he United Methodist University (UMU) is a private institution of higher learning located in Monrovia in the West African nation of Liberia. Established in 1998 and opened in 2000, the school had 3,118 students as of 2009.[1] UMU is certified by the Liberian government's National Commission on Higher Education to grant both bachelor and master degrees The United Methodist University in Liberia began to explore starting a university in the 1970s which led to adding a junior college business program at the College of West Africa in 1980.[3] The church then studied expanding the school into a full university with an exploratory committee formed in 1986.[3] The church planned to move forward in 1990, but the First Liberian Civil War delayed the creation of the school, which the goal was re-affirmed in 1997.[3] On 9 October 1998, the Liberian Legislature chartered United Methodist University, with the school then opening in January 2000 under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Emmanuel F. Bailey.[3