The University of Arkansas is a land-grant, doctoral research university located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The university was founded in 1871 and is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System. It is one of the nation’s top public research universities and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R1 Doctoral Research Institution. The university offers more than 200 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through 10 colleges and schools.
The University of Arkansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and 13 other accrediting organizations. The university has been ranked by various publications as one of the best values in higher education and one of the most efficient universities in the United States. It is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU).
The University of Arkansas’ main campus covers 1,298 acres (5.26 km2) atop “the Hill” in central Fayetteville with over 70 buildings appearing on National Register listings or Historic Places Designations including Old Main which serves as both a symbol for and centerpiece to campus. Other well known landmarks include Bud Walton Arena where Razorback basketball teams play; Baum Stadium where Razorback baseball teams play; Fulbright Peace Fountain; Giffels Auditorium; Mullins Library; UARK Bowl; WPA Rock Garden ; Greek Theater; Unity Tree Grove; Centennial Greenway Trail System connecting to over 3 miles (4.8 km) throughout campus.;and Old Science Hall . The Quadrangle consists of 12 brick buildings arranged around a grassy mall on “the hill” at center campus that includes Walker Plaza home to Kimpel Hall , Bell Engineering Center , Murchison Performing Arts Center ,Fulbright College Dean’s office among others In 2019, Travel+Leisure named Fayetteville one America’s best college towns praising its “quaint downtown,” “abundanceof green space,”and variety food and drink options.”
As part of its mission as a land-grant institution, agricultural experimentation conducted on station grounds eventually led to development what would become nationally recognized programs such Rutherford Latta ‘s hogs breeding program that improved pork production throughout United States or George Washington Carver ‘s work with peanuts that created new agricultural products and industries based on this humble legume . Also notable are efforts make higher education accessible all Arkansans regardless their economic means exemplified by J. William Fulbright ‘s GI Bill -enhanced access program which later served model for national implementation this legislation following WWII . UA was first among US institutions award degrees African Americans women . Prominent alumni from 20th century onward have included two Pulitzer Prize winners: novelist John Williams author Cormac McCarthy ; former US President Jimmy Carter his wife Rosalynn who also received honorary doctorates from UA ;Former US Secretary State Hillary Rodham Clinton her husband Bill who was governor state when she attended law school here ; astronaut Charles Duke ; civil rights activist Daisy Bates ; basketball player Scottie Pippen five-time Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton journalist Cokie Roberts country music legend Charlie Rich rock guitarist Ronnie Hawkins actor Billy Bob Thornton film director Jay Roach comedian/actor Kevin Nealon writer Maya Angelou business magnate Sam Walton environmentalist Jane Goodall industrialist Tommie Darby engineer James Sorenson musician Levon Helm actress Amy Adams politician Mike Huckabee artist John Grisham architect Fay Jones composer Glen Campbell physicist Richard Garwin chemist Joseph Henry Simmons Jr many more .