Profile
A private
university of nearly 11,000 students near the center of Dallas, SMU offers
strong undergraduate, graduate and professional programs through seven schools —
in the humanities and sciences; business; the performing, visual and
communication arts; engineering; education and human development; law; and
theology.
- Students come
from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and about 80 foreign countries, and
represent diverse economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
- SMU itself is a
gateway to the global community, offering 30 education abroad programs as well
as a unique campus in Northern New Mexico on the site of a historic fort and
13th-century Indian pueblo.
- The University's
10 libraries house the largest private collection of research materials in the
Southwest.
- The
internationally acclaimed Meadows Museum houses one of the finest collections of
Spanish art outside of Spain and presents outstanding special exhibitions and
educational programming for youth and adults.
- As part of SMU's
focus on leadership, the Tate Distinguished Lecture Series and Hart Global
Leaders Forum bring national and world leaders to campus for lectures and
interaction with students.
- Founded in 1911
by what is now The United Methodist Church, SMU opened in 1915 with support from
Dallas leaders. The University is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to
freedom of inquiry.
Academic Offerings
SMU is a private,
comprehensive university offering 123 undergraduate degree programs and 127
graduate and professional degree programs, including 25 doctorates. The
University has seven degree-granting schools:
- Dedman College of
Humanities and Sciences
- Meadows School of the
Arts
- Cox School of Business
- School of Engineering
- Dedman School of Law
- Perkins School of
Theology
- Annette Caldwell
Simmons School of Education and Human Development
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.
Academic Profile and
Rankings
- The average SAT score
of the first-year undergraduate class has risen 97 points in the past 10
years.
- SMU ranked 13th in
Forbes magazine's report on rankings by the Center for College
Affordability and Productivity in 2008.
- SMU consistently ranks
in the top one-third of national universities in the guide America’s Best
Colleges, published by U.S. News & World Report.
- Cox School of Business
is recognized as a leader in business education by such publications as
BusinessWeek, Forbes, The Economist, Financial Times,
The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report.
- Recent graduates have
included four Fulbright Scholars and a Marshall Scholar.
- History Professor
David J. Weber was named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in
2007.
Students
- In fall 2007, 79.4
percent of first-year students and 71.5 percent of all undergraduates
received financial assistance.
- 63.5 percent of fall
2007 undergraduates and 49.8 percent of graduate students reported a
religious affiliation; of them, 22.5 percent are Roman Catholic and 21.3
percent are Methodist. Also represented are other Protestant affiliations
and religions such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.
- Approximately 450
students participate each year in 30 education abroad programs offered in 16
countries throughout Europe and in Asia, Australia and Africa, as well as a
program in Mexico.
- More than 2,500
student volunteers serve annually through approximately 70 nonprofit
agencies.
- Approximately 180
campus organizations provide opportunities for student involvement and
leadership training.
Enrollment — Fall
2007
- Undergraduate
students 6,176
- Graduate and
professional students 4,653
- Total
enrollment 10,829
- Minority students made
up 21 percent of SMU’s total fall 2007 enrollment. Students come to SMU from
all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with more than half of
first-year students coming from out of state. The fall 2007 enrollment
included 747 international students from 82 countries.
Faculty
- SMU has more than 600
full-time faculty members.
- 84 percent of
full-time faculty hold the doctorate or highest degree in their fields.
- The student-faculty
ratio is 12-to-1.
Alumni
- SMU has approximately
100,000 alumni worldwide, including about 40,000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area.
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