University Profile

Office of the President 713-743-8820

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost 713-743-9101

Vice President for Research and Intellectual Property Management 713-743-9104

Vice President for Administration and Finance 713-743-5550

Vice President for Governmental Relations 512-499-8787

Vice President for Student Affairs 713-743-5390

Vice President for Information Technology 713-743-1600

Vice President for University Advancement 713-743-0945

General Counsel 713-743-0949

The University of Houston, the state's premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, stands on the forefront of education, research and service. The largest and most comprehensive component of the University of Houston System, UH is a leader in the state system of higher education in Texas. Our campus serves more than 32,000 students in 14 colleges and a host of schools and programs offering 278 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.

UH offers an undergraduate curriculum that provides students with a broad base in the liberal arts complemented by in-depth studies in disciplines of their choice, affording students a foundation for lifelong learning. The universitywide core curriculum serves to strengthen the quality of our academic experience. The quality of our students is reflected in increasing average SAT scores and growing enrollment in our Honors College, whose average SAT score is 1281. The UH Honors College draws on the talents of the finest faculty members across the university to provide a wide range of special courses for more than 1,000 of the most academically gifted students in the United States.

Graduate and professional education programs at UH enable students to develop a mastery of chosen disciplines or professions. We conduct basic research in each academic department and operate more than 40 research centers and institutes. Through these facilities we maintain more than 300 creative partnerships with government and private industry, and the interdisciplinary research conducted here breaks new ground in such vital areas as superconductivity, space commercialization, biomedical engineering, economics, education, petroleum exploration, and virtual technology.

As is the role of a metropolitan university, outreach and partnerships reflect our commitment to the community. UH seeks to provide an ongoing and expanding research and public service base to meet the needs of Houston's community.

Based on awarding at least 50 doctoral degrees annually and receiving approximately $36.9 million in federal research support annually, UH's Carnegie classification is Research University II. The University of Houston's goal is to reach the highest level, a Carnegie Level I Research University. In Fiscal Year 1998, the university was $3.1 million short of that goal. Funding for sponsored projects during FY98 totaled $45.6 million. Federal grants represented $21.9 million. During the year, UH faculty submitted 568 proposals and received 489 awards. Considering our commitment to excellence in education, research and service, the university anticipates continued support and growth in the amount of grants and awards.

A sampling of our academic and research accomplishments further demonstrates this commitment.

The university's superconductivity lab drew international attention when researchers discovered a compound that achieves superconductivity at temperatures higher than previously thought possible. This breakthrough led to the establishment of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH (TCSUH), which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. TCSUH represents the largest university superconductivity research effort in the United States, with more than 250 faculty, research faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, and engineering working in 15 different laboratories.
The UH Creative Writing Program is one of the largest and most productive programs in the country and one of only two offering a Ph.D. The program received a national No. 2 ranking by U.S. News & World Report.
Our university was ranked 10th in the nation in physical sciences (physics, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering, mathematics and applied sciences) by the science journal Nature when measured for the number of times UH faculty had their research cited by other scientists.
The Department of Anthropology offers more field-based research opportunities for undergraduate students than any similar program in the state. These include regional and international research excavation sites.
The UH Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management is the only school of its kind in Texas and ranks in the top five nationally.
The UH Law Center, ranked in the top 50 law programs nationally, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The UH Health Law and Policy Institute is ranked number one of its kind in the nation while the Intellectual Property Law Program is third, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The College of Social Sciences doctoral psychology program ranks second in Texas, with the psychology and the clinical neuropsychology program among the top five in the nation, according to the National Research Council.
The American Educational Research Association ranks our College of Education among the top schools of education in the country in research productivity.
A graduate of the School of Communication recently won an Oscar for her work as producer in the animated short film category. In addition, students in the Moores School of Music, home of the new 800-seat Moores Opera House, consistently receive first-place ranking in regional and national competitions, as do students in the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture.

Outstanding faculty and facilities draw students from across the country and around the world. As a result, the University of Houston is characterized by a rich mix of cultural backgrounds in a student body that is approximately 48 percent white, 16 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 16 percent Hispanic, 12 percent African American, 7 percent International and 1 percent Native American; 72 percent undergraduate, 28 percent postbaccalaureate, graduate and professional; more than 89 percent Texas residents; 46 percent male and 54 percent female. To enhance student enrollment opportunities, we offer a full range of financial assistance through scholarships, grants and loans.

Libraries at UH provide abundant resources for research, with total collective holdings of more than 2 million volumes, 3.8 million microform units, 15,000 research journal subscriptions and various other research materials. The library is technologically sophisticated with more than 140 networked workstations accessing about 100 electronic databases, as well as providing Internet access to a wide range of Web-based resources for research. The library has its own growing Web site that supports research and provides information about services and collections (http://info.lib.uh.edu). The online computer library catalog provides information about the holdings of the UH Libraries (M.D. Anderson, Architecture/Art, Music, Optometry, Pharmacy, and Law) as well as those of the UH-Downtown Library.

Our computer-intensive environment enhances both teaching and research. A computer network links more than 10,000 workstations across campus. Through the Internet and Internet 2, UH is connected to universities, research institutions and corporations around the globe, giving our campus community access to a world of information and ideas.

Our campus incorporates 550 acres of parks, fountains, plazas, sculptures and recreational fields surrounding modern classroom, laboratory and study facilities, affording students a comfortable and well-equipped setting for academic pursuits and proximity to the heart of the nation's fourth largest city. UH public service and community activities, such as cultural offerings, clinical services, policy studies and small-business initiatives, serve a diverse metropolitan population. Likewise, the resources of the Gulf Coast region complement and enrich the university's academic programs, providing students with professional expertise, practical experience and career opportunities. In fact, more than 75 percent of our students secure career-level jobs within three months after graduation. We have awarded more than 160,000 degrees, and roughly 75 percent of our alumni remain in the Houston metropolitan area.

UH Distance Education provides educational opportunities to students in outlying parts of the Houston area and beyond. Off-Campus Institutes - West Houston Institute at Cinco Ranch, the North Houston Institute, UH System at Fort Bend, and The University Center at The Woodlands - serve students at the upper-division and graduate level and are responsive to the needs of surrounding communities. These facilities, as well as the main campus, also offer continuing education programs to meet almost any need. UH's Instructional Television and OnLine programs provide degree opportunities to students at home, at work, or in their neighborhood.

UH's 15-sport intercollegiate program is a member of Conference USA, an association of 14 universities that spans 13 states nationwide. The Cougars won seven C-USA championships in 1997-98, continuing a history of success that includes 16 national titles in men's golf, five NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four appearances, and 10 consecutive trips to postseason in women's volleyball. Nationally and internationally renowned athletes like Carl Lewis, Hakeem Olajuwon, Fred Couples, and Heisman Trophy winner André Ware competed for UH under legendary coaches like Guy V. Lewis, Bill Yeoman, Dave Williams, and Tom Tellez. In March 1998, Cougar great and future Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler returned to his alma mater as the new head coach of the men's basketball team. U.S. Olympian and UH alumnus Leroy Burrell was named men's track and field head coach.

UH campus activities include more than 250 registered student organizations, film series, concerts, theatrical productions, art exhibits and NCAA sports representation. Moreover, Houston offers an excellent blend of cultural and entertainment activities, including a number of acclaimed museums, concert halls and theaters, restaurants of all kinds, jazz and blues clubs, rodeos, and professional sports.

Files Archived: October, 2001

For applications and admissions information: admissions@uh.edu

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