Carnegie Classification

• The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies doctorate-granting institutions as follows:  
  • RU/VH (research universities — very high research activity);
  • RU/H (research universities — high research activity);
  • DRU (doctoral research universities).  

• Placement into one of the three classifications is based on the level of an institution’s research activity as determined by nine measures identified and analyzed by the Carnegie Foundation. Universities with the highest level of research activity are given the highest designation of RU/VH.
• An RU/VH designation is a Tier-One designation.
• UH currently is near the upper boundary of the RU/H classification.
• The Carnegie methodology considers aggregate and per-capita research activity.

• The Carnegie Foundation determines classification based on the scores institutions receive when the aggregate and per-capita variables are analyzed using a statistical technique called Principle Components Analysis.
• Universities with either very high aggregate or very high per-capita research activity can be designated RU/VH institutions

Source: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching:
http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/