University of Virginia

Academics

First in 1993, and again 8 times since, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Virginia as America's #1 public university. In the most recent (2006) edition, the undergraduate programs at U.Va. rank #2 out of roughly 200 doctorate-granting public universities in the United States. The graduate programs fare even better, regularly surpassing not only other public universities, but also many of the most elite among private universities, including some of those in the Ivy League.

Related Topics:
1993 - U.S. News and World Report - 2006 - Ivy League

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The University of Virginia possesses a distinguished faculty, including 25 Guggenheim fellows, 26 Fulbright fellows, six National Endowment for the Humanities fellows, two Presidential Young Investigator Award winners, three Sloan award winners. and three Packard Foundation Award winners. The University is known for its schools of Architecture, Business, Commerce, Law, Medicine, and Education, as well as for its departments of Art History, Astronomy, Astronomy-Physics, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, English, Finance, French, German, History, Management Information Systems, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Spanish/Portuguese, and Systems Engineering. U.Va. hosts the National Radio Astronomy Observatory headquarters and is the lone American member of Universitas 21, an international consortium of research-intensive universities.

Related Topics:
Architecture - Business - Commerce - Law - Medicine - Education - Art History - Astronomy - Astronomy-Physics - Biology - Biomedical Engineering - Chemistry - Computer Engineering - Computer Science - Economics - English - Finance - French - German - History - Management Information Systems - Physics - Politics - Psychology - Religious Studies - Spanish - Portuguese - Systems Engineering - National Radio Astronomy Observatory - Universitas 21

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The University of Virginia Library System holds 5,000,000 volumes. Its Electronic Text Center, established in 1992, has put 70,000 books online as well as 350,000 images that go with them. No university in the world can claim more electronic texts. These e-texts are open to anyone, and that is one reason that the electronic collection gets ten times as many visitors per day as do the physical libraries at the University.

Related Topics:
Electronic Text Center - 1992

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The University's faculty were particularly instrumental in the evolution of Internet networking and connectivity. Physics professor James McCarthy was the lead academic liaison to the government in the establishment of Suranet, and the University also participated in Arpanet and now participates in Internet2 and Abilene. In March of 1986, the University's website Virginia.edu became the first contribution to the World Wide Web originating from the state of Virginia.

Related Topics:
Suranet - Arpanet - Internet2 - Abilene - 1986 - World Wide Web - Virginia

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The University of Virginia offers numerous special scholars programs. The Echols and Rodman Scholars programs include 6-7% of undergraduate students and offer these students the "keys" to the university, in the form of advisors, separate first-year dorms, and priority course registration. Echols Scholars are also freed from the area requirements of the basic liberal arts curriculum. Perhaps the most selective program is the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, which offers full 4-year scholarships based on rigorous regional, international, and at-large competitions. Students are nominated by their respective high schools, and then have to pass various interviews before being invited, for a weekend, to participate in various tests of character, aptitude, and general suitability. Approximately 3% of those nominated are successful, making the scholarship one of the most competitive in the nation.

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