy, Arts (LPA), and Language, Culture, and Communication (LCC). General classrooms and a campus television studio are located on the first floor. Other programs, like urban studies and criminal justice, are in buildings across campus.

Engineering at UM-Dearborn started in its first academic year and became the School of Engineering in 1973. It was renamed the College of Engineering and Computer Science in 1998. The college offers 11 undergraduate programs and 12 graduate programs, including six doctoral programs (four Ph.D. and two D.Eng.). These programs are in departments such as CIS, ECE, ME, and IMSE, and through college interdisciplinary programs. The college partners with the Rackham Graduate School in Ann Arbor to offer four Ph.D. programs:

• Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science
• Ph.D. in Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering
• Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Ph.D. in Mechanical Sciences and Engineering

The College of Business provides undergraduate and graduate programs. Business programs were organized as the School of Management in 1973 and became the College of Business in 2009.

The College of Education, Health, & Human Services (CEHHS) offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. It also provides teacher training certificates and opportunities at the Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). The Teacher Education program began in 1960, became the Division of Education in 1973, and was upgraded to the School of Education in 1987.

Academics

The 2022 annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report lists UM-Dearborn as "selective." For the Class of 2025 (students who started in fall 2021), the university received 8,065 applications and accepted 5,546 students, which is 68.8% of applicants. Of those accepted, 1,084 students enrolled, which is 19.5% of the accepted group.

The first-year class of 2025 had the following standardized test scores: the middle 50% of SAT scores ranged from 1050 to 1300, and the middle 50% of ACT scores ranged from 22 to 28.

UM-Dearborn’s freshman retention rate is 83.52%, meaning 83.52% of first-year students stayed for their second year. Of these students, 54.6% graduated within six years. The eight-year graduation rate is 58%, and 15% of students withdrew from the university. For students who received Pell Grants (nearly half of all undergraduate students), 56% graduated, and 18% withdrew.

The university offers nine ABET-accredited engineering bachelor’s degree programs. These programs include bioengineering, computer and information science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, robotics engineering, and software engineering.

The most common undergraduate majors for 2021 graduates were psychology (151 graduates), electrical and electronics engineering (136 graduates), mechanical engineering (117 graduates), biology/biological sciences (109 graduates), computer and information science (69 graduates), and public health education and promotion (68 graduates).

According to the U.S. Department of Education, as of 2024, students who received federal aid and attended UM-Dearborn had a median annual income of $59,649 ten years after starting their studies (based on earnings from 2020–2021, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars). This income is higher than the midpoint for all four-year schools ($53,617) and the U.S. real median personal income for 2021 ($40,460, adjusted to 2022 dollars).

The highest-earning fields of study for federally aided students include:
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering – Master’s Degree ($142,830 per year)
• Business Administration, Management and Operations – Master’s Degree ($128,921 per year)

The five highest-earning undergraduate fields of study for federally aided students are:
• Computer Programming – Bachelor’s Degree ($117,020 per year)
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering – Bachelor’s Degree ($106,893 per year)
• Mechanical Engineering – Bachelor’s Degree ($99,846 per year)
• Computer and Information Sciences, General – Bachelor’s Degree ($99,124 per year)
• Computer Engineering – Bachelor’s Degree ($99,036 per year)

Athletics

The university's athletic teams are called the Wolverines (or Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines). The team colors are maize and blue. The nickname "Wolverines" is also used by other collegiate teams, including the Michigan Wolverines, the Michigan–Flint Wolverines, the Utah Valley Wolverines, the Morris Brown Wolverines, and the Grove City Wolverines.

The university is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and mainly competes in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) since the 2004–05 academic year.

UM–Dearborn offers 16 intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Men's and women's bowling, along with women's ice hockey, were added in the 2018–19 academic year.

The softball team and men's ice hockey team won WHAC championships in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The men's basketball team was named WHAC tournament champions in 2018.

UM–Dearborn started varsity athletic competition in the fall of 1974 with soccer. From 1977 to 1990, the teams were called the Wolves. In October 1990, the athletics program changed significantly, with basketball and women's volleyball becoming NAIA sports, and hockey being moved to club sport status.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn Fieldhouse is where many athletic and recreational activities take place on campus. It opened in the fall of 1978. The Fieldhouse hosts home games for men's and women's basketball, ice hockey, and volleyball. A new hardwood floor was added to the gym in the summer of 2016.

• 1980 – Men's Ice Hockey (second place) – NAIA
• 1983 – Men's Ice Hockey (second place) – NAIA
• 1984 – Men's Ice Hockey (second place) – NAIA
• 1992 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Winners – CSCHL
• 1992 – Men's Ice Hockey (second place) – ACHA Division I
• 1993 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Winners – CSCHL
• 1998 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Winners – CSCHL
• 1998 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Winners – CSCHL
• 1999 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Winners – CSCHL
• 2008 – Men's Rugby State Winners – Division II Tier II
• 2016 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Winners – GLCHL
• 2017 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Tournament Winners – GLCHL
• 2017 – Softball Conference Winners – WHAC
• 2018 – Men's Basketball Conference Tournament Winners – WHAC
• 2018 – Men's Basketball – NAIA Division 2 National Tournament Appearance
• 2019 – Men's Ice Hockey Conference Winners – WHAC

Student life

There are more than 125 officially acknowledged student organizations (RSOs) and 9 university-sponsored organizations (USOs). Both RSOs and USOs include groups focused on interests such as: Greek Life, Academic/Professional Groups, Cultural and Ethnic Groups, Honor Societies, Political and Social Activist Groups, Recreational Groups, and Religious and Spiritual Groups.

University-sponsored organizations include:

• The Michigan Journal, the student newspaper of the University of Michigan–Dearborn since 1971.
• WUMD, the student radio station of the University of Michigan–Dearborn since 1979.
• Campus Video Network
• Greek Leadership Council
• The Lyceum
• Student Activities Board
• Student Government
• Student Organization Advisory Council (SOAC)
• The Wolf Pack

WUMD College Radio is a student-run radio station that plays a wide variety of music, including punk rock, bluegrass, jazz, electronica, and all styles in between. In 2007, the station began broadcasting live coverage of UM-Dearborn sports events.

As of 2022, the university has 8,224 students enrolled. Ninety-four percent of students are from Michigan. Nearly half of the student body are first-generation college students. The average GPA for incoming high school students was 3.68.

About half of UM-Dearborn’s students begin their studies directly after high school. The other half have previously attended college, either right before entering UM-Dearborn or at some point earlier in their lives or careers.

Notable people

• Anthony W. England – former dean
• Ismael Ahmed – director at the Michigan Department of Human Services
• Saul Anuzis – chairman of the Michigan Republican Party
• Mark Atkinson – one of the world's top diabetes researchers
• Susy Avery – former chair of the Michigan Republican Party
• Claire-Marie Brisson – academic, podcaster, and faculty member at Harvard University
• Ted Casteel – owner of Bethel Heights Vineyard in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
• George Darany – former member of the Michigan House of Representatives
• James R. Downing – President and CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Rima Fakih – model, actress, and winner of Miss USA 2010
• Kimberly Frost – novelist
• Kumar Galhotra – president of Ford North America
• Pamela Good – co-founder and CEO of "Beyond Basics," a nonprofit organization that provides literacy programs to students in Michigan
• Rudy Hatfield – professional basketball player for Barangay Ginebra Kings in the PBA
• Fadwa Hammoud – Solicitor General of Michigan
• Ian Hornak (1944–2002) – founding artist of the hyperrealist and photorealist art movements
• Hala Y. Jarbou – United States federal judge for the Western District of Michigan
• Jewell Jones – member of the Michigan House of Representatives
• Huda Kattan – makeup artist, beauty blogger, and founder of the cosmetics line Huda Beauty
• Mary Beth Kelly – former justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
• Paul S. Kemp – novelist
• David Knezek – former member of the Michigan Senate
• Lesia Liss – former member of the Michigan House of Representatives
• Trevor Rosen – member of the award-winning country music group Old Dominion
• Soony Saad – Lebanese footballer, graduate of Dearborn High School, and Michigan's Gatorade Player of the Year
• Jason Schmitt – journalist and academic
• Ece Yaprak – computer engineer and engineering educator