The University of Texas at Austin formally opened on Sept. 15, 1883. The mission of The University of Texas at Austin is to achieve excellence in the interrelated areas of undergraduate education, graduate education, research and public service. The university provides superior and comprehensive educational opportunities at the baccalaureate through doctoral and special professional educational levels. Main Building detail with KnowThe university contributes to the advancement of society through research, creative activity, scholarly inquiry and the development of new knowledge. The university preserves and promotes the arts, benefits the state’s economy, serves the citizens through public programs and provides other public service. The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States and is the largest institution of The University of Texas System. Tower at sunset Founded in 1883, the university has grown from a single building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre main campus with 17 colleges and schools, about 24,000 faculty and staff, and more than 50,000 students. The university’s reach goes far beyond the borders of the main campus with satellite campuses and research centers across Texas, including the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the Marine Science Institute, the McDonald Observatory, the Montopolis Research Center and the Brackenridge tract. With an enrollment of 11,000 students and more than 3,500 master’s and doctor’s degrees awarded annually, the Graduate School is a national leader in graduate degrees awarded and one of the largest graduate schools in the nation. More than 8,700 bachelor’s degrees are awarded annually in more than 170 fields of study and 100 majors. The university has one of the most diverse student populations in the country and is a national leader in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to minority students.