Colleges University of California—Davis

UC Davis www.ucdavis.edu

University of California–Davis is a public institution that was founded in 1905. Located in the city of Davis, the campus size is 5,300 acres and is the third-largest enrollment in the UC system after UCLA and UC Berkeley. It is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institution was first founded as an agricultural branch, known as University Farm, and became the seventh campus of the University of California system.  Located just 15 miles from the capital city of Sacramento provides UCD with both the isolation critical to fostering a college-town environment while also providing a lively and large metropolitan area nearby. The UC Davis campus is the largest campus in the UC system, and contains an airport, fire department, student farm, and a collection of outdoor sculptures called “Eggheads.” Students can choose from more than 700 clubs and organizations. Although the campus itself is vast, the entire community of Davis is relatively small and is easily traversable on bike utilizing Davis’s extensive bicycle trails.

Academics

UC Davis offers a wide range of academic options within its undergraduate, graduate and professional schools and colleges. Undergraduates can study in the College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, College of Biological Sciences, or College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. UC Davis is classified among R1 Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activities, and its four colleges, five professional schools, more than 100 majors, and 86 graduate programs make it the most comprehensive of all UC campuses. The student-faculty ratio at UC Davis is 21:1, and the school has 36% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Research and Experimental Psychology, Economics, and Managerial Economics.

Special Highlights

The Student Farm. The Student Farm is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment. Students with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests are welcome and encouraged to become involved. No prior farming or gardening experience is required. There are also a number of university courses that take place at the Student Farm, for example, Seminar on Alternatives in Agriculture, along with a number of research opportunities and special projects.

Manetti Shrem Museum. The Museum builds on the University’s long tradition to extend the transformational power of art across disciplines. We are committed to offering engaging experiences that reflect and serve the UC Davis community. There are many opportunities for students to be involved in our university art museum, from working in our galleries, to recharging their mind with inspirational art. Operating with a student-run front of house, the museum creates jobs in customer service, security, and education where students can grow their skills in a dynamic environment.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

Founded as a primarily agricultural campus, the University has expanded over the past century to include graduate and professional programs in medicine (which includes the UC Davis Medical Center), law, veterinary medicine, education, nursing, and business management, in addition to 90 research programs offered by UC Davis Graduate Studies. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is the largest veterinary school in the United States. UCD was rated as one of the “Public Ivies” in surveys comparing publicly funded universities the authors claimed provide an education comparable to the Ivy League. To the south side of the campus core is the 100-acre UC Davis Arboretum, which includes 3.5 miles of paved paths, 4,000 tree specimens, Putah Creek, and Lake Spafford. UC Davis has a Department of Viticulture and Enology (concerning the scientific study of grape-growing and winemaking) that’s contributed to significant advancements in winemaking utilized by many Californian wineries.

Student Reviews…

“UCD has a beautiful campus with nature and art to explore. The student farm is great for feeding us healthy fruits and veggies. The area is extremely safe. The town of Davis is a little quiet, but for your first time away from home, it’s a good place to figure out life on your own.”