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University of Minnesota
Seal of the University of Minnesota.svg
Motto Commune vinculum omnibus artibus (Latin)
Motto in English
 A common bond for all the arts
Type Public
Flagship university
Land grant
Space grant
Established 1851 (1851)
Academic affiliations
  • University of Minnesota system
  • AAU
  • BTAA
  • URA
  • APLU
Endowment $3.2 billion (2016)
Budget $3.8 billion (2017)
President Joan T.A. Gabel
Provost Karen Hanson
Academic staff
 3,804
Students 51,848
Undergraduates 31,535
Postgraduates 12,614
3,508
Location
Minneapolis and Saint Paul
,
Minnesota
,
United States

44°58′29″N 93°14′07″W / 44.974747°N 93.235353°W / 44.974747; -93.235353
Campus Urban
2,730 acres (1,100 ha)
Colors Maroon and Gold
         
Nickname Golden Gophers
Sporting affiliations
 NCAA Division I
Big Ten, WCHA (Women's ice hockey)
Mascot Goldy Gopher
University of Minnesota wordmark.png

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (often called U of M or The U) is a big public university. Most of its buildings are in Minneapolis. Some other buildings are about 3 miles (4.8 km) away near Saint Paul. These two areas are known as the Twin Cities campus. Together, they form the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system. The Twin Cities campus is the main university in the system.

The University of Minnesota is one of the "Public Ivy" universities in America. This means it offers a college experience similar to the famous Ivy League schools. The university started in 1851. It is now part of the Association of American Universities.

Many students and teachers have been part of the University of Minnesota. Some have won important awards like Nobel Prizes and Pulitzer Prizes. Famous people who studied here include Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, and Bob Dylan. The sports teams are nicknamed the Golden Gophers.

What Students Study

How the University is Organized

The University of Minnesota is split into different parts. Each part focuses on specific subjects. There are 19 main parts, called colleges or schools:

  • Center for Allied Health Programs
  • College of Biological Sciences
  • College of Continuing and Professional Studies
  • School of Dentistry
  • College of Design
  • College of Education and Human Development
  • Extension
  • College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  • Graduate School
  • Law School
  • College of Liberal Arts
  • Carlson School of Management
  • Medical School
  • School of Nursing
  • College of Pharmacy
  • Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs
  • School of Public Health
  • College of Science and Engineering
  • College of Veterinary Medicine

The university also has smaller groups. These groups bring together people from different parts to work on special projects:

  • Center for Cognitive Sciences
  • Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment, and the Life Sciences
  • Institute for Advanced Study at University of Minnesota
  • Institute for Translational Neuroscience
  • Institute on the Environment
  • Minnesota Population Center

Important Discoveries

Scientists at the University of Minnesota have made some big discoveries:

  • Gravity Waves: The university has led studies about gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls us towards the Earth. Scientists found that gravity moves like a wave. They shared this discovery in February 2016.
  • Gopher: The University of Minnesota created a tool called Gopher. This tool was used before the World Wide Web became popular. It used links to connect computers. The World Wide Web became more popular because it was easier to use and share. The university also has the Charles Babbage Institute. This place keeps important computer history. They worked early on with Seymour Cray, who built very powerful computers.

University Campuses

Many Different People

The campus has over 50,000 people. This makes the University of Minnesota the sixth largest in the United States. Many different kinds of people from various places and groups study and work here.

In Fall 2017, there were 31,535 students working on an undergraduate degree. This is the first level of learning after high school. Of these, 5,858 were new students. There were also 12,614 students studying for higher degrees, like becoming a doctor.

Minneapolis Campus

The university campus first started near the Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River. Later, it moved about 1 mile (1.6 km) to where it is today. The old site is now a small park. The university closed during the American Civil War. It reopened in 1867 when John S. Pillsbury gave money to help. By 1869, it was bigger and became a college instead of a preparatory school.

Today, there are many buildings on both sides of the Mississippi River. The part with buildings on the east side of the river is called the "East Bank". The part with buildings on the west side is called the "West Bank".

East Bank

The University of Minnesota has many buildings on the east side of the Mississippi River. To help people find their way, these buildings are grouped into different areas: the Knoll area, the Mall area, the Health area, the Athletic area, and the Gateway area.

The Knoll area is the oldest part of the university. It is in the northwest corner. Some buildings here are more than 100 years old.

The Mall area, also called Northrop Mall, is in the middle. Its design was based on a drawing by Cass Gilbert. Many important buildings are in the Mall area.

The Health area is in the southeast corner. Some buildings are part of a hospital. There are also buildings where students live, called residence halls.

The Athletic area is near the health area. Some buildings are like a gymnasium for students to stay healthy. There are also stadiums and arenas for student athletics and sports teams.

The Gateway area is on the east side. Most of these buildings are for offices. There are also buildings for students learning about medicine and living things.

West Bank

The University of Minnesota has buildings on the west side of the Mississippi River. Some of these buildings are for students to learn about theatre, dance, music, and art. There is also a large library and buildings for learning about social science.

Saint Paul Campus

The place called the Saint Paul Campus is actually in a city called Falcon Heights. It is about 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the Minneapolis campus. Most of the buildings here are for learning about farming and natural resources. There are also fields and quiet spots. The Saint Paul Campus is next to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. This is where Minnesota has a big yearly event.

Student Life

Student Clubs

Many students at the University of Minnesota join clubs. Some clubs are fraternities and sororities. These are groups of students who share common interests and become close friends. There are also clubs for students studying the same subject. Other clubs focus on helping others, like a charity.

Student Media

Print Publications

The Minnesota Daily is a newspaper made entirely by students. It first started on May 1, 1900. It is published twice a week, except in the summer when it comes out once a week.

Another student-made newspaper is The Wake Student Magazine. It was first published in November 2001.

Sports Teams

Minnesota's sports teams mostly play in the Big Ten Conference. The women's ice hockey team plays in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). The men's ice hockey team also played in the WCHA until 2013. That's when the Big Ten started its own men's ice hockey league.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Universidad de Minnesota para niños

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