Oregon State is the only Oregon university to hold the Carnegie Foundation's prestigious designation reserved for universities with "very high research activity." OSU also is Oregon's land, sea, sun and space grant university.
OSU programs in Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Pharmacy, and a variety of other areas are nationally recognized for high quality.
All OSU undergraduates participate in the core curriculum, which emphasizes creative thinking, writing, world cultures, the arts, sciences, diversity, literature, and global awareness.
An innovative International Degree program allows undergraduate students to add an international component to any major program.
With graduate degree programs in more than 80 areas, OSU offers exceptional opportunities for study and research.
More undergraduate classes are taught by top professors with national reputations for research and teaching than at most major universities.
In the College of Liberal Arts, master teachers, selected for their scholarly expertise, lead small discovery groups in exploring issues related to core classes.
OSU's 1,800 graduate faculty members are chosen on the basis of training, experience, research, and evidence of their ability to successfully direct and supervise graduate students.
Faculty members throughout the university work closely with students in research, creative projects, university governance, and clubs and organizations.
Students take advantage of more than 300 clubs and organizations, along with numerous lectures, concerts, and cultural and social activities.
OSU offers 12 residence halls, four cooperative houses, and more than 30 sororities and fraternities, providing a full range of living and social options.
Students enjoy Pac-10 Conference athletics, plus numerous intramural, recreational, and club sports.
OSU's roots go back to 1858 when it was established as a private academy in Corvallis. College-level courses were added in 1865 and the first degrees were awarded in 1870.
A land grant university, OSU was designated as Oregon's state-assisted agricultural college in 1868. Sea grant, space grant and sun grant designations came later, making OSU one of only two universities in the nation to hold all four titles.
For more than 100 years, OSU has had a three-fold mission of teaching, research, and service to the people of Oregon and the world.
