


Tulane University of Louisiana began in 1834 as the Medical College of Louisiana, established to train physicians in New Orleans. It became part of the public University of Louisiana in 1847 and took its present name after a gift from merchant Paul Tulane helped transform it into a private university in 1884.
The university's development also included the founding of H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College for women in 1886. Tulane's schools and academic structure have changed since then, but its medical origins, New Orleans setting, and longstanding undergraduate and professional programs remain central to its identity. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was another major turning point: flooding disrupted university operations and prompted changes to its academic and campus plans.
Tulane is a private research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Its undergraduate academic options span liberal arts, science and engineering, business, architecture, and public health; Newcomb-Tulane College serves as the academic home for undergraduates across schools.
Prospective students can explore fields such as economics, political science, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, finance, architecture, and public health. Tulane also has schools devoted to medicine, law, social work, and professional advancement. Degree requirements and admission routes differ by school: an undergraduate major, a professional degree, and a program for working adults should not be treated as interchangeable options.
Students considering a specialized major should check its current course sequence and entry rules. A program may be available at Tulane without being open to every first-year applicant or feasible to enter late after transferring.
Tulane's main undergraduate campus is in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, along St. Charles Avenue. This is an urban setting with residential neighborhoods, public transit, and local businesses nearby, rather than an isolated college town.
University facilities also operate elsewhere in New Orleans, including health-sciences facilities downtown. That distinction matters when estimating travel between classes, clinical activities, work, and housing. The St. Charles streetcar and local buses provide alternatives to driving, although routes and travel times vary. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, commonly identified by the code MSY, serves the region.
Tulane describes its mission in terms of education, research, and service, with a particular emphasis on applying knowledge to problems beyond the university. Its academic and community-engagement activities reflect that stated purpose, though a mission statement is an expression of institutional priorities rather than a measure of every student's experience.
Tulane is a private, nonsectarian university. Applicants interested in its approach to service can examine how community-engaged courses, research, and volunteer opportunities fit their intended major instead of assuming that every program has the same requirements.
Name of the institution
Tulane University of LouisianaLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
10,000 - 19,999School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1834Tulane University of Louisiana is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.