Snapshot of the U.
Founded in 1850
Research I University
Top 100 world ranking
190 majors (undergraduate/graduate)
2007 Nobel Prize winner Mario Cappechi
Pac-12 Conference member starting in 2011-12
Ranked among the top 100 universities in the world, the University of Utah is renowned for its research expertise, academic performance and athletic prowess. The U. is the only institution in the Mountain West Conference-and in the state of Utah-to earn a top-tier ranking from the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and has done so for five straight years. The University of Utah athletics programs will begin membership in the prestigious Pac-12 Conference beginning in 2011-12.
Founded in 1850, the University of Utah now encompasses 1,500 acres in the foothills of the towering Wasatch Mountain range. The campus is located just minutes from downtown Salt Lake City and world-class ski resorts, and includes an eclectic mix of teaching and research facilities in a park-like setting of trees, fountains, flowering malls and pedestrian walkways.
Home to a student population of over 29,000, the U offers some 100 undergraduate and 90 graduate majors. Many of the U's programs are nationally ranked, including law, pharmacy, architecture, business, engineering and dance.
Utah ranks among the top public research universities in the nation, with particular distinction in medicine, genetics and engineering. In 2008-2009, the University received a record-setting $376.7 million in external funding for research. University of Utah geneticist Mario R. Capecchi, one of many acclaimed faculty members, received the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine for his work on gene targeting.
The Eccles Institute of Human Genetics is one of several innovative medical programs at the University of Utah. Others include the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Moran Eye Center and the Brain Institute.
The U is also noted for its work in technology and computer sciences; and its Center for High Performance Computing serves as a link to major aerospace industries, high-tech manufacturers and research companies. The University is tied for first in the nation with MIT in successfully commercializing the discoveries that occur on campus.
The U provides a lively residential living experience in beautiful Heritage Commons, which served as the Athletes Village for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Utah students enjoy unparalleled recreational activities, from skiing and snowboarding at any of eight world-class resorts in nearby canyons, to backpacking, mountain biking, fly fishing and river running.
The U's location in the largest city in the Intermountain West (metro population 1,130,293) allows for an urban experience in a spectacular natural setting. Salt Lake City is home to professional symphony, ballet, modern dance, opera and theater companies, as well as four professional sports teams.
