The University of Colorado Boulder is the major research university in the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S. CU Boulder has a proud academic tradition, with five Nobel laureates in the sciences,12 recipients of the MacArthur Fellowship, more than 100 Fulbright scholars since 1982, and approximately 80 combined members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Education, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Sciences. Several CU Boulder research faculty from the National Snow and Ice Data Center shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore for their contributions to the international report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The university has historically ranked as one of the top five sources of Peace Corps volunteers among U.S. colleges and universities and is the home of the founding chapter of Engineers Without Borders. The CU Boulder Graduate School offers 61 doctoral and 97 master’s degree programs in a full range of disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, physical and biological sciences, fine arts, performing arts, engineering, journalism/media/communications, business, music, and education. The Graduate School provides students with a wide scope of research opportunities. It oversees 12 research institutes on campus that conduct interdisciplinary investigations in such areas as environmental sciences, space studies, biotechnology, renewable energy, and behavioral science. Students participate in the research programs of faculty and in cooperative research programs with federal agencies, laboratories, and private industries. Faculty received $684.2 million in sponsored research awards in the 2023 fiscal year, part of which helps support the work of hundreds of graduate students, gives graduate students access to high-quality equipment, and fosters collaboration with world-class faculty. The University of Colorado Law School offers rich opportunities for interdisciplinary study through five dual degree programs with other CU Boulder schools and colleges. The campus maintains an intimate college atmosphere for undergraduate students with many small academic communities and 82% of classes enrolling fewer than 50 students. CU Boulder offers more than 4,600 undergraduate courses in approximately 170 areas of study and 82 degree programs at the bachelor’s level. Undergraduates apply to the following colleges, schools, and programs: Arts & Sciences, Leeds School of Business, Engineering & Applied Science, Music, Environmental Design, Education, and Communication, Media and Information. CU Boulder faculty members bring their research into the classroom in areas such as physics, space sciences, and the American West. University facilities include an observatory, planetarium, mountain research station, a hands-on teaching and learning laboratory for engineering, and the Alliance for Teaching, Learning, & Society Center, a structure that offers the university community groundbreaking instructional technology and learning opportunities. Outstanding departments and programs include aerospace engineering, astrophysical and planetary sciences, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, engineering, English, entrepreneurial business, geography, integrative physiology, music, physics, and psychology. Undergraduate students participate in approximately 400 study abroad programs in 65 countries and on seven continents, honors programs, undergraduate research, service learning courses—combining community service with instruction, and 12 residential academic programs. CU Boulder students come from every state and approximately 100 countries, which enriches campus life with a variety of cultures and perspectives.
Subject | Rank |
---|
Subject | Rank |
---|---|
Earth Sciences | 1 |
Atmospheric Science | 2 |
Physics | 14 |
Aerospace Engineering | 16 |
Geography | 25 |
Ecology | 25 |
Water Resources | 26 |
Chemical Engineering | 27 |
Undergraduate Programs |
---|
Accounting |
Aerospace Engineering Sciences |
Anthropology |
Architectural Engineering |
Architecture Studies |
Art History |
Asian Studies |
Astronomy |
Biochemistry |
Chemical and Biological Engineering |
Chemical Engineering |
Chemistry |
Chinese |
Civil Engineering |
Classics |
Communication |
Computer Science |
Dance |
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |
Economics |
Electrical and Computer Engineering |
Electrical Engineering |
Engineering Physics |
English |
Environmental Design |
Environmental Engineering |
Environmental Studies |
Ethnic Studies |
French |
Geography |
Geological Sciences |
Germanic Studies |
History |
Humanities |
Integrative Physiology |
International Affairs |
Italian |
Japanese |
Linguistics |
Mathematics |
Mechanical Engineering |
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology |
Music |
Music Education |
Philosophy |
Physics |
Political Science |
Psychology |
Religious Studies |
Sociology |
Spanish |
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences |
Teacher Licensure - Elementary |
Teacher Licensure - Music (K-12) |
Teacher Licensure - Secondary (English, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Mathematics, Music, Russian, Science, Social Studies, Spanish) |
Theatre |
Women and Gender Studies |
Applied Computer Science |
Art Practices |
Arts in Music |
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences |
Biomedical Engineering |
Business Administration |
Business Analytics |
Cinema Studies |
Creative Technology and Design |
Education Studies |
Elementary Education |
Information Science |
Integrated Design Engineering |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
Jewish Studies |
Journalism |
Leadership and Community Engagement |
Media Production |
Media Studies |
Middle & High School Teaching |
Neuroscience |
Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies |
Statistics and Data Science |
Strategic Communication |
Graduate Programs |
---|
Aerospace engineering sciences |
Anthropology |
Applied Mathematics |
Asian Languages and Civilizations |
Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences |
Atlas-Technology, Media and Society |
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences |
Chemical engineering |
Chemical Physics |
Classics |
Cognitive Science |
Communication |
Computer science |
Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI) |
Dance |
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) |
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)- Music Education |
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)- Musicology |
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology |
Economics |
Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity (EECD) |
Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice (EFPP) |
Engineering management |
English |
Environmental Studies |
French |
Geography |
Geological Sciences |
Geophysics |
History |
Integrative Physiology |
Journalism |
Juris Doctor (JD) |
Linguistics |
Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
Mathematics |
Mechanical engineering |
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology |
Museum and Field Studies |
Neuroscience |
Philosophy |
Physics |
Political Science |
Religious Studies |
Sociology |
Spanish |
Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences |
Theatre |
Architectural Engineering |
Art History |
Art Practices |
Accounting |
Arts of the Americas |
Audiology |
Biochemistry |
Chemistry |
Biological Engineering |
Biomedical Engineering |
Business Administation |
Business Analytics |
Civil Engineering |
Computational Linguistics |
Corporate Communication |
Creative Technology and Design |
Creative Writing |
Critical Ethnic Studies |
Education Curriculum & Instruction |
Education Learning Sciences and Human Development |
Electrical Engineering |
Elementary Education |
Emergent Technologies and Media Art Practices |
Engineering Education |
Environmental Engineering |
Executive MBA |
Experience Design |
Finance |
German Studies |
Higher Education |
Information Science |
Interdisciplinary Documentary Media Practices |
Journalism Entrepreneurship |
Master of Laws |
Masters of Studies in Law |
Masters of the Environment |
Materials Science & Engineering |
Media and Public Engagement |
Media Research and Practice |
Music |
Music Education |
Musical Arts |
Network Engineering |
Organizational Leadership |
Outdoor Recreation Economy |
Psychology |
Real Estate |
Robotics |
Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies |
Strategic Communication Design |
Supply Chain Management |
Taxation |
Teacher Leadership |
Technology, Cybersecurity and Policy |