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Northrop University
Northrop University, formerly Northrop Institute of Technology and Northrop Aeronautical Institute, was a private for-profit college in Inglewood, California, focused on aviation, engineering, science, mathematics, and computing. It was established in the 1940s as one of the earliest examples of a corporate university. It operated from 1946 to 1991.
Toward the end of 1940, Northrop Aircraft Corporation started a training program for airplane mechanics who would, then, work in its manufacturing facility in Hawthorne, California. In 1942, Northrop Aircraft started a program called Department 95 that provided technical training exclusively for military personnel during World War II. It was overseen by Jack Northrop and James L. McKenley.
After the war, John Northrop formed the Northrop Aeronautical Institute because he recognized the shortage of master mechanics, airline maintenance specialists, and aeronautical engineers for civilian aviation. Classes started through home study in January 1946 and expanded to on-site in June 1946. The school targeted male students, mostly veterans of the war, as well as employees of Northrop Aircraft. The first semester has 412 students, with 750 students by the end of the academic year. The school admitted 1,000 students in its second year.
Its first director was James L. McKinley. Charles Edward Chapel became its research and development director in 1946. Its 80 faculty included employees of Nortrup Corporation and, eventually, alumni of the school.
In May 1953, Northrop Aircraft decided to sell the school so it could focus on producing airplanes. The Northrop Aeronautical Institute merged with California Flyers, a school in Inglewood, and became an independent, for-profit college. In March 1959, the school announced its new name, Northrop Institute of Technology, and the start of its bachelor of science curriculum.
It became Northrop University in 1974 and offered master's degrees. The university's mission statement was "to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society." By 1977, the university had nearly 14,000 graduates in its aviation program.
In 1989, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accused the university of improprieties in bookkeeping, credits, and the recruitment of foreign students. This threatened the school's accreditation with that agency. B.J. Shell who had been the university's president for seventeen years, stepped down. John Beljan, previously the provost of California State University, became interim president. Despite Beljan's successful rescue of the school's accreditation, student enrollment dropped from 1,800 to 928 in 1991.
In 1990, James and Alice Rice purchased Northrop University and merged it with Rice Aviation, establishing Northrop Rice USA. In May 1991, Northrop University announced that it was ending its degree programs and cutting the related staff due to low enrollment and financial problems. Students in its degree-based programs were assisted in transferring to other institutions after the June 1991 semester. At this time, the Inglewood campus was closed.
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Northrop University
Northrop University, formerly Northrop Institute of Technology and Northrop Aeronautical Institute, was a private for-profit college in Inglewood, California, focused on aviation, engineering, science, mathematics, and computing. It was established in the 1940s as one of the earliest examples of a corporate university. It operated from 1946 to 1991.
Toward the end of 1940, Northrop Aircraft Corporation started a training program for airplane mechanics who would, then, work in its manufacturing facility in Hawthorne, California. In 1942, Northrop Aircraft started a program called Department 95 that provided technical training exclusively for military personnel during World War II. It was overseen by Jack Northrop and James L. McKenley.
After the war, John Northrop formed the Northrop Aeronautical Institute because he recognized the shortage of master mechanics, airline maintenance specialists, and aeronautical engineers for civilian aviation. Classes started through home study in January 1946 and expanded to on-site in June 1946. The school targeted male students, mostly veterans of the war, as well as employees of Northrop Aircraft. The first semester has 412 students, with 750 students by the end of the academic year. The school admitted 1,000 students in its second year.
Its first director was James L. McKinley. Charles Edward Chapel became its research and development director in 1946. Its 80 faculty included employees of Nortrup Corporation and, eventually, alumni of the school.
In May 1953, Northrop Aircraft decided to sell the school so it could focus on producing airplanes. The Northrop Aeronautical Institute merged with California Flyers, a school in Inglewood, and became an independent, for-profit college. In March 1959, the school announced its new name, Northrop Institute of Technology, and the start of its bachelor of science curriculum.
It became Northrop University in 1974 and offered master's degrees. The university's mission statement was "to expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education. We investigate the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere while educating outstanding students to become creative members of society." By 1977, the university had nearly 14,000 graduates in its aviation program.
In 1989, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accused the university of improprieties in bookkeeping, credits, and the recruitment of foreign students. This threatened the school's accreditation with that agency. B.J. Shell who had been the university's president for seventeen years, stepped down. John Beljan, previously the provost of California State University, became interim president. Despite Beljan's successful rescue of the school's accreditation, student enrollment dropped from 1,800 to 928 in 1991.
In 1990, James and Alice Rice purchased Northrop University and merged it with Rice Aviation, establishing Northrop Rice USA. In May 1991, Northrop University announced that it was ending its degree programs and cutting the related staff due to low enrollment and financial problems. Students in its degree-based programs were assisted in transferring to other institutions after the June 1991 semester. At this time, the Inglewood campus was closed.