University of California, Berkeley

Overview

The University of California, Berkeley is a public research institution recognized as one of the top state universities in the United States. Established in 1868, it is the flagship university of the prestigious University of California System. It is also one of the 14 original members of the Association of American Universities.

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the university currently comprises 14 colleges and schools, including graduate and post-graduate schools, such as the Graduate School of Journalism and School of Optometry. Its College of Engineering, Haas School of Business, Graduate School of Education, and School of Law also offer highly-ranked graduate programs.

For the past decades, Berkeley has also been recognized in many global university rankings. Touting a 19:1 student to faculty ratio, the institution is known for maintaining an impressive standard of education, especially in the fields of Chemistry, Biotechnology, Applied Microbiology, Space Science, and Physics. Moreover, the university also has one of the highest freshman retention rates, with 97% of their freshmen students continuing their education at Berkeley.

The university, commonly referred to as Berkeley, is the product of the state constitution’s vision to build a university that will contribute to the glory of the next generations “even more than California’s gold”. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act, which included the establishment of the University of California as the first land-grant university of the state. The university was built to provide thorough instruction and education in the departments of science, literature, and art, as well as professional, industrial, and general education studies.

In 1869, Frederick H. Billings suggested that the new Oakland campus site be named in honor of the philosopher George Berkeley. The following year, the university started accepting students and in 1873, it completely relocated to the current Berkeley campus, which takes about 1,232 acres of the Los Angeles Bay Area. Many of the buildings situated in this campus are included in the California Historical Landmarks.

The University of California, Berkeley is home to world-renowned research facilities, including the Space Sciences Laboratory and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. In all, it is composed of over 130 academic departments and about 80 research units that are focused on addressing challenges across different disciplines. Throughout its history, Berkeley has been at the forefront of academic research, providing students with the opportunity to work side-by-side with professionals, scholars, and fellows from a wide range of specialties and industries.

You can also learn more about the educational performance of University of California, Berkeley in our ranking of US universities & colleges.