The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public research university in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1969 and part of the University of Alabama System, UAB has grown to be the state's largest employer, with more than 27,302 faculty and staff and over 53,000 jobs at the university. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
UAB offers 140 programs of study in 12 academic divisions leading to bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees. In the fall of 2024, UAB enrolled 20,905 students from more than 110 countries. The UAB Health System, one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States, is affiliated with UAB.
The UAB athletic teams known as the Blazers compete in 18 varsity-level sports in the NCAA Division I - American Conference. Its official varsity colors are green and gold. The Blazers have won 11 conference championships to date.
History In 1936, in response to the rapid growth of the Birmingham metropolitan area and the need for the population to have access to a university education, the University of Alabama established the Birmingham Extension Center. The center operated in an old house in downtown Birmingham at 2131 6th Avenue North and enrolled 116 students. In 1945, UA's newly established four-year School of Medicine moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham and took over management of Jefferson and Hillman hospitals. In 1957 enrollment at the extension center stood at 1,856. By 1959, research grants, training grants, and fellowships exceeded $1 million, and ground was broken for a new Children's Hospital.
By the 1960s, it grew apparent that the extension center was becoming a university in its own right. An engineering building was built close to the medical center in 1962. In September 1966, the Extension Center was renamed the College of General Studies and elevated to a full four-year program. That November, the College of General Studies and the School of Medicine were merged into the University of Alabama in Birmingham, with Dr. Joseph Volker as "Vice President for Birmingham Affairs"–reflecting that it was still treated as an offsite department of the main campus in Tuscaloosa. An Advisory Board for UAB was created in 1967. In 1969, the legislature created the University of Alabama System. UAB became one of three four-year institutions within the new system, which also included UA and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in Huntsville. Volker became UAB's first president.
Campus
UAB is located in the Southside neighborhood of downtown Birmingham, Alabama, occupying more than 100 city blocks and surrounded by three historic neighborhoods: Five Points South, Glen Iris, and the Southside. There is a blend of public and private property inside the university limits. I-65, 10th, 11th, and 12th Avenues South, 22nd Street South, and 2nd Avenue South are the boundaries of UAB campus. The campus has more than 216 academic, residential, and recreational facilities spread across around , or roughly of building area.
The UAB strategic plan's pillars are supported by the campus master plan, which places an emphasis on innovative facilities and improved growth management. The campus master plan also includes the creation of eight activity zones: Academics, Athletics & Recreation, Cultural, Hospital/Highlands, Residential, Research, Southern Research, and Support, with some overlapping zone areas of collaboration such as Academic, Research, and Hospital. Honors Hall, the Collat School of Business, the School of Nursing, University Hall, Gold Hall, McMahon Hall, McCallum Basic Health Science Building, Early Learning Center, and the Technology Innovation Center are amongst the recently completed building construction projects on the university. The Science and Engineering Complex's second phase project, the Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine & Data Sciences Building, the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation Conference Center, Biomedical Research and Psychology Building, Unity Park, Department of Art and Art History, Cooper Green Mercy Health, University Emergency Department, Rehabilitation Pavilion, 14th Street Parking Deck, and the Southern Research Biotechnology Building are among the ongoing constructions in the university. Since 2013, about of new facilities have been added to UAB's footprint through the completion or ongoing development of 17 major university construction projects.
UAB Campus Green
UAB's Campus Green, also referred to as "the Green", is an open green area and a quadrangle intended for usage by members of the university community and visitors. It was built in 2008 and considered to be the focal point of the campus. The university's long-term master plan, which describes Campus Green as "the signature open space and the center of the academic core," includes the quadrangle as a key element. The Green is surrounded by green grasses, plants, shrubs, trees and walkways, that include 10th Avenue South, University Boulevard, the Chemistry Building, University Dining Facility, Camp Hall, Blazer Hall, Heritage Hall, University Hall (UAB College of Arts & Sciences) and the Campus Recreation Center. The Green is a part of a centuries-old higher education tradition that offers a serene outdoor space for introspective thought and communal gathering.
Student facilities To support its transition from a historically commuter-focused campus to a residential institution, the university expanded its student-centered infrastructure along the University Boulevard and Campus Green corridors. These facilities include:
Hill Student Center: Opened in 2015 to replace the 1983 Hill University Center, this 162,000-square-foot facility serves as the central administrative and social hub for the student body. The building houses student organization offices, the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), multi-purpose meeting spaces, a 250-seat theater, the university bookstore, and campus dining options. Campus Recreation Center: Opened in 2005, this 152,000-square-foot, three-story facility is located on the northeast side of the Campus Green. It features a two-story fitness floor, four basketball/volleyball courts, an aquatics center with a lap pool, a five-story climbing wall, and four fitness studios. Student Activity Building: Opened in September 2024 at the corner of 14th Street South and 11th Avenue South, this 12,790-square-foot facility provides dedicated meeting and event space for registered student organizations, fraternities, and sororities. The single-story building features a large divisible assembly room with a capacity of 280, four smaller individual assembly rooms, a catering kitchen, and dedicated workspace for student leadership.
UAB Arts The Alys Stephens Center is home to the performing arts of the city of Birmingham and is the residence venue for events by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, UAB's theater and music departments and other globally recognized performers. The Alys Stephens Center is the hub of UAB's Cultural Arts Corridor, located on the cultural zone of the campus, which houses the cutting-edge Abroms-Engel Institute for Visual Arts (AEIVA) that brings the arts into the community through its ArtPlay and Arts in Medicine programs.
Organization and administration
UAB is governed by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System. The board is self-nominating and composed of 15 elected members and two ex officio members. Board members are confirmed by the Alabama State Senate.
The president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is appointed by the chancellor. The president also chairs the board of the UAB Health System. Richard Marchase was named interim president on August 21, 2012, after the retirement of Carol Garrison. In February 2013, Ray L. Watts became UAB's seventh president.
College and schools
UAB is composed of one college, nine schools, an honors college and a graduate school. These academic divisions offer 57 bachelor's degree programs, 69 master's degree programs,3 specialist's, 42 doctoral programs, and 3 professional degrees.
Colleges and schools are: College of Arts and Sciences (2010) Collat School of Business (1971) School of Dentistry (UAB; 1948): founded as the only dental school in Alabama. The School of Dentistry admitted its first class of students in October 1948. The development of "four-handed dentistry" and the expanded utilization of trained auxiliary personnel were pioneered at this institution. From 2012 through 2015 the School was ranked first in research funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. School of Education and Human Sciences (1971) School of Engineering (1971) Graduate School (1969) School of Health Professions (1969) Heersink School of Medicine (1944): the School of Medicine moved to Birmingham in 1948 from the university campus in Tuscaloosa and became a four-year school. Honors College (2011) School of Nursing (1950) School of Optometry (1969) School of Public Health (1981)
Endowment UAB's endowment reached more than 1 billion dollars after a 2018 campaign goal. It includes more than 103,000 donors, which is the largest fundraising campaign effort in UAB history.
Research Expenditures UAB received more than $715 million in research grants and extramural awards for FY 2022.
Academics UAB is a large, four-year research university and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". UAB has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1970, according to the U.S. Department of Education. UAB offers degrees in the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels from the schools in Business, Education, Engineering, Graduate School, Health Professions, Nursing, Public Health, and the College of Arts and Sciences. It also houses the Honors College and the three professional schools that offer professional degrees in dentistry, Medicine, and Optometry. UAB has inaugurated some new programs in bioinformatics, cancer biology genetics and genomic sciences, digital forensic immunology and neuro-engineering that are the first of its kind in the US.
UAB Medicine
With almost 2 million clinical visits and care provided every year, UAB is considered one of the largest academic medical centers that offers patient care to the state of Alabama and the surrounding areas. The institution is also training future medical professionals and advancing medical science through study and research at health-related professional schools of UAB; Dentistry, Health Professions, Nursing, Optometry, Public Health and the Heersink School of Medicine. A number of managed hospitals are part of the UAB Health System, including the UAB Hospital, the Valley Foundation, the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation, the UAB Carolan Eye Hospital Authority, the Medical West Hospital Authority, the L.V. Stabler Hospital, J. Paul Jones Hospital, Brian Whitfield Memorial Hospital, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority, and other local hospitals. Ascension St. Vincent's and UAB Health System have formed a collaborative partnership to expand access to healthcare through numerous locations and wellness initiatives. Diabetes, mental and behavioral health, and health disparities are addressed by this partnership. Additionally, it maintains close relationships with other public and private nonprofit organizations that are housed on and around the UAB campus, such as the Children's of Alabama and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The UAB Health System, a distinct not-for-profit organization, oversees, coordinates, and manages the medical facilities connected to UAB.