Message from the Dean

CICS Message from the Dean

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies (CICS), I am delighted that you are exploring our programs and considering Morgan State University as the place to complete your degree. Choosing to return to college or to finish what you started is an act of faith and a commitment to purpose and possibility. At CICS, completion is central to everything we do, and we work to ensure that every student has a clear, supported pathway to success.

Morgan State University, Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University and a national treasure among Historically Black Colleges and Universities, has a long history of expanding access to education and uplifting communities through academic excellence. Through CICS and our interdisciplinary degree completion programs, known collectively as Morgan Completes You, we extend that mission to adult learners whose educational journeys reflect rich professional, military, and life experiences. We believe that learning never expires and that prior learning, both academic and non-academic, plays a vital role in individual advancement and collective progress.

Our work is guided by the LOVE framework, a culturally relevant approach that allows us to meet learners where they are while aligning education with their personal and professional visions of success. LOVE reflects our belief that it is never too late to finish what you started and to create a legacy for the next generation.

• Lifelong Learning and Legacy affirms that education is a continuous journey and that completing a degree is an investment not only in oneself, but also in family, community, and future generations.
• Opportunity and Optimism underscore our conviction that every student can complete a degree and achieve meaningful personal and professional goals.
• Vision and Value recognize the importance of each student’s aspirations and ensure that our degrees add tangible value, academically, professionally, and personally.
• Engage, Excel, and Evolve reflects our commitment to personalized advising, faculty support, and student-centered practices that help learners grow, persist, and succeed.

Established in 2021, the College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies offers eighteen fully online interdisciplinary degree completion programs designed for learning mobility and flexibility. Students may transfer up to 90 credits from regionally accredited institutions and may earn credit for prior learning gained through work experience, military service, and other nontraditional learning pathways. Our programs allow students to complete a Morgan State University degree from anywhere with reliable internet access without sacrificing academic rigor, personalized support, or connection to the Morgan community.

CICS builds upon Morgan’s deep roots in adult education, shaped by visionary leaders such as Dr. Beryl Warner Williams, whose advocacy for lifelong learning and adult student success continues to inform our work today. When you enroll through CICS, you are not simply an online learner, you are a Morgan student, supported by a university that values your experience, honors your goals, and is invested in your completion.

We invite you to join us at CICS, where opportunity is expanded, prior learning is honored, and every student is supported in finishing strong. Let us help you complete your degree, realize your vision, and carry forward the Morgan legacy.

Morgan Completes You.

Dr. Nicole M. Westrick

Assistant Vice President and Dean

College of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies

Morgan State University