McGill University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
McGill University

Coat of arms
Latin: Universitas McGill
Former name	McGill College or University of McGill College (1821–1885)
Motto	Grandescunt Aucta Labore On legend: In Domino Confido
Motto in English	By work, all things increase and grow On legend: I trust in the Lord
Type	Public research university
Established	March 31, 1821; 204 years ago (1821-03-31)
Founder	James McGill
Academic affiliation	AAU, ACU, AUCC, AUF, ATS, CARL, CBIE, BCI, CUSID, GULF, UArctic, UNAI, U15, URA
Endowment	CA$2.039 billion
Budget	CA$1.555 billion
Chair	Maryse Bertrand
Chancellor	John McCall MacBain
President	H. Deep Saini (former title = principal)
Visitor	Mary Simon (as Governor General of Canada)
Academic staff	3,476 (staff) 1,747 tenure track, 1,667 non-tenure track (faculty)
Administrative staff	4,327
Students	39,267 (2022)
Undergraduates	26,765 (2022)
Postgraduates	10,411 (2022)
Other students	2,091 (2022)
Location	Montreal, Quebec , Canada 45°30′15″N 73°34′29″W / 45.50417°N 73.57472°W / 45.50417; -73.57472
Campus	Urban Downtown: 32 ha (80 acres) Macdonald Campus: 650 ha (1,600 acres) Outaouais Campus
Language	English
Newspapers	The McGill Daily The Tribune
Colours	Red      White
Nickname	McGill Redbirds and Martlets
Sporting affiliations	CIS RSEQ CUFLA NEISA
Mascot	Marty the Martlet

McGill University is a public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It teaches in English. It was started in 1821 by a special permission from the King, called a royal charter. The university is named after James McGill, a Scottish merchant. He left money in his will in 1813 to create the University of McGill College. In 1885, its name officially became McGill University. Today, over 39,000 students attend McGill.

McGill's main campus is located at the base of Mount Royal in downtown Montreal. There is also a second campus, called Macdonald Campus, in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. This campus is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of the main one. McGill is one of only two universities outside the United States that belongs to the Association of American Universities. It is also the only Canadian member of the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF). This forum is part of the World Economic Forum.

The university offers more than 300 different study programs. Most students are in the six biggest faculties: Arts, Science, Medicine, Education, Engineering, and Management. Many famous people have studied or worked at McGill. These include 12 Nobel Prize winners and 148 Rhodes Scholars. Also, two former Canadian prime ministers and the current one, Justin Trudeau, have attended McGill.

History of McGill University

Starting the University

James McGill, who gave money to start McGill University

The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning (RIAL) was created in 1801. It was meant to help start schools and improve learning in the area. When James McGill passed away in 1813, he left his "Burnside estate" and 10,000 pounds to the RIAL. This money was for starting a "University or College" for education. The will said the college had to be set up within ten years.

On March 31, 1821, McGill College received its official royal charter from King George IV. This charter allowed the college to be called a university and to give out degrees. The first leader of McGill College was George Mountain.

Growing the Campus

Sir John William Dawson, Principal of McGill University, 1855–1893

The Arts Building, finished in 1843, is the oldest building on campus.

Even though McGill College got its charter in 1821, it didn't really start teaching until 1829. That's when the Montreal Medical Institution, which began in 1823, became McGill's first department. It was Canada's first medical school. The Faculty of Medicine gave its first degree in 1833. This was also the first medical degree ever given in Canada.

The Faculty of Medicine was the only part of the school working until 1843. Then, the Faculty of Arts started teaching in the new Arts Building. The Faculty of Law was created in 1848. It is also the oldest law school in Canada. Sir John William Dawson, who was the principal from 1855 to 1893, is often given credit for making McGill a modern university.

Women at McGill

Women began to receive education at McGill in 1884. Donald Smith helped fund special classes for women. The first degrees for women at McGill were given out in 1888. In 1899, the Royal Victoria College (RVC) opened. It was a place for women students to live. Until the 1970s, all female undergraduate students were considered part of RVC. Today, part of Royal Victoria College is for both genders, while another part is still only for women.

McGill During the World Wars

The Second University Company before they left for France

Stained Glass Great War Memorial entrance to the Blackader-Lauterman Library

Many students and alumni joined the army when World War I started in 1914. After many Canadian soldiers were lost in 1915, more McGill students and alumni joined the fight. Some became officers, and many served as soldiers.

After the war, the War Memorial Hall was built on campus. It is also known as Memorial Hall. It was dedicated on October 6, 1946. This building and the nearby Memorial Pool honor students who died in the First World War and the Second World War. Inside Memorial Hall, there are beautiful stained glass windows. They show military badges and remember those who served.

Helping Start Other Universities

McGill played a big part in starting several other important universities and colleges. For example, it helped create the first higher education places in British Columbia. These later became the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia.

Dawson College started in 1945 as a smaller campus of McGill. It helped teach the many students returning after World War II. Dawson later became its own independent college. Another college, John Abbott College, was also set up at McGill's Macdonald College campus in 1971.

Many McGill alumni also helped found other famous universities. These include the University of Alberta and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

McGill University Campus

Downtown Campus Life

McGill's main campus is in downtown Montreal at the bottom of Mount Royal. Most of its buildings are in a park-like area. This area is north of Sherbrooke Street and south of Pine Avenue. The campus also stretches west and east of these streets. It includes Percival Molson Memorial Stadium and the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital. Many students live in the Milton-Park neighborhood, which is close by. The campus is easy to reach by subway.

The first classes at McGill were held in James McGill's country home, Burnside Place. This was the only teaching building until the 1840s. Then, the university started building its first main buildings, like the Arts Building. The rest of the campus used to be a cow pasture!

The university's sports facilities, including Molson Stadium, are on Mount Royal. They are near the student residences. The main gym is named after General Sir Arthur William Currie.

Student Housing

McGill has 16 places for students to live. These include dorms, apartments, and hotel-style housing. About 3,100 undergraduate students and some graduate students live here. Most students only live in residence (called "rez") during their first year. After that, they usually move to apartments off-campus. Many students choose to live in the Milton-Park area, which is sometimes called the "McGill Ghetto."

The "Upper Residence" is where many first-year students live. It has dorms like McConnell Hall, Molson Hall, and Gardner Hall. These are located on the slope of Mount Royal. Royal Victoria College, which opened for women in 1899, now has mixed-gender sections. A statue of Queen Victoria stands in front of the building.

Macdonald Campus

Macdonald Campus being built in 1906

The Macdonald Campus coat of arms

The second campus is the Macdonald Campus. It is in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. This campus is home to the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science. It also has the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. In Fall 2020, about 1,892 students were studying here. Over 1 in 5 students are from outside Canada. Students often call this campus "Mac" campus. It is quieter and has more nature than the downtown campus. The Morgan Arboretum and a radar observatory are nearby.

The Morgan Arboretum was created in 1945. It is a large forest reserve. Its goal is to teach and educate the public about trees and nature. It also supports research to keep the forest healthy and protect different kinds of plants and animals.

Outaouais Campus

In 2019, McGill announced a new campus for its Faculty of Medicine in Gatineau, Quebec. This campus allows students from the Outaouais region to study medicine in French. Medical students started using the new building in August 2020. It is located above the emergency room at Gatineau Hospital.

Sustainability Efforts

McGill is working to be more environmentally friendly. In 2007, it opened its Office of Sustainability. New buildings, like the Life Sciences Centre, are built to be energy-efficient. They even have green roofs. McGill also encourages students to use bikes and supports a Farmer's Market.

Other Facilities

The new McGill University Health Centre at the Glen Site

McGill has research centers in other places too. The Bellairs Research Institute is in Saint James, Barbados. It is Canada's only teaching and research center in the tropics. McGill also has research stations in the Arctic and Subarctic regions of Canada.

The Gault Nature Reserve is a large forest area. It is one of the last remaining parts of the old forests in the St. Lawrence River Valley. Many scientific studies have been done here since 1859.

McGill works closely with many teaching hospitals in Montreal. This helps the university train over 1,000 students in health care every year. These hospitals include the Montreal Children's Hospital and the Montreal General Hospital.

How McGill University Works

University Departments

McGill University has 11 main Faculties and 13 Schools. These include the School of Architecture and the School of Computer Science. There is also the School of Human Nutrition and the Schulich School of Music.

University Symbols

McGill coat of arms

McGill's coat of arms comes from James McGill, the founder. It was designed in 1906. The shield has three red birds called martlets. It also has an open book with the words In Domino Confido, which means "I trust in the Lord." The university's motto is Grandescunt Aucta Labore. This is Latin for "By work, all things increase and grow." The official color of McGill is scarlet red.

Student Exchange Programs

McGill has connections with over 160 universities around the world. Students can study abroad for one or two semesters. Each year, McGill welcomes about 500 exchange students from over 32 countries. More than 10,000 international students attend McGill, making up over 27 percent of all students.

University Funding

McGill's money from gifts and investments helps pay for about 10 percent of its yearly costs. This fund is one of the largest among Canadian universities. In 2019, McGill started a new fundraising campaign called Made By McGill. It aims to raise $2 billion. In 2019, McGill received a $200 million gift. This was to create the McCall MacBain Scholarships program. It was the largest single gift to a Canadian university at that time.

Academics at McGill

Becoming a Student

McGill University accepts about 38.1 percent of all students who apply. The largest number of students, 22 percent, are in the Faculty of Arts. Other large faculties include Science (15 percent) and Medicine (13 percent).

High School Grades

To get into McGill, students need very good grades. For students from outside Quebec, the average grade 12 scores are usually between 93.2 percent and 94.4 percent (an A). American students usually have high scores on tests like the SAT and ACT.

Law School

McGill's law school is bilingual, meaning it uses both English and French. Students applying to law school do not need to take the LSAT test, which is only in English. Students who do take it usually score very well.

Medical School

For medical students, the average GPA (grade point average) is very high, around 3.88 out of 4.0. McGill does not require Canadian university graduates to take the MCAT test for medical school.

Learning and Teaching

In the 2007–2008 school year, McGill offered over 340 different study programs. It also has over 250 master's and PhD programs. McGill has a good student-to-teacher ratio of 16 students for every teacher. There are nearly 1,600 professors teaching at the university.

Tuition fees change depending on the program and where the student is from. For example, full-time Quebec students pay less than Canadian students from other provinces or international students. McGill also offers scholarships to help students pay for their education. These scholarships are very competitive.

Language Policy

McGill is one of three English-speaking universities in Quebec. You do not need to know French to attend. However, in the Faculty of Law, students need to understand both English and French. This is because either language might be used in class. Many students at McGill speak more than one language. About 20 percent of students speak French as their first language.

Even though classes are in English, students can write their assignments in French. This has been allowed since 1964.

University Rankings

McGill is ranked as the top medical-doctoral university in Canada by Maclean's magazine. It has held this top spot for 19 years in a row. The Globe and Mail newspaper also rates McGill highly for its financial aid, student experience, and research.

Around the world, McGill is also highly ranked. In 2023, it was ranked 30th globally by the QS World University Rankings. It was also ranked 49th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. This makes it one of the top universities in Canada and globally.

McGill's MBA program, offered by the Desautels Faculty of Management, is also highly ranked. It was ranked 59th in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds in 2021.

McGill is a member of the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF). This group includes the leaders of 29 top universities worldwide. McGill is the only Canadian university in this group. It is also one of only two non-American universities in the Association of American Universities. This group focuses on research-heavy universities.

Research at McGill

The laboratory of Rutherford in the early 20th century

McGill is linked to 12 Nobel Laureates. Its professors have won many important teaching awards. McGill has about 75 major research centers. Researchers work with other universities, governments, and industries around the world. In 2016, McGill received over $547 million for research. This was the second-highest amount in Canada. McGill also has many patents for new inventions.

The McGill University Library supports researchers. It has 13 libraries and over 11.5 million items.

McGill is a founding member of Universitas 21. This is an international group of research universities. They work together to expand their global reach. McGill is also part of the U15, a group of important research universities in Canada.

Radon, discovered at McGill by physicist Ernest Rutherford

Many important discoveries in medicine, neuroscience, and psychology happened at McGill. These include work by William Osler and Brenda Milner. The first hormone that controls the immune system was discovered at McGill in 1965.

The world's first artificial cell was invented by Thomas Chang while he was a student at McGill. While working at McGill, physicist Ernest Rutherford discovered the alpha particle. This led to his Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908. Alumnus Jack W. Szostak won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2009 for his work on cell genetics.

Libraries and Museums

The McGill University Library has 12 branches and 11.5 million items. It includes a special collection of rare books and manuscripts. The Islamic Studies Library has over 125,000 books about Islamic civilization. The Osler Library of the History of Medicine is the largest medical history library in Canada.

The Redpath Museum has collections about people, animals, old bones, and rocks. Built in 1882, it is the oldest building in Canada made specifically to be a museum.

The McGill Medical Museum keeps and displays items about the study of medicine at McGill. It has old medical tools, wax models, and preserved body parts.

Student Life at McGill

Student Population

PhD students marching at graduation in McGill's red robes.

As of Fall 2021, McGill has 26,765 undergraduate students and 10,411 graduate students. They come from many different places and speak many languages. About 46.8 percent of students are from Quebec. Another 22.8 percent are from other parts of Canada. About 30.4 percent of students are from outside Canada. International students come from about 150 countries. Many are from the United States, China, and France. Over half of McGill students speak a first language other than English.

Student Groups

Students at McGill have many groups and clubs. The main student government for undergraduates is the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU). There is also a group for graduate students (PGSS). Each faculty and department also has its own student group.

SSMU supports over 250 student-run clubs. These include sports, health, arts, and culture groups. There are also clubs for professional development, charity, and politics. SSMU also offers 17 student-run services. These provide help and resources to all students. Examples include the Flat Bike Collective and Queer McGill.

Many student clubs meet in the University Centre. In 1992, students voted to rename it the William Shatner Building. This was after the famous actor and McGill alumnus. The university didn't officially change the name, but many students still call it the Shatner Building.

Student News and Media

McGill has several student-run publications. The McGill Daily is a newspaper that used to be published twice a week. Now it comes out once a week. Le Délit français is the French version of the Daily. The McGill Tribune also publishes once a week. CKUT (90.3 FM) is the campus radio station. TVMcGill is the university's TV station.

The McGill University Faculty of Law has three student-run academic journals. These include the McGill Law Journal, started in 1952.

Opening of the Student Union building, 1906

Fraternities and Sororities

McGill has several fraternities and sororities, which are social organizations. Canada's only national fraternity, Phi Kappa Pi, was started at McGill in 1913. McGill was also the first university outside the United States to have some Greek letter organizations. About 2 percent of McGill students are part of these groups.

Sports and Athletics

McGill Athletics logo

Percival Molson Memorial Stadium

A hockey game on campus in 1884. McGill students wrote the first hockey rule book.

McGill's sports teams are called the McGill Redbirds and Martlets. The Redbirds are for men's teams, and the Martlets are for women's teams. McGill has 28 varsity teams. They are known for strong baseball, hockey, and lacrosse programs. McGill's mascot is Marty the Martlet.

The downtown campus has many sports facilities. These include the McGill Sports Centre, Molson Stadium, and Memorial Pool. The Macdonald Campus also has an arena, gym, pool, and tennis courts. Molson Stadium, built in 1914, is the university's largest sports venue. It can hold over 25,000 people.

Sports History

In 1868, the first recorded game of rugby in North America was played in Montreal. It was between British army officers and McGill students. This makes McGill's rugby club the oldest university rugby club in North America. Other sports like football, hockey, and basketball also developed from rugby rules at McGill.

The first game of North American football was played between McGill and Harvard on May 14, 1874. This helped spread American football to other universities.

On March 3, 1875, the first organized indoor hockey game was played in Montreal. It included several McGill University students. The McGill University Hockey Club, the first organized hockey club, was founded in 1877. Soon after, McGill students wrote the first hockey rule book. A McGill team was one of the first to compete for the Stanley Cup in 1893. McGill alumnus James Naismith invented basketball in December 1891.

A McGill student or alumnus has competed in every Olympic Games since 1908. Many have won Olympic medals.

In 2018, students voted to change the men's varsity teams' "Redmen" name. This name had been used since the 1920s. In the 1950s, some teams used names and logos that were seen as disrespectful to Indigenous people. In 2019, the university announced that the "Redmen" name would be dropped. In 2020, the men's teams were renamed the "Redbirds".

Rivalries

McGill has a friendly competition with Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. They have an annual boat race, like the famous Oxford-Cambridge race. Their football rivalry ended in 2000, but it returned in 2002 with annual hockey games. Queen's students often call these games "Kill McGill."

McGill also competes in the "Old Four (IV)" soccer tournament. This includes Queen's University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Western Ontario. McGill and Harvard also have a sports rivalry, shown in their rugby games.

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  The Queen's-McGill Challenge Blade

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  The Lorne Gales Trophy

Famous People from McGill

McGill has many famous alumni and faculty members. These include 12 Nobel Prize winners and 145 Rhodes Scholars. Both of these numbers are the highest for any university in Canada. Five astronauts, the current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and two former prime ministers have also attended McGill.

Other notable alumni include 15 judges of the Canadian Supreme Court. Also, many members of the Canadian, American, and British Parliaments. At least 10 billionaires, six Academy Award winners, and three Grammy Award winners are McGill alumni.

In the arts, famous alumni include poet and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Also, composer and six-time Grammy winner Burt Bacharach. Emmy Award winner William Shatner, known for Star Trek, also studied at McGill.

In science, McGill graduates and faculty have won 12 Nobel Prizes. These are in fields like medicine, chemistry, and physics. Five astronauts from the CSA are McGill alumni. Other famous scientists include Thomas Chang, who invented the artificial cell. Also, Alan Emtage, who invented the internet search engine.

In law and politics, McGill alumni include three Prime Ministers of Canada. These are John Abbott, Wilfrid Laurier, and Justin Trudeau. Julie Payette, a former astronaut, was also a Governor General of Canada. Foreign leaders like the President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, also graduated from McGill. John Peters Humphrey, a law professor, helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In sports, 121 Olympians from McGill have won 35 Olympic medals. James Naismith, who invented basketball, is a McGill alumnus. So is Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the first medical doctor to win a Super Bowl.

• Notable McGill alumni include:
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  3rd prime minister of Canada Sir John Abbott (BCL, 1847).

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  7th prime minister of Canada Sir Wilfrid Laurier (BCL, 1864).

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  Inventor of the game of basketball James Naismith (BA, 1887).

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  First woman elected to the Quebec National Assembly Marie-Claire Kirkland (BA 1947, BCL 1950).

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  Co-inventor of the CCD and Nobel prize laureate in Physics Willard Boyle (BSc, 1947; MSc 1948; PhD 1950).

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  Emmy Award winner known for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise William Shatner (BComm, 1952).

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  Balzan Prize winner, referred to as "the founder of neuropsychology" Brenda Milner (PhD, 1952)

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  Grammy Award winner and poet Leonard Cohen (BA, 1955).

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  6th President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (PhD, 1965).

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  48th Prime Minister of Egypt Ahmed Nazif (PhD, 1983).

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  Former astronaut and 29th governor general of Canada Julie Payette (BEng, 1986).

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  Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio (BEng, 1986; MSc, 1988; PhD, 1991).

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  The current and 23rd prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (BA, 1994).

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  Former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières Joanne Liu (MDCM, 1991; IMHL, 2014).

Images for kids

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  James McGill, the original benefactor of McGill University

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  The first Principal of McGill College, The Rt. Rev. George Mountain

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  Sir John William Dawson, Principal of McGill University, 1855–1893

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  The Arts Building, completed in 1843 and designed by John Ostell, is the oldest existing building on campus.

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  The Second University Company prior to their departure for France

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  Stained Glass Great War Memorial entrance to the Blackader-Lauterman Library of Architecture and Art

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  Macdonald Campus under construction in 1906

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  The Macdonald Campus coat of arms

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  The newly built McGill University Health Centre at the Glen Site

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  McGill coat of arms

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  Elizabeth Wirth Music Building, also a library, sits adjacent to the old Strathcona Music Building.

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  PhD candidates march at Commencement in McGill's distinctive scarlet regalia.

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  Opening of the Student Union building, 1906

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  McGill Athletics logo

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  Percival Molson Memorial Stadium

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  A hockey game on campus in 1884, just seven years after McGill students wrote the then-new game's first rule book, with the Arts Building, Redpath Museum, and Morrice Hall, then the Presbyterian Colleg,) visible

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  McGill Hockey Team, 1904

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  McGill announces new name for men's varsity sports teams

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  The Queen's-McGill Challenge Blade

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  The Lorne Gales Trophy

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  3rd prime minister of Canada Sir John Abbott (BCL, 1847).

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  7th prime minister of Canada Sir Wilfrid Laurier (BCL, 1864).

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  Inventor of the game of basketball James Naismith (BA, 1887).

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  First woman elected to the Quebec National Assembly Marie-Claire Kirkland (BA 1947, BCL 1950).

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  Co-inventor of the CCD and Nobel prize laureate in Physics Willard Boyle (BSc, 1947; MSc 1948; PhD 1950).

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  Emmy Award winner known for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise William Shatner (BComm, 1952).

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  Balzan Prize winner, referred to as "the founder of neuropsychology" Brenda Milner (PhD, 1952)

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  Grammy Award winner and poet Leonard Cohen (BA, 1955).

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  6th President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (PhD, 1965).

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  48th Prime Minister of Egypt Ahmed Nazif (PhD, 1983).

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  Former astronaut and 29th governor general of Canada Julie Payette (BEng, 1986).

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  Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio (BEng, 1986; MSc, 1988; PhD, 1991).

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  The current and 23rd prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau (BA, 1994).

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  Former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières Joanne Liu (MDCM, 1991; IMHL, 2014).

See also

In Spanish: Universidad McGill para niños