A proud heritage of educating those who serve.
In 1991, retired Marine Corps officer James P. Etter founded American Military University and broke new ground by offering career-relevant, distance education for a mobile population of military learners with unique needs. Over the next 10 years, many more undergraduate and graduate programs were added to help prepare students for leadership roles both within the military and for transition to post-military careers.
In 2002, AMU was reorganized into the American Public University System (APUS), and American Public University (APU) was founded to provide the same quality, affordable, and flexible education to a broader audience of motivated working adults.
Today the university system is one of the largest providers of online higher education offering more than 190 academic programs to students enrolled worldwide. The AMU student body is full of ambitious professionals from all fields sharing a common motivation for continuing their education and preparing to reach their career potential.
Our Mission
The mission of American Military University is to provide high quality higher education with emphasis on educating the nation’s military and public service communities by offering respected, relevant, accessible, affordable, and student-focused online programs that prepare students for service and leadership in a diverse, global society.
Vision
American Military University seeks to advance social, economic and environmental well-being through the transformative power of education with:
- Dynamic, engaging, quality learning experiences
- Best-in-class student interfaces
- Diverse and career relevant degree programs
- Communities of lifelong learners and practice in selected disciplines
- Evaluation of transfer credit and competency-based learning
- Affordability relative to public institutions
- Strategic partnerships with key stakeholders
- Thought leadership that contributes to effective change in higher education