SMU is a private, comprehensive university offering 123 undergraduate degrees and 127 graduate and professional degrees, including 23 doctorates. The University has seven degree-granting schools:
SMU also offers courses through numerous continuing education programs.
SMU has several centers and institutes focused on diverse and interdisciplinary subjects. They include the John G. Tower Center for Political Studies, the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies, the Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility, the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, and the Institute for Reading Research.
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History - Humanities and sciences have been the heart of SMU from its beginning. Dedman College, SMU’s largest school, provides a liberal arts foundation for all undergraduates. It was named in 1981 for benefactors Robert H. Dedman, Sr., and his wife, Nancy McMillan Dedman, of Dallas.
Academic Programs - 16 departments in humanities, social sciences and mathematical and natural sciences offer Bachelor’s degrees through 80 majors, plus Master’s and doctoral degrees.
Competitive Graduates - Dedman students have a high rate of graduate school acceptance. Their acceptance rate to medical school ranges 14–23 percentage points above the national average each year.
Publications - Dedman faculty are published by such university presses as Oxford, Cambridge, Yale and Harvard.
Research - In 2007–08 Dedman faculty generated 58 awards for $7.40 million of the $19.45 million awarded for SMU research and sponsored projects.
Facilities - SMU has committed more than $40 million in the past 10 years to upgrade and expand teaching, research and support facilities in Dedman College, including construction of Dedman Life Sciences Building and extensive renovation of Fondren Science Building.
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History - Established in 1920, the Cox School of Business was named in 1978 in honor of benefactor Edwin L. Cox, Sr., of Dallas.
Academic Programs - Bachelor of Business Administration with majors in accounting, business and financial reporting, finance, financial consulting, general business, management, marketing and real estate finance; Master of Business Administration and Master of Science degrees in accounting, management and entrepreneurship.
Rankings - Cox is recognized as a leader in business education by such publications as BusinessWeek, The Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal.
Location - One of the Cox School’s greatest advantages is its location in the heart of Dallas. Since the school’s founding, Cox has forged strong relationships with leading companies and influential business leaders in the area.
International Study - The Cox School has a mandatory international immersion experience for all full-time M.B.A. and Executive M.B.A. students. Professional M.B.A. students also have short-term immersion courses as part of their curriculum. All students can take advantage of the 15 exchange partnerships Cox has established with schools around the world.
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History - Arts education dates from SMU’s opening. It evolved into Meadows School of the Arts in 1969, named in honor of benefactor Algur H. Meadows and The Meadows Foundation of Dallas. The partnership with The Meadows Foundation continues to benefit the Meadows School and its renowned Meadows Museum, housing one of the finest collections of Spanish art outside Spain.
Academic Programs - Meadows provides a conservatory atmosphere in a liberal arts setting through Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and Artist Certificates. Divisions: Temerlin Advertising Institute, Art, Art History, Arts Administration, Cinema-Television, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs (CCPA), Dance, Journalism, Music and Theatre.
Outstanding Students - SMU Journalism students were the only college students in the nation to cover the 2008 presidential primaries as credentialed FOX-TV reporters. CCPA students developed communication strategies being used to encourage breast cancer screening and treatment in developing countries.
Prominent Alumni - Arts alumni have won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony, Emmy and Academy Awards. Their work is represented in museums such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art.
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History - SMU’s School of Engineering, founded in 1925, was named in 2008 in honor of Dallas leader and school alumnus Bobby B. Lyle.
Academic Programs - Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degrees offered through departments of Computer Science and Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Engineering Management, Information and Systems; Environmental and Civil Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering.
New Initiatives - The Lyle School of Engineering is the first in the nation to host a Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® Lab modeled after the California research facility established to solve complex technology problems. The new Center for Engineering Leadership will provide customized leadership development for each student. The Caruth Institute for Engineering Education is developing new methodologies for incorporating engineering education into K-12 schools.
Research - In 2007–08, external funding for engineering research reached an all-time high of $10 million, having tripled over the past four years.
Facilities - The Embrey Engineering Building is one of the nation’s first academic buildings to be LEED gold-certified for its environmentally sensitive design and construction. The new Caruth Hall, now under construction, will complete SMU’s high-performance engineering complex of all new facilities.
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History - SMU’s School of Law, founded in 1925, was named Dedman School of Law in 2001 in honor of benefactors Robert H. Dedman, Sr., his wife, Nancy McMillan Dedman, and their family.
Academic Programs - Juris Doctor, Master’s and Doctor of Law degrees. SMU also offers a J.D. degree through an evening law program. The Master’s program for graduates of foreign law schools has graduated more than 1,400 lawyers from more than 70 countries.
Other Programs and Resources - Dedman School of Law offers numerous international programs, publishes five well-respected law journals and operates five legal clinics serving diverse community needs. The school’s Underwood Law Library houses the largest private law collection in the Southwest.
Recognition - Texas Lawyer ranked Dedman School of Law first in a 2008 survey on student satisfaction at Texas law schools. Dedman Law is among the nation’s 25 most competitive law schools for admission.
Alumni - SMU law graduates include Texas Supreme Court justices, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and members of the highest courts worldwide.
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History - One of SMU’s three original schools, the theology school was named in 1945 in honor of benefactors Joe J. and Lois Craddock Perkins of Wichita Falls, Texas.
Academic Programs - Master’s degrees in divinity, theological studies, church ministries and sacred music; Doctor of Ministry; Ph.D. in religious studies jointly with Dedman College; certificate programs in Hispanic studies, African American church studies, Anglican studies, pastoral care, urban ministry and women’s studies.
Affiliation - Perkins is one of five university-related theological schools of The United Methodist Church.
Specialized Programs - The Perkins Internship Program, which gives students supervised experience appropriate to their vocational goals, is a model for other programs nationwide. The Mexican American Program is a national training center for students and church leaders preparing for ministry in Spanish-speaking contexts and cultures.
Resources - The school’s Bridwell Library houses a major religious studies research collection and outstanding rare book, Bible and manuscript collections.
Facilities - Construction of Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall and renovation of Kirby Hall and Selecman Hall are scheduled for completion in 2009.
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History - SMU renewed its commitment to professional education programs in 2005 by establishing the School of Education and Human Development. In 2007, a landmark gift was received from Harold C. and Annette C. Simmons and the School of Education was renamed the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development in honor of Mrs. Simmons, an elementary education graduate of SMU.
Academic Programs - Undergraduate teacher certification; Bachelor’s in applied physiology and sport management; graduate certification including literacy training, bilingual education, English as a second language, gifted student education, learning therapy, mathematics, science, technology and dispute resolution; Master’s degrees in education, bilingual education, educational leadership, counseling, dispute resolution and liberal studies; Ph.D. in educational research.
Research and Community Programs - Institute for Reading Research, Gifted Students Institute, Center for Child and Community Development, Center for Family Counseling, Diagnostic Center for Dyslexia and Related Disorders, Center for Academic Progress and Success, Upward Bound, Community Counseling Centers, Mediation and Conflict Resolution Services; informal courses for adults and academic enhancement programs for youth.
Facilities - Programs offered on the Dallas campus and at SMU-in-Plano. SMU broke ground in 2008 for Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall to house the school.