Life@Maryland
The University of Maryland offers a welcoming campus community in a vibrant college town, just minutes from Washington, D.C. At UMD, you’ll find infinite opportunities to engage your passions, seek new challenges and chart your future. Whether you’re grabbing coffee with classmates, taking in a basketball game, joining one of UMD’s nearly 800 student clubs and organizations, or exploring College Park’s growing downtown scene, life at UMD is full of energy, opportunity, and Terp pride.
The Terp Experience
Outside of class, UMD has what you need to engage your passions, have fun, stay healthy, and create an amazing college experience. Explore all of the opportunities the University of Maryland has to offer.
Opportunity Waits, Just Off Campus
Just seven miles from Washington, D.C., and within a close drive to Baltimore and Annapolis, UMD’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation sits at the intersection of history, innovation, and opportunity.
D.C. is a living laboratory for the built environment—home to iconic civic architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, and top national agencies and nonprofits in design, planning, housing, and preservation. Students explore museums, monuments, and historic districts—all just a Metro ride away—while connecting with practitioners shaping the profession.
Baltimore’s eclectic neighborhoods and industrial legacy offer powerful case studies in urban revitalization and preservation. Annapolis brings preservation history to life with its beautifully maintained colonial and Georgian architecture.
Beyond the cities, students can access national parks, rural towns, and landmark architecture stretching from the Eastern Shore to the Appalachian Mountains. Whether you're focused on sustainability, adaptive reuse, or equitable development, our location offers unmatched access to the people, places, and ideas shaping the future of the built environment.