University of Houston

What is the history of University of Houston?

The University of Houston is a public research university founded in 1927 as Houston Junior College. It became the University of Houston in 1934 and moved to its present campus southeast of downtown in 1939.

The institution became a state-supported university in 1963. The University of Houston System was established in 1977; the university described here is the system's flagship institution, not a collective name for UH-Clear Lake, UH-Downtown, or UH-Victoria. Its development into a broad research university is reflected in professional schools in fields including law, pharmacy, optometry, nursing, and medicine. The Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine welcomed its first class in 2020.

What are the faculties and departments at University of Houston?

UH offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional education across a wide range of colleges. Undergraduates can explore fields from engineering and computer science to business, education, architecture, music, and hospitality management.

Its academic organization includes the C. T. Bauer College of Business, Cullen College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts, and Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership. UH also has colleges devoted to education, nursing, pharmacy, optometry, law, social work, and medicine, as well as an Honors College. Prospective students should use the academic catalog for the degree requirements of a particular major: admission to UH does not necessarily mean admission to a capacity-limited program or professional degree.

What is the location of University of Houston?

The University of Houston's main campus is in Houston, Texas, southeast of downtown. Its urban location puts students near employers, cultural institutions, and health-care organizations, but travel time and transportation costs matter for a largely commuting student body.

METRORail's Purple Line serves the campus, and local buses provide additional connections. Students who drive should account for parking permits and Houston traffic; first-year students are permitted to park on campus. William P. Hobby Airport is a practical nearby airport for many trips. Applicants should confirm the location of their particular classes or clinical placements rather than assume every UH activity takes place on the main campus.

What is the mission and vision of University of Houston?

UH describes its mission in terms of teaching, research, and service as a public university serving Houston and a wider community. Its stated ambitions emphasize student learning, the creation of knowledge, and the city's social and economic development.

Those priorities are visible in its mix of undergraduate degrees, graduate research, and professional education. They are institutional goals, not a promise that every student will have the same access to research, an internship, or a particular career outcome. UH is a public, nonsectarian institution.