58-521: Foster Auditorium is a multi-purpose facility at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama . It was built in 1939 as a Works Progress Administration project and has been used for Alabama basketball, women's sports (in the 1970s and 1980s), graduations, lectures, concerts, and other large gatherings, including registration. Its status as the largest indoor building on campus came to an end in 1968 with
116-618: A 2003 ranking of 97th. In the fall of 2011, the University of Alabama Trustees approved a resolution to expand Gorgas Library by 50,000 square feet (4,600 m ), doubling the seating capacity from 1,139 to 2,278. In academic year 2014–2015, UA received $ 76 million in research contracts and grants. The Alabama International Trade Center and the Center for Advanced Public Safety are two research centers at UA. The US Department of Homeland Security has selected The University of Alabama as
174-465: A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary studies. The New College Review , a non-fiction cultural journal, is written, edited, designed, and published by students. The University of Alabama System's financial endowment was valued at $ 1.520 billion in the National Association of College and University Business Officers' (NACUBO) 2019 listings. UA's portion of
232-469: A GPA of 3.5 or greater and less than 3.7 (without rounding). Magna cum laude honors are conferred with a GPA of 3.7 or greater and less than 3.9. Summa cum laude honors are conferred with a GPA of 3.9 or higher. In the 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings, UA was tied for 170th in the National Universities category (tied for 91st among "Top Public Schools"). Additionally, in
290-547: A National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance Education and Research. Ed.S. The Education Specialist , also referred to as Educational Specialist or Specialist in Education ( Ed.S. , EdS or S.Ed. ), is a specialist degree in education which is an advanced professional degree in the U.S. that is designed to provide knowledge and theory in the field of education beyond
348-586: A call to arms and defense by the student cadet corps, only four buildings survived the burning: the President's Mansion (1841), Gorgas House (1829), Little Round House (1860), and Old Observatory (1844). The university reopened in 1871 and in 1880 Congress granted the university 40,000 acres (162 km ) of coal land in partial compensation for war damages. The University of Alabama enrolled female students beginning in 1892. The board of trustees allowed female students largely because of Julia S. Tutwiler , with
406-520: A campaign pledge to not allow integration of the university, stood in the doorway of the building on the day of registration. He was attempting to block two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood , from enrolling at the university. President John F. Kennedy called on the Alabama National Guard to forcibly allow the students to enter the building if need be. Calling it "an unwelcomed, unwanted, unwarranted and force-induced intrusion upon
464-490: A large, four-year primarily residential university accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Full-time, four-year undergraduates comprise a large amount of the university enrollment. The undergraduate instructional program emphasizes professional programs of study as well as the liberal arts, and there is a high level of co-existence between the graduate and undergraduate program. The university has
522-407: A master's degree in 1992. Later in his life, Wallace apologized for his opposition to racial integration . In 2010, the university formally honored Lucy, Hood and Malone by rechristening the plaza in front of Foster Auditorium as Malone-Hood Plaza and erecting a clock tower – Autherine Lucy Clock Tower – in the plaza. In 2019 Autherine Lucy was presented with a doctorate of humane letters, and in 2022
580-531: A path to a Navy commission. During this time the University of Alabama had extensions in other cities including Mobile ; the University of South Alabama was opened in 1963 to replace that program. Until the 1960s, the university admitted only white students (with one temporary exception). The practice of racial segregation was common in the American South at this time and the university barred all students of color from attending. The first attempt to integrate
638-626: A safe learning environment for her. The university was not integrated until 1963 when Vivian Malone and James Hood registered for classes on June 11. Governor George Wallace made his infamous " Stand in the Schoolhouse Door ", standing in the front entrance of Foster Auditorium in a symbolic attempt to stop Malone and Hood's enrollment. When confronted by U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and federal marshals sent in by U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy , Wallace stepped aside. President John F. Kennedy had called for
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#1732851420165696-662: A very high level of research activity and has a "comprehensive doctoral" graduate instructional program in the liberal arts, humanities, social sciences. health sciences (medical school), and STEM fields . UA began offering engineering classes in 1837. It was one of the first universities in the nation to offer an engineering degree. Over the past decade, UA has greatly expanded its science and engineering programs, in terms of numbers of students, faculty hired, and number and size of new academic/research facilities (almost one million in new square footage). UA's College of Engineering enrolls more students than any other engineering program in
754-476: Is home to several museums, cultural facilities and historical landmarks. The Alabama Museum of Natural History at Smith Hall exhibits Alabama's rich natural history. The oddest artifact there could be the Sylacauga meteorite , the largest known extraterrestrial object to strike a human being who survived. The Paul W. Bryant Museum houses memorabilia and exhibits on the history of UA athletic programs, most notably
812-592: Is in Mary Harmon Bryant Hall. The Library Annex holds seldom-used books and journals, as well as other volumes which need special protection, that would otherwise take up valuable space in the libraries. Other libraries on campus are independent of the University Libraries. The 66,000-square-foot (6,100 m ) Bounds Law Library, at the Law Center, holds more than 300,000 volumes. Established in 1978,
870-559: Is offered jointly by the other universities in the UA system. UA conferred 9,105 degrees in the 2023–24 academic year, including 6,604 bachelor's degrees (3,579 with Latin honors ), 1,192 master's degrees, 300 doctorates, 56 education specialist, and 153 professional degrees. Latin honors are conferred on graduates completing a bachelor's degree for the first time (including at other universities) with an overall grade point average of at least 3.5. Cum laude honors are conferred to graduates with
928-526: The United States Congress authorized the newly created Alabama Territory to set aside a township for the establishment of a "seminary of learning". When Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819, a second township was added to the land grant , bringing it to a total of 46,000 acres (186 km ). The General Assembly of Alabama established the seminary on December 18, 1820, named it "The University of
986-609: The University of Alabama System . It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The university offers programs of study in 12 academic divisions leading to bachelor's, master's, education specialist , and doctoral degrees. The only publicly supported law school in the state is at UA. Other academic programs unavailable elsewhere in Alabama include doctoral programs in anthropology , communication and information sciences, metallurgical engineering, music, Romance languages , and social work. The school
1044-482: The University of Virginia , the Nichols-designed campus featured a 70-foot (21 m) wide, 70-foot (21 m) high domed Rotunda that served as the library and nucleus of the campus. The university's charter was presented to the first university president in the nave of Christ Episcopal Church. UA opened its doors to students on April 18, 1831, with Alva Woods as president. An academy-style institution during
1102-580: The liberal arts , fine arts , and sciences . It is the largest of the university's 12 colleges, with approximately 7,900 undergraduate students and 1,100 graduate students. Most core curriculum classes and majors and minors are part of the college. There are 11 other academic divisions at the University of Alabama (see the table above). Eight divisions (Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication and Information Sciences, Education, Engineering, Human Environmental Sciences, Nursing, and Social Work) grant undergraduate degrees. Degrees in those eight divisions at
1160-425: The master's degree level. Generally, 30-65 hours of graduate study are required, depending on the specialty. Specializations are available in computing technology, educational leadership, training and development, school psychology, counselor education, special education, curriculum and instruction, and adult education. These are highly specialized degrees meant for professionals who require advanced proficiency in
1218-566: The 2020 PRWeek Awards. It was the department's ninth recognition as a finalist for the award and first selection as the top program. As of 2021 The Princeton Review ranked University of Alabama first in the nation as a party school and first for having lots of Greek life . The university was also ranked the eighth-most LGBT unfriendly school in the nation. The University of Alabama has 2.9 million document volumes, along with nearly 100,000 uncatalogued government documents in its collection; of these, 2.5 million volumes are held by
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#17328514201651276-582: The 2023 U.S. News rankings, the law school was tied for 35th in the nation, the business school was tied for 55th, the education school tied for 56th, and the engineering school was tied for 99th. In 2016, Business Insider ranked the UA law school as the third-best public law school in the nation. In August 2020, the UA Department of Advertising and Public Relations was named the Most Outstanding Education Program by PRWeek during
1334-573: The 84 foot 11 inch shot at the end of the first half. The shot was featured in Sports Illustrated , and is commemorated at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . A brass marker was placed in the gym floor to indicate the location of the shot. More than any other event, Foster Auditorium is known as the site of the " Stand in the Schoolhouse Door " incident. On June 11, 1963, Governor George C. Wallace , making good on
1392-763: The 9,500-square-foot (880 m ) Sloan Y. Bashinsky Sr. Computer Center. The Eric and Sarah Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering, in the Science and Engineering Quad, is named after two popular, long-time professors of engineering and statistics, respectively. It opened in 1990, combining the Science Library collection in Lloyd Hall and the Engineering Library collection in the Mineral Industries Building (now known as H.M. Comer Hall). Rodgers Library
1450-857: The Allen Bales Theatre, the Marion Gallaway Theatre, the English Building auditorium, and the Frank M. Moody Music Building, which houses the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra as well as three resident choirs. The UA Opera Theatre performs in Bryant-Jordan Hall. The University of Alabama is an autonomous institution within the University of Alabama System and governed by the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama and headed by
1508-571: The College of Arts and Sciences in 1996, the New College's stated objectives were to "create an opportunity for a highly individualized education that enables students to draw from the resources of all University classes and faculty" and to "serve as an experimental unit with the expectation of exporting successful innovations to other sectors of the University". The college allows undergraduate students flexibility in choosing their curriculum while completing
1566-574: The College of Communication and Information Sciences is in Reese Phifer Hall and holds more than 10,000 volumes. The School of Social Work Reading Room in Little Hall contains around 200 volumes. UA is one of the 126 members of the Association of Research Libraries , which yearly compiles internal rankings. In 2011, the University of Alabama ranked 56th among all criteria, a marked improvement over
1624-580: The Erosophic and the Phi Beta Kappa societies, which often had lectures by such distinguished politicians and literary figures as United States Supreme Court justice John Archibald Campbell , novelist William Gilmore Simms , and professor Frederick Barnard . The addresses to those societies reveal a vibrant intellectual culture in Tuscaloosa; they also illustrate the proslavery ideas that were so central to
1682-775: The Health Sciences Library, at the University Medical Center, serves students at the College of Community Health Sciences. Its 20,000-volume collection includes clinical medicine, family practice, primary care, medical education, consumer health, and related health care topics. Located in Farah Hall (home of the Department of Geography) the Map Library and Place Names Research Center holds over 270,000 maps and 75,000 aerial photographs. The William E. Winter Reading Room of
1740-517: The State of Alabama dictates the board's makeup and requires the board to include three members from the congressional district that contains the Tuscaloosa campus and two members from every other congressional district in Alabama. Board members are elected by the board and are confirmed by the Alabama State Senate . The president of the University of Alabama is the principal executive officer of
1798-471: The State of Alabama," and created a board of trustees to manage the construction and operation of the university. The site the board chose for the campus was, at the time, outside the city limits of the erstwhile state capital , Tuscaloosa. William Nichols , the architect of the Alabama State Capitol building in Tuscaloosa, was chosen to design the campus. Influenced by Thomas Jefferson 's plan at
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1856-467: The University Libraries. The University Libraries system has six separate libraries. The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, which sits on the Main Quad , is the oldest and largest of the university libraries. Gorgas Library holds the university's collections in the humanities and social sciences, as well as the university's depository of U.S. government documents. The library opened in 1939. A seven-story addition
1914-483: The antebellum period, the university emphasized the classics and the social and natural sciences. There were around 100 students per year at UA in the 1830s. As the state and university matured, an active literary culture evolved on campus and in Tuscaloosa. UA had one of the largest libraries in the country on the eve of the Civil War with more than 7,000 volumes. There were several thriving literary societies, including
1972-573: The campus, including the President's Mansion , Denny Chimes , Foster Auditorium (a National Historical Landmark ), the Gorgas–Manly Historic District , and Maxwell Observatory . A cemetery next to the Math and Science Education Building includes the graves of two enslaved persons who were owned by faculty members before the Civil War. Both men died in the 1840s, and their graves went unmarked until 2004. Campus culture facilities include
2030-569: The campus," Wallace denounced the actions, but, seeing as he could not win against the combined efforts of the Guard, federal marshals and Deputy United States Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach , Wallace stepped aside, returning to the state capital as Malone and Hood entered for registration. The incident is seen as one of the seminal events in the Civil Rights Movement in America. The scene
2088-427: The chancellor of The University of Alabama. The state legislature created the board to govern the university's operations. Its responsibilities include setting policy for the university, determining the university's mission and scope, and assuming responsibility for the university to the public and the legislature. The board is self-perpetuating and composed of 15 members and two ex officio members. The Constitution of
2146-439: The city, and the loss of life. From a small campus of seven buildings in the wilderness on the main road between Tuscaloosa and Huntsville (now University Boulevard) in the 1830s, UA has grown to a massive 1,970-acre (800 ha) campus in the heart of Tuscaloosa. There are 297 buildings on campus containing some 10,600,000 square feet (980,000 m ) of space. In 2010, the school added 168 acres to its campus by purchasing
2204-535: The conditions that they be over eighteen, and would be allowed to enter the sophomore class after completing their first year at another school and passing an exam. Ten women from Tutwiler's Livingston school enrolled for the 1893 fall semester. By 1897, women were allowed to enroll as freshmen. During World War II, UA was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program , which offered students
2262-467: The education building in which she sheltered during the protests was renamed in her honor. On April 27, 2011 , Tuscaloosa was hit by a tornado rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale , killing six students who lived off campus; the campus grounds were not damaged by the storm, but the university canceled the rest of the spring semester and postponed graduation because of damage to approximately 12% of
2320-459: The first black student to attend the University. University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama , UA , the Capstone , or Bama ) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama , United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the public universities in Alabama as well as
2378-407: The integration of the University of Alabama as well. Although Hood dropped out after two months, he returned and, in 1997, received his doctorate. Malone persisted in her studies and became the first African American to graduate from the university. In 2000, the university granted her a doctorate of humane letters. Autherine Lucy's expulsion was rescinded in 1980, and she re-enrolled and graduated with
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2436-688: The land formerly belonging to Bryce Hospital . It also plans to acquire more land to accommodate the continuing growth of the enrollment. The university maintains the University of Alabama Arboretum in eastern Tuscaloosa and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on Dauphin Island , just off the Alabama Gulf Coast. In 2011, the Sustainable Endowments Institute gave the university a College Sustainability Report Card grade of "B+". UA
2494-530: The master's, specialist , and doctoral level are awarded through the Graduate School. The law school offers JD and LL.M. degree programs. The College of Community Health Sciences provides advanced studies in medicine and related disciplines and operates a family medicine residency program. Medical students are also trained in association with the University of Alabama School of Medicine , from which they receive their degree. Founded in 1971 and merged into
2552-478: The middle 50 percent composite scores were 1080–1370. The University of Alabama is a college-sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Program and sponsored 189 Merit Scholarship awards in 2020. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 223 freshman students were National Merit Scholars . The University of Alabama is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". It is
2610-555: The opening of the Memorial Coliseum . The building housed the Department of Kinesiology until 2006. In April 2009, the University announced a major renovation for the auditorium. After the renovation, the Crimson Tide women's basketball and volleyball programs moved back to Foster Auditorium, their original home. The facility is named for Richard Clarke Foster, president of the University of Alabama from 1937 to 1941. The building
2668-542: The severe discipline problem, president Landon Garland received approval from the legislature in 1860 to transform the university into a military school. Many of the cadets who graduated from the school served as officers in the Confederate Army during the Civil War . As a consequence of that role, Union troops burned the campus on April 4, 1865, only five days before Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Despite
2726-498: The state as of 2016. UA's freshman engineering classes have also had the highest average ACT score among all state of Alabama engineering programs for the last several years. Ten of the university's twelve academic units (see above) offer degree programs across a combined total of 117 areas of study. Two areas, economics and health care management, are offered jointly by separate units ( Culverhouse College of Business and Arts & Sciences for both), and one area (material science)
2784-501: The system's endowment was valued at $ 885.7 million in September 2015. The university uses a standard academic calendar based on the semester system with two 15-week semesters and a summer term. In fall 2021, Alabama received 42,421 applications for first-time freshman enrollment, from which 33,472 applications were accepted (78.9%) and 7,593 freshmen enrolled, a yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend
2842-500: The tenure of football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant . Athletic trophies and awards are displayed at the Mal Moore Athletic Facility. The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art at Garland Hall hosts revolving exhibitions of contemporary art, including from the university's own permanent collection. The Jones Archaeological Museum at Moundville exhibits the history of Mississippian culture in Alabama. Numerous historical landmarks dot
2900-407: The university and is appointed by the chancellor with approval of the board of trustees. Stuart R. Bell became the 29th president on July 15, 2015. In fall 2023, UA employed 7,472 employees, including 2,117 instructional staff (faculty), 2,631 professional staff, and more than 2,600 office, clerical, technical and service staff. The College of Arts and Sciences is the university's college for
2958-411: The university and the state. Discipline and student behavior were major issues at the university almost from the day it opened. Early presidents attempted to enforce strict rules regarding conduct. Students were prohibited from drinking, swearing, making unauthorized visits off-campus, or playing musical instruments for more than an hour at a time. Still, riots and gunfights were not uncommon. To combat
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#17328514201653016-429: The university occurred in 1956 when Autherine Lucy successfully enrolled on February 3 as a graduate student in library sciences after she secured a court order preventing the university from rejecting her application on the basis of race. In the face of violent protests against her attendance, Lucy was suspended (and later outright expelled) three days later by the board of trustees on the basis of being unable to provide
3074-493: The university) of 22.7%. Alabama's freshman retention rate is 88.6%, with 72.1% going on to graduate within six years. The university started test-optional admissions with the Fall 2021 incoming class and has extended this through Fall 2024. Of the 63% of enrolled freshmen in 2021 who submitted ACT scores, the middle 50 percent composite score was between 21 and 31. Of the 17% of the incoming freshman class who submitted SAT scores,
3132-657: Was a center of activity during the American Civil War and the civil rights movement . The University of Alabama varsity football program (nicknamed the Crimson Tide ), inaugurated in 1892, ranks as one of the ten best in US history. In a 1913 speech president George H. Denny extolled the university as the " capstone of the public school system in the state", thereby establishing the university's current nickname, The Capstone . As of June 2024 UA has produced 65 Goldwater Scholars, 16 Rhodes Scholars, and 16 Truman Scholars. In 1818,
3190-523: Was built on the north side of the library in the 1970s. The Angelo Bruno Business Library , in the Business Quad, is named after the co-founder of the Bruno's grocery chain who gave the university $ 4 million to create a library focusing on commerce and business studies. Opened in 1994, the 64,000-square-foot (5,900 m ), three-story facility holds more than 170,000 volumes. Bruno Library also houses
3248-450: Was declared a National Historic Landmark on April 5, 2005, for its role as the site of Governor George Wallace 's " Stand in the Schoolhouse Door " opposing actions to desegregate the university. Foster Auditorium was the site of a full court shot during the January 4, 1955 basketball game between the University of Alabama and the University of North Carolina. Alabama player George Linn made
3306-546: Was depicted (with artistic liberties taken) in the 1994 film Forrest Gump . The courtyard at the auditorium's rear entrance (the actual "schoolhouse door" in which Wallace stood, as opposed to its front facade, where white students were allowed to enter) was dedicated in 2013 as the Malone-Hood Plaza in honor of James Hood and Vivian Malone. The Plaza is the site of the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower, named for
3364-506: Was designed with help from IBM to incorporate the latest in informatics . McLure Education Library was founded in 1954 in a remodeled student union annex (across the street from the old Student Union, now Reese Phifer Hall) and named in 1974 after John Rankin McLure, the longtime dean of the College of Education. The William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library, which holds the university's collection of rare and historical documents and books,
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