Overview
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in
the United States. Founded in 1883, the university has grown from a single
building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre
main campus with 21,000 faculty and staff, 16 colleges and schools and
almost 50,000 students.
The university's reach goes far beyond the borders of the main campus with satellite campuses and research centers across Texas, including the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the Marine Science Institute, the McDonald Observatory, the Montopolis Research Center and the Brackenridge tract.
With an enrollment of 11,000 students and more than 3,500 master's and doctor's degrees awarded annually, the graduate school is a national leader in graduate degrees awarded and one of the largest graduate schools in the nation.
More than 8,700 bachelor's degrees are awarded annually in more than 170 fields of study and 100 majors.
The university has one of the most diverse student populations in the country and is a national leader in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to minority students.
Research
With more than 3,500 research projects, 90 research units and annual research funding exceeding $400 million, The University of Texas at Austin is one of the nation's leading public research universities.
More than 400 patents have been awarded to the university since its inception. Licensing deals generate more than $5 million annually for the university.
From making detailed measurements of the Earth's gravity field, developing nanospheres to more effectively deliver drugs inside the human body, documenting global warming and creating devices to quickly and effectively test AIDS patients, researchers at the university work to address important social issues and problems and improve the human condition.
Community
The University of Texas at Austin is Austin's largest employer and one of
the largest in the state of Texas. Generating $6 billion in business activity,
the university creates more than 80,000 jobs and more than $2 billion in
personal income annually.
Through annual events such as Explore UT, Gone to Texas, Austin Science Fun Day, Texas Memorial Museum Identification Day and Longhorn Halloween, the university opens its doors to the Austin community and shares its wealth of resources. Each spring, more than 30,000 visitors are drawn to campus for music, marches and spectacular fireworks in celebration of commencement.
Staff and students contribute more than three million hours of volunteer service to the community every year. Three out of four of the university's students volunteer at least once a year, many through events sponsored by one of the 900 organized student groups.
Rankings
The university is annually ranked among the country's very best public research universities and many of its colleges, schools and departments are considered among the finest in the nation. Because of its high academic quality and relatively low cost, the university is consistently cited as one of the best values in American higher education by publications such as the Fiske Guide to Colleges, the Princeton Review and the Kiplinger Business Magazine.
The Times of London, in a 2004 survey of colleges and universities around the world, ranked The University of Texas at Austin the 15th-best university in the world.
In the latest survey by the National Research Council, seven doctoral programs ranked in the top 10 in the nation, and 22 departments ranked in the top 25. Among Texas colleges and universities, The University of Texas at Austin ranked No. 1 in 30 of the 37 fields in which it was evaluated.
Resources
The University of Texas at Austin's library system is the nation's fifth-largest
academic library and is one of the top 10 research libraries in the nation.
From the Life Science Library to the Perry Casta?eda Library, the public
can access more than eight million volumes within the 17 libraries on campus.
The Center for American History houses thousands of books, manuscripts, newspapers, photos and maps relating to various aspects of America's past, including historical collections on Congress and the media and entertainment industries.
Numerous special collections can be found within the campus libraries, including The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, The Alexander Architectural Archive and The Ruth Stephan Poetry Collection.
The Ransom Center holdings include the world's first photograph, the papers of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Norman Mailer and the Watergate papers of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. The LBJ Library and Museum houses more than 40 million documents relating to the career of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Texas Natural Science Center conducts research, holds more than 5.7 million specimens in its collections and promotes public awareness of biological diversity through its exhibits, labs and outreach programs. The Blanton Museum of Art contains more than 17,000 works including Old Master paintings, modern and contemporary American and Latin American Art, and a broad collection of prints and drawings.
Athletics
In Big 12 Conference sports, Texas has claimed more titles in men's and women's sports than any other school since the league began operating in 1996. In football, Texas has won four national championships and ranks fourth in NCAA all-time victories.
From football to track, university athletics teams have earned more than 40 national championships. Current and former University of Texas at athletes have won 88 Olympic medals, including 19 in Athens in 2004.
In a 2002 cover story, Sports Illustrated magazine named The University of Texas at Austin No. 1 among the nation's 324 Division I athletic programs. The magazine cited the university's success in athletic competition, attendance at sporting events on campus and a participation rate of more than 80 percent in intramural and club sports programs.
In 2005, the football team won the national championship at the Rose Bowl and the baseball team won the national title at the College World Series.
Traditions
Standing at 307 feet tall, the Tower has been the university's most recognizable landmark and symbol since it was completed in 1937, and can be seen from almost any location in Austin.
Bevo, a Texas longhorn, has been the school's mascot since 1916. The longhorn represents the pride and tradition of the university.
Created in 1955 by head cheerleader Harley Clark Jr., the Hook 'em Horns hand signal is recognized worldwide as the symbol of the Texas Longhorns.
"The Eyes of Texas," the official alma mater of The University of Texas at Austin, was written by John Lang Sinclair in 1903.
The Longhorn Band, often referred to as "The Showband of the Southwest," is one of the nation's most recognized and celebrated marching bands. In addition to performing at athletic events, the band is an ambassador for the university and the state, performing for U.S. presidents, at Super Bowls and National Football League games.