The University 3 General Information General The University of North Texas is a student-centered The university is committed to academic public research university and is the flagship of the excellence, to student success and to serving as an UNT System. The university stands as the most com- intellectual resource for the community, state and prehensive in the Dallas–Fort Worth region, offering nation. 93 bachelor’s, 111 master’s and 50 doctoral degree programs, many nationally recognized. Our History UNT is a thriving university with a legacy of excel- lence in a broad range of academic areas. It is also one UNT was founded in 1890 as Texas Normal of the largest universities in Texas, enrolling more than College and Teacher Training Institute. Joshua 32,000 students. Founded in 1890, UNT takes pride in C. Chilton, the founding president, leased facili- its outstanding faculty, high academic standards and ties above a hardware store on Denton’s square to diverse student body. Offering a traditional college establish a teacher training institute. His charge to experience at an affordable cost, UNT boasts a 19:1 the faculty at its first assembly remains an impor- student-faculty ratio and Division I-A athletics. Named tant part of UNT’s value system: “It will be our aim one of America’s 100 Best College Buys® for 10 consec- to become leaders in the education of the young utive years, UNT also provides more than 60 centers men and women of Texas, fitting them to creditably and institutes which serve the public good. fill the most important positions in business and professional circles. We desire the cooperation of University all who believe in higher education and who want to see our state in the very front of intellectual as well as UNT Presidents material progress.” The university has been led by The university has had seven names through the 13 presidents: years. 1890 Texas Normal College and Teacher Joshua C. Chilton (1890-9) Training Institute John J. Crumley (189-9) 1894 North Texas Normal College Menter B. Terrill (189-1901) 1901 North Texas State Normal College J.S. Kendall (1901-06) 1923 North Texas State Teachers College W.H. Bruce (1906-2) 1949 North Texas State College Robert L. Marquis (192-34) 1961 North Texas State University W.J. McConnell (1934-51) 1988 University of North Texas J.C. Matthews (1951-68) Incoming students choose UNT for the quality of John J. Kamerick (1968-70) its programs, many of which are nationally ranked. John Carter (acting, 1970-71) More degree programs at UNT are nationally accred- C.C. Nolen (1971-79) ited than at any other university in the Dallas–Fort John Carter (acting, 1979-80) Worth region (see list of accrediting organizations Frank E. Vandiver (1980-81) following the index). UNT “firsts” through the years Howard W. Smith Jr. (ad interim, 1981-82) include: Alfred F. Hurley (1982-2000) Norval F. Pohl (2000-present) • First jazz studies program in the U.S., which is consistently ranked the nation’s best. From 1981 until 2000, the president • First accredited behavioral analysis master’s also carried the responsibilities and title degree program in the U.S. of Chancellor of the University and the • First master’s degree in natural philosophy (now University of North Texas Health Science chemistry education) in the U.S. Center in Fort Worth. Senate Bill 751 of • First oil and petroleum accounting program in the 76th Texas Legislature provided for the U.S. the establishment of the University of • First patent for a silicon-based ultra-sensitive North Texas System, and in July 1999, chemical sensor for use in integrated circuit the Texas Higher Education Coordinating fabrication. Board confirmed formal system status for UNT, including the Denton campus, • First PhD program in art education in the U.S. UNTHSC in Fort Worth and the UNT • First cooperative master’s degree program in Dallas Campus (UNT System Center at library and information science in the U.S. Dallas). In October 2000, the positions • First online school library preparation program of president and chancellor were offi- in the U.S. cially separated. • First all-online master’s degree program in mer- chandising in the U.S. The university has had three • First accredited counseling program in the U.S., chancellors: which still ranks among the nation’s best. Frank E. Vandiver (1981) Alfred F. Hurley (1981-2002) The Robert B. Toulouse School of Lee Jackson (2002-present) Graduate Studies On August 2, 2002, the UNT Board When Robert B. Toulouse, who served as gradu- of Regents named Alfred F. Hurley ate dean from 1954 to 1982 and provost until 1990, Chancellor Emeritus of the UNT System retired, the board of regents renamed the graduate and President Emeritus of the university. school the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. His contributions to graduate education made the honor richly deserved. During Toulouse’s tenure as graduate dean, almost every graduate program currently authorized at UNT was established. His leadership role in establishing these programs helped to make UNT the most comprehensive graduate University 5 institution in the region and one of the three largest Federation of North Texas Area Universities graduate institutions in the state. A new dimension in graduate education came In addition, graduate student enrollment grew in 1968 with the establishment of the Federation of from approximately 300 students to more than 5,500, North Texas Area Universities. With the guidance which then represented almost a third of UNT’s of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, total enrollment. Toulouse also provided leadership the federation was founded to expand and enrich the in establishing the Federation of North Texas Area variety of graduate degrees available to residents of Universities in 1968. the area by sharing the resources of the University of Toulouse’s efforts also had an extraordinary effect North Texas and Texas Woman’s University in Den- on the development of research at the university. As ton, and Texas A&M University–Commerce. dean, he pursued a goal of enhancing research across Master’s and doctoral degree programs have been the entire campus, involving as many professors as developed that permit students at one of the three possible to build a strong base for attracting external participating institutions to complete a portion of funding. His insight and good judgment in manag- their graduate work at either or both of the other two, ing the university’s limited resources led to major although a single institution grants the degree. UNT increases in the quality and impact of research at grants eight master’s and seven doctoral degrees that UNT. In this, he laid the foundation for the explosive are part of the federation consortium. In addition, 16 increase in external research funding in the 1980s. program committees have been formed to encour- age cooperative activities between the participating History of Graduate Education at UNT universities. Graduate studies at the master’s level were first Universities Center at Dallas offered at UNT in 1935 in response to an increasing demand from Texas school systems for teachers with In 1997 the Federation of North Texas Area more than four years of college education. Master’s Universities assumed the management of the Univer- degrees were first offered in art, biology, chemistry, sities Center at Dallas, formerly the Dallas Education economics, education, English, physical and health Center. Five universities cooperate in the offering of education, and Spanish, with the first master’s degrees upper-division undergraduate courses and graduate conferred in 1936. courses that may be applied to programs and degrees Beginning in 1946, master’s programs were added offered by the three principal Federation universities in other departments and by 1950 the master’s degree (Texas A&M University–Commerce, Texas Woman’s was available in almost every area in which the insti- University and UNT) and by the University of Texas tution offered the bachelor’s degree. at Arlington and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Graduate School was established in 1946 At the graduate level, a master’s in business admin- as part of a major reorganization of the institution. istration degree can be completed entirely at the The Board of Regents approved the first doctoral Universities Center at Dallas. programs — a doctorate of education in education University of North Texas Dallas Campus and a doctor of philosophy in music — in 1950. (UNT System Center at Dallas) Today, doctoral programs are offered in all schools and colleges except the School of Merchandising and The UNT Dallas Campus offers junior-, senior- Hospitality Management. Throughout the develop- and graduate-level courses leading to bachelor’s and ment of the graduate program, the pattern has been master’s degrees. Certificate programs and courses for to build master’s programs on the base of well-estab- career advancement are also provided. Courses and lished undergraduate programs and to build doctoral programs are of the same high quality as those offered programs on the base of well-established master’s at UNT in Denton and are taught by faculty from the programs. Denton campus. In recognition of the institution’s widening scope Students who enroll at the UNT Dallas Campus in higher education, the Texas Legislature approved must meet the same admissions requirements as that the North Texas State College be changed to students who apply to the UNT campus in Denton. North Texas State University in 1961. The university Dallas Campus students earn their degree from UNT. was designated in 1964 by the Governor’s Commit- The University of North Texas Dallas Campus is tee on Education Beyond the High School as one of located at 8915 S.