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We are smart, spirited, and seeking solutions. Those words say a lot about the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Sure, they capture the essence of the place. But that one sentence conveys who we are in a way that may not be obvious to anyone who has not experienced our University firsthand. It is not pretentious, for starters. There are no lofty phrases intended to impress others with our erudition. It is authentic. Not only does it distill who we are, it describes us in words that everyone can understand. That is because the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is all about inclusion. It strives to bring everyone to the same table. Our University does not embrace diversity. It celebrates diversity. It does not nod "hello" to strangers and keep walking. It invites strangers inside for a cup of coffee. By now, you should have gotten the hint that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is not a regular university. It is not a school of almost higher education. We are the second-largest University in Louisiana, with over 19,000 students, and offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Our offerings range from the humanities to hard sciences, and we are among the nation's leaders in areas such as computer science, environmental biology, and nursing. We are among the top 180 universities in the United States in R&D expenditures. And we are the only University in the world whose sports teams are the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns®. Our student-athletes compete at the highest level of NCAA competition. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers an exceptional education informed by diverse worldviews grounded in tradition, heritage, and culture. We develop leaders and innovators who advance knowledge, cultivate aesthetic sensibility, and improve the human condition. We strive to be included in the top 25% of our peer institutions by 2020, improving our national and international status and recognition. Imagine a place where the welcome is in the air, the invention is a way of life, red is everywhere you look, and raging is what you want to be. That is UL, that is Lafayette, and we are pleased that you are applying for admission. Every year, we welcome more than 6,000 undergraduates: freshmen, transfers, students returning after a break, and international students. We invite you to explore the University and sample the raging spirit that drives our community, informs our work, and enhances our play. You will see that spirit in our collaborative classrooms. We recognize it in our primary and applied research, our efforts to improve the survival of coastal communities, the health of fisheries in the Gulf, and the literacy of low-income children. Just take a look at our nationally-recognized nursing program, our rigorous honors program, our new online options, our fast-moving campus renewal. You will see that a research university really can address large-scale issues with passion and ingenuity—and still nurture individual students with innovative, attentive teaching. Maybe the best discovery: our value. We are committed to providing high-quality education at a reasonable cost, which means you will graduate with good preparation and lower debt. When we say Bienvenue (welcome), we mean welcome to your future. With over 80 majors and more than 30 graduate programs, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is an impressive public university of 18,800 students, but being here feels like coming home. That is because we are an incomparable family of collaborative students and inspired faculty—teachers, researchers, scientists, engineers, nurses, and problem solvers—generously working and learning together. Faculty scholars bring real problems and pressing research questions to the classroom. Do aquatic animals have the potential to adapt to changing temperatures? What is the best way to revitalize a hurricane-prone town? Could alligator fat be a valuable, renewable source of fuel? Students contribute to the answers. They also create new solutions. Recently, they built a house that flexes its public and private spaces, adapting to big parties (or solitary contemplation) when needed. They helped to design the University's new bike path. Honors students regularly present original research. Student-athletes soar in the classroom. People-centered, the University is home to some of the best thinking in the world. It is a community where students learn, share what they learn, savor the experience, and thrive in their studies, careers, and lives. Whether you are looking to at schools to finish your bachelor's degree or take the next step in your career through one of our online graduate programs, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is committed to providing educational opportunities through rigorous online degree programs and engaging, challenging online courses. UL Lafayette's online degree and certificate programs are designed using nationally approved quality standards for course design and delivery. Resources for online and hybrid students include online tutoring, 24/7 technical support, online library services, and more. UL Lafayette offers International students an outstanding education for an exceptional value—located in one of the United States' unique cultural areas. Our University is a place where students from around the world and the country are offered virtually limitless opportunities to learn in our exceptional facilities while enjoying the personal attention and camaraderie that we (and the Cajun culture) are famous for. We believe that students get the most out of an education that makes it personal, which is why we stress student research throughout our undergraduate programs. Research and real-world experience can be found in many of our departments, such as in the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, which is home to incredibly life-like, computerized human patient simulators and uses virtual reality technology to give students a realistic experience. Likewise, students in physics get hands-on training in the Louisiana Accelerator Center. The accelerator lab utilizes ion beams to advance nanotechnology's science—technology used to build machines one-billionth the size of a computer chip. View full university

At Lafayette, doing is as much a part of learning as class time. Here, hands-on experience is how we revolutionize the world. You will connect with students and alumni with similar interests and others passionate about studying fields you have never before imagined. In an environment that fosters the free exchange of ideas, Lafayette College seeks to nurture the inquiring mind and integrate intellectual, social, and personal growth. The College strives to develop students' critical thinking skills, verbal communication, and quantitative reasoning and their capacity for creative endeavor. It encourages students to examine the traditions of their own culture and others to develop systems of values that include an understanding of personal, social, and professional responsibility and regard education as an indispensable, lifelong process. The Commission accredits lafayette College on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 215.662.5606. The Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. At Lafayette, we believe everyone in our community shares responsibility for creating, maintaining, and developing a learning environment where the difference is valued, equity is sought, and inclusiveness is practiced. We are working on cutting global warming emissions, integrating sustainability into the curriculum, and cultivate solutions to ensure a healthier environmental future. Our campus is a living laboratory for environmental sustainability with green buildings, a community garden, and a full food loop. Academically based service-learning and co-curricular community service, or volunteering, are integral parts of faculty and students' educational experience. Not only does civic engagement help others, but it also helps students develop leadership skills as educated citizens and make connections between classroom learning and real-world experience. More than two centuries ago, a 19-year-old left home to follow a dream. He came to a new place far away, remade himself as a student and scholar, learned from many mentors, took action on that knowledge, and became a leader and a hero. The lifelong philosophy he forged during that time was so important to him he had its Latin translation emblazoned on his family crest. Today, at the College that bears his name, we embrace that philosophy every day. We challenge our students to move beyond the familiar, the comfortable, the easy. We dare them to become thinkers and leaders themselves. We offer them opportunities to jump into the thick of things, take risks, and care deeply. Our curriculum is distinguished by its rare combination of degree programs in liberal arts and engineering. All of our students take an absorbing first-year seminar that brings you into the College's academic life and traditions. Gain a broad base of knowledge through the Common Course of Study and create expertise by specializing in one of 51 areas of study. Lafayette's faculty are influential thinkers and leaders in their fields. As a student, you will discover they are the College's greatest asset. They love teaching and mentoring. That is why we have one of the highest percentages of any college or university for students working with faculty on research. Learning at Lafayette transcends the classroom. Through courses, community-based teams, service-learning programs, and trips to other regions and countries, our students are working hard to make a difference, both in Easton and worldwide. Through courses, community-based teams, service-learning programs, trips to other regions and countries, and Greek and athletic initiatives, Lafayette students work hard to make a difference. Discover the most rich educational experience you can have as a college student. Learn and work with a professor through independent studies, honors theses paid research assistant positions or co-authoring a paper. Explore fascinating places while earning course credit, research new topics, get hands-on experience in your field. How? By spending a semester abroad, taking a short-term course led by faculty, or researching Woods Hole in Massachusetts. Acquire new skills and discover new interests through internships and externships in a wide range of professions and industries. Connect with Lafayette alumni and other professionals who can provide friendly, useful advice drawn from their own experiences. Scholarships and fellowships can fuel dreams and provide resources for study, research, and travel to help you become a leader in your field. This intellectual journey begins with a competitive application process that will prepare you for hard work and success. Lafayette is much more than a college. We are an educational connected community – diverse, welcoming, and active. Almost all students live on campus, enjoying a fantastic array of social, cultural, artistic, and athletic activities. Form personal connections, explore individual interests, develop leadership skills, and engage with a community that begins on campus and extends far past it. Make new friends, enjoy transformative experiences, and challenge yourself in an environment built on trust, respect, and opportunity. Lafayette is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable, diverse, and inclusive educational living community where academic success and personal growth are encouraged. We aspire to create communities in which students can reach their fullest potential. View full university