Few universities in the world offer the extraordinary range and diversity of academic programs that students enjoy at UCLA. Leadership in education, research, and public service make UCLA a beacon of excellence in higher education, as students, faculty members, and staff come together in a true community of scholars to advance knowledge, address societal challenges, and pursue intellectual and personal fulfillment.
As a public research university, the mission of UCLA is to create, disseminate, preserve, and apply knowledge to better society. Based on a foundation of learning and teaching, the mission also focuses on discovery, creativity, innovation, and civic engagement.
UCLA administration is led by its chancellor, provost, vice chancellors and vice provosts, and deans of the divisions and schools. Its Student Affairs division oversees programs and services that support student academic and personal success. Its Division of Graduate Education oversees recruitment and admissions, funding and appointments, and maintenance of high-quality standards in graduate programs. Through the Academic Senate, faculty share in the operation and management of UCLA.
UCLA is comprised of the College of Letters and Science—with its humanities, life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and undergraduate education divisions—and 12 professional schools: School of the Arts and Architecture; School of Dentistry; School of Education and Information Studies; Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science; School of Law; John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management; David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Herb Alpert School of Music; School of Nursing; Meyer and Renee Luskin School of Public Affairs; Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health; and School of Theater, Film, and Television.
The National Research Council Committee to Assess Research-Doctorate Programs evaluates the quality of the faculty in 212 American research universities approximately every 15 years. Of the 62 doctorate degree disciplines studied in the 2011 evaluation, 33 UCLA academic departments ranked among the top 10 in the country and 12 ranked among the top 20.
Distinguished faculty members at UCLA include Nobel prizewinners, Guggenheim fellows, Sloan fellows, and Fulbright scholars, as well as numerous members of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In fact, UCLA consistently places among the leading universities nationwide in the number of these prestigious awards granted to its faculty members.
This remarkable pool of talent is shared across the College and 12 professional schools. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered by the College and by schools focused on education, engineering, fine arts, media, nursing, performing arts, public affairs, and public health. The other professional schools offer graduate degree programs and undergraduate minors.
Undergraduates may earn one of 141 bachelor degrees; graduate students may earn one of 144 master/professional and 126 doctorate/professional degrees.
Academic programs undergo continuous review and evaluation to maintain their excellence, and new degree programs are added as they are approved by the Academic Senate or the Regents.
Pushing the boundaries of the known, UCLA researchers—faculty members and students, both graduate and undergraduate—venture every day into uncharted worlds from the molecular to the galactic.
Whether tracing the roots of urban decay, pioneering new drug therapies for cancer, or revealing a black hole at the center of our galaxy, research at UCLA is advancing the frontiers of knowledge.
Among the leading research universities in the world, in 2021-22 UCLA received $1.72 billion in extramural grants and contracts to support its research. Each year it hosts hundreds of postdoctoral scholars who share its facilities.
UCLA laboratories have seen major breakthroughs in scientific and medical research. Its study centers have helped foster understanding among the various cultures of the world. And its ongoing pursuits of new knowledge in vital areas continue to improve the quality of life for people around the world.
Faculty members teach both undergraduate and graduate courses and, through their research, create knowledge as well as transmit it. At UCLA, students are taught by the people making the discoveries. They exchange ideas with faculty members who are authorities in their fields and, even as undergraduate students, are encouraged to participate in research to experience firsthand the discovery of new knowledge.
As a public university, serving the community is one of greatest commitments UCLA makes. Undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities, community outreach programs, and grass-roots participation by students, faculty, staff, and alumni help to forge a partnership between UCLA and the entire Los Angeles region.
With the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA furthers its tradition of medical outreach and assures the highest quality of care to Los Angeles and the world. The School of Dentistry, with clinics on campus and in Venice, offers free dental care and treatment to those in need at community health fairs. The Rape Treatment Center—located at the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica—offers 24-hour care to victims. Faculty and students in the Fielding School of Public Health work in communities around the world to address disparities underlying differences in the health status of individuals, and the School of Nursing offers care to the poor and homeless through its nurse-managed health center at the Union Rescue Mission. UCLA also supports K-12 enhancement programs such as the Music Partnership Program in the Herb Alpert School of Music, which funds UCLA students to be academic and musical mentors for at-risk youth.
Students can get involved in the community in many different ways. The UCLA Volunteer Center coordinates year-round programs and annual events, such as UCLA Volunteer Day where Bruins perform service work at over 55 community partner sites across Los Angeles. BruinCorps tutors under-performing youth in disadvantaged communities.
As UCLA gives to the community, Los Angeles gives something back. UCLA arts and cultural programs, for example, attract more than half a million people each year, drawn by everything from world-class acts performing at Royce Hall to screenings of classic films from the School of Theater, Film, and Television archives. These relationships create opportunities for partnerships and growth that ensure the pre-eminence of UCLA in the twenty-first century and beyond.
