University of Colorado Boulder

CU-Boulder Academics

As Colorado's first university, the University of Colorado Boulder shares the same pioneering spirit that defines the state of Colorado. Since the university's founding in 1876, it has become one of the world's top universities, achieving an outstanding reputation for teaching, scholarship, research, and creative work across more than 150 academic fields.

The University of Colorado Boulder offers more than 3,400 courses, nearly 100 service-learning courses in more than 30 academic departments, innovative teaching technology, and individualized academic support. Fifty-one percent of the university's classes have enrollment of 20 students or fewer and 85% of its classes have 50 students or fewer.

CU-Boulder offers many degree options and academic programs designed to help students make the most of their college experiences. Students can challenge themselves and further their educations through a variety of honors activities, hands-on learning, service projects, and study abroad opportunities. Opportunities include: more than 30 options to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years; academic neighborhoods and resources that build community and encourage campus diversity (CU-LEAD Alliance); 330 study abroad opportunities in more than 70 countries; Norlin Scholars; and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Well known nationally and internationally, CU-Boulder is ranked 39 among the nation's top 50 public national universities offering doctoral programs in "US News & World Report's" 2011 America's Best Colleges issue. Individual programs in engineering and business also rank on top 20 lists. CU-Boulder's 10 most popular undergraduate majors include: psychology; integrative physiology; international affairs; English; molecular, cellular, and developmental biology; environmental studies; political science; economics; studio arts; and finance.

CU-Boulder Accolades

CU-Boulder has many honors and accolades. These include, among others:

- Four Nobel laureates as faculty members. John Hall, Carl Wieman, and Eric Cornell of the physics department, and Thomas Cech of the chemistry department, are all Nobel laureates.

- A number one national ranking for graduates serving as Peace Corps volunteers with 117 undergraduate alumni currently serving around the world.

- Being the only university to have designed and built NASA space instruments that have been launched to every planet in the solar system, plus Pluto.

- Acclaim for the university's School of Education program that prepares future middle and high school math and science teachers.

- Twice winning the International Solar Decathlon, which involves designing, building, and operating solar homes that educate the public about alternative energy.

- 19 graduates being named Rhodes Scholars.

- Having CU-Boulder's Folsom Field be the first major sports stadium in the nation to adopt a zero-waste policy.

- A ranking by "US News & World Report" in its 2011 America's Best Colleges issue as number 39 among the nation's top 50 public national universities offering doctoral programs.

- Engineers Without Borders-USA, program created in 2001 by CU-Boulder civil engineering professor Bernard Armadei, becoming a global engineering movement.

Funding, Internships and Career Resources

Each year $315 million in aid is awarded and more than half of Boulder undergraduate students receive some type of financial assistance. Students receive aid in the form of grants, loans, work-study awards, and scholarships. Funding is provided from federal, state, university, and private sources.

All students applying for need-based financial aid are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In 2010, CU-Boulder was rated the number five Best Value public university by "The Princeton Review" and "USA Today". It remains among the top 50 best value universities for 2011. CU-Boulder graduates are successful in the marketplace. According to PayScale.com, a market leader in global online compensation data, the numbers for CU-Boulder bachelor's degree holders as of April 2011 include a median starting salary of $46,200 and a median career salary of $91,600.

Students have plenty of on- and off-campus jobs, internships, work study, and co-op opportunities, as well as resources available to them through both Career Services and the Alumni Association.

Career Services has professional career coaches and counselors who help students identify strengths, make career decisions, strategize plans, write resumes, practice interviewing, and build networks. Each year more than 100 high-profile companies recruit CU-Boulder graduates for jobs and internships, including: Accenture, Ball Aerospace, BBDO Advertising, CBS Radio, Ernst & Young, ESPN, Fox Sports, Google, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Verizon Wireless.

Every member of CU-Boulder is forever a Colorado Buffalo. The university's network of alumni -- nearly 300,000 people all over the world -- engages, contributes to, and celebrates CU-Boulder year after year by helping current students and recent graduates secure internships and jobs.

Find A Place at CU-Boulder

In addition to outstanding academics, the range of possibilities students will find as members of the university community enables them to achieve the unique college experiences they deserve.

Whether students are interested in music, cultural heritage, academics, Greek life, religion, or political involvement, Colorado University has more than 300 active on-campus groups where they can pursue their interests.

With a budget of $37 million, the University of Colorado Student Government is the most financially powerful and autonomous student government in the nation.

The university's Recreation Center offers a variety of options, including a state-of-the-art aerobics studio, swimming pool, diving well, fitness systems room, climbing and bouldering walls, ice arena, indoor running track, three basketball courts, and handball/racquetball, squash, and outdoor tennis courts.

Students can choose from 34 competitive sport clubs ranging from tennis, rowing, and wrestling to baseball, lacrosse, rugby, and dance. The university's club teams have won national championships in cycling, hockey, snowboarding, soccer, swimming, triathlon, and ultimate Frisbee.

Casual competition, leagues, and tournaments are available at every competitive level. Students can join team or start their own - it's a great way to stay active, meet people, and gain team-building and leadership experience among friends.

CU-Boulder has won 24 NCAA Division I national titles, including 18 in skiing. The university's teams compete in the Pac-12 conference in football, men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, skiing, and indoor and outdoor track, as well as women's soccer, tennis, and volleyball.

Make Friends for Life

On-campus residents enjoy the personal feel and support of a small college with the variety of housing options, activities, and excitement of a large university. With 22 unique residence halls and 14 different dining locations, residents have a variety of options to choose from during the first-year living experience. All incoming freshmen are required to live in the residence halls their first two semesters. After the first year, students may choose to live off campus.

Many things set CU-Boulder apart. The Center for Community serves as a hub for student support services and hosts a dining hall that features 11 made-to-order stations of global cuisine made with local ingredients. CU-Boulder's Residential Academic Programs (RAPS) and Living and Learning Communities (LLCs) create opportunities for students to live with others who have similar interests, make friends, and take small seminar-style classes in the residence halls. RAPs and LLCs focus on a variety of interests and emphasize active learning and critical thinking.

Unrivaled Location

CU-Boulder is recognized as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the nation. Set against a prominent mountain backdrop, the 600-acre main campus is distinguished by 200 buildings featuring native sandstone walls, dramatic red tile roofs, limestone trim, and black wrought iron accents - all in a classic rural Italian architectural style.

Boulder has more than 300 miles of bikeways and a bus system that is free for CU-Boulder students. Students enjoy walking on the Pearl Street Mall, hiking, rock climbing in the nearby Flatirons, listening to live music, and studying with friends in the many local coffee shops.

Denver, Colorado's capital, is only 30 miles southeast of Boulder. Denver has great weather, numerous parks and pathways, some of the finest museums in the West, plenty of professional sports teams, and the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Colorado's mountains contain 9,600 miles of streams, 2,850 lakes, and more than 1,000 peaks over two miles high. Rocky Mountain National Park is located only 45 miles from Boulder and features 400 square miles of scenic beauty. Colorado has some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, with 26 official ski/snowboard resorts, 11 of which are less than three hours driving time from Boulder. Eldora Mountain, the closest ski area, is only 20 miles away.

• Architecture
• Environmental Design/Architecture
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Area and ethnic studies
• Asian Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Russian Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Women's Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Biological/life sciences
• Biochemistry
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Cell and Molecular Biology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Physiology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Business/marketing
• Business Administration and Management
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Accounting
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Finance
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Management Information Systems
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Marketing/Marketing Management
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Communication/Journalism
• Speech Communication and Rhetoric
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Communication and Media Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Journalism
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Broadcast Journalism
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Advertising
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Computer and information sciences
• Computer Science
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Education
• Music Teacher Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Engineering
• Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Architectural Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Chemical Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Civil Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Computer Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Mechanical Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Biochemical Engineering
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• English
• English
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Foreign languages and literature
• Linguistics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Chinese
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Japanese
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Germanic Languages
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• French
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Italian
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Spanish
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Classics and Classical Languages
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Health professions and related sciences
• Communication Sciences and Disorders
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• History
• History
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Interdisciplinary studies
• International/Global Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Liberal arts/general studies
• Humanities
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Mathematics and statistics
• Mathematics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Applied Mathematics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Natural resources/environmental science
• Environmental Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Philosophy and religious studies
• Philosophy
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Religious Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Jewish/Judaic Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Physical sciences
• Astronomy
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Chemistry
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Geology/Earth Science
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Physics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Psychology
• Psychology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Social sciences
• Anthropology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Economics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Geography
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Political Science and Government
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Sociology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Visual and performing arts
• Dance
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Dramatic/Theater Arts
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Film/Cinema/Video Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Fine/Studio Arts
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Art History, Criticism and Conservation
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music Performance
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied21,744
• Accepted18,172
• Acceptance Rate83%
• Enrolled25,805
• Female Applicants10,279
• Females Accepted8,900
• Female Acceptance Rate86%
• Male Applicants11,465
• Males Accepted9,272
• Male Acceptance Rate80%
• Applying
• Application Fee$50
• Required for All Essay or personal statement
  Transcript of high school record
  
• Required for Some audition for music program
  
• Average high school GPA for first-year freshman3.57
• Application Deadlines
• Type Application Closing Notification Date Rolling Admissions
• Fall freshmen January 15th April 1st --
• Out-of-state Fall freshmen Not Reported
• Early decision plan Not Reported
• Other early decision plan Not Reported
• Transfer April 1st --
• Test Scores Accepted
• Test Average School Accepted 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile*
• SAT Critical Reading 579 530 630
• SAT Math 598 540 650
• SAT Writing
• ACT Composite 26 23 28
• * 25th and 75th percentile is the score that 25/75 percent of students score at or below.

• Tuition
• In-state tuition *$8,056
• Out-of-state tuition *$29,952
• In-district tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition costs are based on a full academic year typically extending from September to June.
• Fees
• Full-time student fees$1,426.00
• Room and board *$11,730.00
• Room only *Not Reported
• * Room and board charges vary according to board plan selected (i.e., 12-meal plan, 19-meal plan, etc.) and student level (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
• Other Payment Considerations
• Guaranteed tuition plan offeredNo
• Tuition pre-payment planNo
• Tuition payment plans offeredDeferred payments
• Student groups that qualify for full or partial waiver of tuitionEmployees or children of employees, Senior Citizens

• Gender
• Total Undergraduate Students25,805
• Male Student Percentage54%
• Female Student Percentage46%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic/Latino8.74%
• Black or African American1.52%
• White or Caucasian73.72%
• American Indian or Alaska Native.46%
• Asian5.28%
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.05%
• Two or more races2.58%
• Unknown2.53%
• Other Student Statistics
• International Breakout2.98% representing 94 other countries
• Out-of-state Students37% out-of-state student

• Housing
• College-owned housing available Yes
• Housing Requirements None
• Housing options Coed housing , Special housing for disabled
• Percentage of undergraduate students who live in college-owned housing 28%
• Student Activities
• Student-run campus newspaper Yes
• Drama / theater group Yes
• Student-run radio station Yes
• Student-run television station No
• Marching band Yes
• Choral groups Yes
• Student Services
• Legal services Yes
• Health clinic Yes
• Personal / psychological counseling Yes
• Women's center Yes
• Student Organizations
• Greek fraternities Yes
• Greek sororities Yes
• Local fraternities No
• Local sororities Yes
• Other organizations Not Reported
• Most popular organizations student government, Environmental Center, Ski and Snowboard Club, AIESEC (international leadership organization), Program Council
• Campus Security and Safety
• 24-hour emergency telephone / alarm services Yes
• 24-hour patrols by trained officers Yes
• Students patrols Yes
• Late-night transport / escort services Yes
• Electronically-operated dormitory entrances Yes
• Other University police department

• Men's Sports
• Sport Intramural Intercollegiate Scholarship
• Badmington Yes No No
• Baseball No Division C No
• Basketball Yes Division 1 Yes
• Crew No Division C No
• Cross-country running No Division 1 Yes
• Equestrian sports No Division C No
• Fencing No Division C No
• Field hockey No Division C No
• Football No Division A Yes
• Golf No Division 1 Yes
• Ice hockey Yes Division C No
• Lacrosse No Division C No
• Racquetball No Division C No
• Rugy No Division C No
• Skiing No Division 1 Yes
• Skiing (cross-country) No Division 1 Yes
• Soccer Yes Division C No
• Softball No No No
• Swimming No Division C No
• Tennis Yes Division C No
• Tennis Yes No No
• Track No Division 1 Yes
• Ultimate Frisbee Yes Division C No
• Volleyball Yes Division C No
• Water polo Yes Division C No
• Wrestling No Division C No
• Women's Sports
• Sport Intramural Intercollegiate Scholarship
• Badmington Yes No No
• Baseball No No No
• Basketball Yes Division 1 Yes
• Crew No Division C No
• Cross-country running No Division 1 Yes
• Equestrian sports No Division C No
• Fencing No Division C No
• Field hockey No Division C No
• Football No No No
• Golf No Division 1 Yes
• Ice hockey Yes Division C No
• Lacrosse No Division 1 Yes
• Racquetball No Division C No
• Rugy No Division C No
• Skiing No Division 1 Yes
• Skiing (cross-country) No Division 1 Yes
• Soccer Yes Division 1 Yes
• Softball No Division C No
• Swimming No Division C No
• Tennis Yes Division 1 Yes
• Tennis Yes No No
• Track No Division 1 Yes
• Ultimate Frisbee Yes Division C No
• Volleyball Yes Division 1 Yes
• Water polo Yes Division C No
• Wrestling No No No

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty1,899
• Full-time Percentage73%
• Part-time Percentage27%
• Female Percentage38%
• Male Percentage62%
• Student:Faculty Ratio18:1 or 31,283 students to 1,810 faculty