University of Alabama at Birmingham

Originally an extension center of the University of Alabama system, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) was established as an independent institution within the system in 1969. UAB now offers about 140 different baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as specialist's, first professional, and certificate programs. The university has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students at a dozen schools, as well as its graduate school. It has a student-teacher ratio of about 8:1. UAB also is home to a health care center and some 80 research centers. Its campus takes up more than 80 city blocks.