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The University of Utah, a hub for higher education from the Rockies to the Sierras, boasts an academic reputation that is rivaled only by its breathtaking location. To the east rise the 11,500 foot, snow-capped peaks of the Wasatch Mountains. To the west, the Great Salt Lake shimmers beneath the Oquirrh Mountains. The 1,500-acre campus, nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, is a beautiful collage of native and exotic trees, fountains, flowering malls and pedestrian walkways.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH Founded in 1850 A Research I university 172 degrees (undergraduate/graduate) Enrollment of 28,619 Campus is located on 1,500 acres Medical and Law Schools Nation's first American Indian Social Work program

Founded in 1850, the U. has established itself as an international center for scientific, medical and engineering research. Among the nation's public research universities, the U. ranks 14th in significant awards to faculty and 23rd in the number of faculty members elected to the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine or National Academy of Engineering. Scientists from the University of Utah have identified more genes with diseases than anywhere else in the world.

The University of Utah is one of only 88 universities in the United States classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Research I university-defined by its full range of undergraduate programs, commitment to graduate education and the high priority given to research. The U. is recognized for "Very High Research Activity" by the Carnegie Foundation. It is ranked 28th nationally out of 127 major public research universities according to the Lombardi Program for Measuring University Performance.

The U. also provides a lively residential living experience in beautiful Heritage Commons, a multi-purpose residence complex located in historic Fort Douglas on the eastern edge of campus. Opened in 2000, Heritage Commons served as the Athletes Village for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Approximately 2,500 students live on campus in residence halls and apartments. The Princeton Review ranked the University of Utah No. 7 for "Best Campus Environment" in 2006.

The University offers 77 undergraduate majors, 70 minors and certificates, and 95 graduate majors. Academic opportunities at the U. include schools of law, medicine, architecture, pharmacy, business and engineering, among others. The U. also boasts the nation's first American Indian social work program. Utah draws its 28,000-plus student population from all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries.

Research Park, which is located on 320 acres adjacent to the campus, features the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics and the Moran Eye Center. The Huntsman Cancer Institute houses the largest genetic database in the world and is the only National Cancer Institute in the Intermountain West. Gene targeting was developed at the Eccles Institute. The Moran Eye Center is considered one of the top eye centers in the world.

The U. is also noted for technology transfer and its Center for High Performance Computing serves as a link to major aerospace industries, high-tech manufacturers and research companies. It manages one of the three most successful technology parks in the U.S., with more than 40 high-tech companies created by University faculty. The U. has had a presence on the Internet since 1970, when it became the Internet's fourth node.

Outside the classroom, Utah students enjoy unparalleled outdoor diversions, from skiing and snowboarding at any of eight world-class resorts in nearby canyons, to backpacking, mountain biking, fly fishing and river running.

The U.'s location in the largest city in the Intermountain West also provides a metropolitan charm. The 36th-largest metro area in the nation (population 1,333,914), Salt Lake is home to professional symphony, ballet, modern dance, opera and theater companies, as well as five professional sports teams.