The University Of Texas-Pan American

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a medium-sized city.

Overview

University of Texas–Pan American, also referred to as UTPA or UT-Pan Am, is a coeducational, public, state university located in Edinburg, Texas, United States, which is in the southern tip of Texas known as the Rio Grande Valley. The school is about 10 miles north of the US border with Mexico and 75 miles northwest of South Padre Island. The school offers classes in other Texas locations, including Rio Grande City, McAllen and South Padre Island, as well as online courses.

The University, with its associated buildings, covers an area of approximately 238 acres of urban land. It was originally established under the name Edinburg College in 1927. It was renamed as Edinburg Junior College in 1933. It received the name Pan American Regional College in 1951. The name was again changed in 1989 to Pan American University. It gained its present moniker in 2006.

UTPA is recognized as one of the best public schools in the US -- in 2009 Forbes magazine ranked the school 32nd in a list of the top 100 America's Best Public Colleges. The University is well known to be popular among Hispanic students, which comprise a large percentage of the student body. According to Hispanic Outlook in 2009, UTPA ranks 2nd nationally for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanics and 3rd for master's degrees.

UTPA's sports teams are called the Broncs. The official mascot is a bucking horse named Bucky. UTPA sponsors various sports including, baseball, basketball, cross Country,golf, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in nutrition and exercise therapy and liberal arts.
• Large number of students.
• Racially diverse student body.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Superior share of faculty on tenure track.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Numerous part-time students.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities I.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Weekend study is an option.
• Part-time classes are available.
• ROTC.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

UTPA participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 87% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to The University Of Texas-Pan American:

Click a column header to sort.

Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 17,534 in 2009-2010 (15,490 full-time equivalent).

About 45% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 55% of the class.

Undergrads are 87% of enrolled students and graduate students are 13%.

Students under 25 years old represent 71% of the student body. About 5% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 95% are full-time and 5% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

UTPA provides on-campus housing for 988 of its 15,490 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010).

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 17 meals weekly.

Athletics

The school is in the Independent Southwest Region for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 59 male students received the aid (men were 46% of those receiving aid) and 68 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 54% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

UTPA offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship).

The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Doctorate, Professional Dominant.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (568 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Finance
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (48 awarded)

• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computer and Information Sciences
• Information Science/Studies

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (17 awarded)

• Dance
• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (302 awarded)

• Bilingual and Multilingual Education
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Education/Teaching of the Gifted and Talented
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Mathematics Teacher Education
• Reading Teacher Education
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Special Education and Teaching
• Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor

ENGINEERING (117 awarded)

• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (123 awarded)

• Public Administration
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (47 awarded)

• Fine/Studio Arts

LIBERAL ARTS (902 awarded)

• American/United States Studies/Civilization
• Anthropology
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• French Language and Literature
• General Studies
• Hispanic-American,Puerto Rican & Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
• History
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature

MATHEMATICS (43 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (131 awarded)

• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
• Journalism

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (204 awarded)

• Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
• Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences
• Physician Assistant

MUSIC (32 awarded)

• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (97 awarded)

• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner
• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (261 awarded)

• Dietetics/Dietitian (RD)
• Health and Physical Education
• Occupational Therapy/Therapist
• Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (12 awarded)

• Philosophy

SCIENCE (218 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (151 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (151 awarded)

• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Psychology
• Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling