University Definition and 1000 Threads

A university (Latin: universitas, 'a whole') is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
The word university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars".The first universities were created in Europe by Catholic Church monks. The University of Bologna (Università di Bologna), founded in 1088, is the first university in the sense of:

being a high degree-awarding institute;
having independence from the ecclesiastic schools, although conducted by both clergy and non-clergy;
using the word universitas (which was coined at its foundation);
issuing secular and non-secular degrees: grammar, rhetoric, logic, theology, canon law, notarial law.

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  1. C

    Schools Imperial College London or University of Waterloo?

    Hi, I am an IB student in Norway, and I want to go abroad to study mathematics next year. A few months ago I applied to a few British universities and got an offer from Imperial College London to do Mathematics and Computer Science next year, provided I get a 7 in higher level Math and...
  2. S

    Schools High School to University (Decent Grades, Crappy Extra-Curricular)

    I am currently a Junior in High School with a 3.94 GPA (unweighted). I am currently taking AP Physics B, AP Chem, AP Language, AP Calc AB, APUSH, Wind Ensemble. I would also like to note that I hail from the 6th least brainiest city in the world as reported by the Huffington Post. Because of our...
  3. K

    Schools Which university with a cheaper Master Programme in Renewable Energy

    Hi! I am a finalist student in Applied Physics from an African University and want to pursue with postgrad programs. I have found an organization which supports students from developing countries in Master programs related to Sustainable energy development. There is an opportunity to get...
  4. A

    Schools Low marks for university Physics advice needed

    hi, i am currently in grade 12 (last year of high school) i really want to apply to physics (i live in Canada, Ontario), my school level insanely high, and and i am passing math with an average of about 55%. i hate chemistery but i still have to take it as it is required. i am also getting a...
  5. srfriggen

    Schools Math, St. John's University (queens) vs City Collge (nyc)

    I live in Long Island and will be pursuing a master's degree in math. City College and St. John's University are two schools I am considering. (My commute to St. John's would be MUCH easier, which isn't the most important factor of course, but is one to consider.) Anyone have any...
  6. B

    Schools McGill university admission requirements?

    What are the admission requiremtens if I want to get into physics? Just general Physics or Quantum physics if it is offered. Also, which university is better McGill or U of T? Please don't start huge arguments over that. Also, can you post a link to the McGill admission page. I can't seem...
  7. L

    Schools Prerequisite classes for university transfer

    I have two universities near me and I emailed them to find out what classes I need to take in my community college for a transfer as a physics major. One of them emailed me back giving me a list of classes I need to take. Four physics classes, four chemistry classes and three math classes. Then...
  8. A

    Schools Feeling Overwhelmed in 3rd Year Physics?

    Title should be 3rd year: sorry. Intro I really love physics, and even that math involved. 1st year I got first in my year, and did really well in 2nd year also. Lately however I have been feeling as if I don't know enough and feel like I am not good enough. In a lot of the lectures I can't...
  9. E

    Schools If I withdraw from a University can it be like I never went?

    I took at class at a University over the summer and ended up going there for this semester. About a month ago I realized I wasn't going to be happy there because the major I was taking there isn't for me and what they focus on at that school isn't my interest. None of the classes I am taking...
  10. G

    Schools Which University for Undergraduate degree in physics

    I want to obtain a degree in physics. Here is the list of colleges I'm applying to: University of Michigan University of Chicago Cornell California Institute of Technology Princeton Stanford Harvard MIT Are there any other colleges I should consider? Any schools in between Michigan...
  11. J

    Masters at different university or stay here?

    So I am currently studying BSc Physics. I am going to study MSc Financial Mathematics. But what I want to know if it looks bad if I have a masters and a bachelors from the same university on my CV rather than having two universities? i.e. will it look better to employers if I have done a masters...
  12. D

    Schools Getting a masters at same university as BS, then going for PhD.

    is this a bad practice? if my GPA does not look high enough for grad school, I may stay and get my masters at my undergrad university, and then look to get a PhD elsewhere.
  13. D

    University Reputation vs. Job Experience

    Hey everyone, I am in grade 12 in Canada and will be applying to universities soon and am conflicted between which engineering program to go to. I'm trying to decide between the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo. It seems that UfT has a better world-wide reputation as it...
  14. J

    Schools Eligibility with an Open University Degree

    Hello, I have been wondering if the UK open university degree is considered as a standard UK degree. I am wishing to apply for a PhD in the first three or MASt (part III cambridge) in near future after I complete my Open degree (Hons) in physics. Reason for the anxiety: I have a...
  15. G

    Schools Going to go to University of Texas in Austin. Should I study EE or ME?

    To clarify, I am interested in working with energy transformation and conversion (the power grid specifically). This is the track for EE I found there with an emphasis on Power systems: http://www.ece.utexas.edu/undergraduate/technical_areas.cfm These are the areas of study in ME...
  16. M

    Drexel University Engineering Program Info

    Anyone have info on drexel and its engineering program?
  17. K

    Schools What's the admitance rate at your local university for math/physics/engineering?

    I live in ottawa and apparently University of Ottawa and Carleton University's admittance rates are both 75% for specialization in Math. Is is like that for most universities? This percentage holds true to physics as well. Engineers are more in the 80s.
  18. B

    Schools University of Kentucky - MS in Medical Physics

    HI everyone, I was wandering if anyone on this forum knows anything about MS program in Medical Physics a UK and if it is hard to get in to. I choose this one since its in my state so I could pay in state tuition since I know that it is not funded. I have a 3.2 GPA from University and 3.9...
  19. U

    Physics A physics undergrad university with specific criteria for a SAM student

    hi, am new in this forum thing, from Malaysia, currently pursuing South Australian Matriculation, graduating in 2010. I would like to major in physics and later be a lecturer whilst conducting researches. Would prefer to study overseas. Which university or college would be suitable with the...
  20. K

    University thermodynamics fundamental equation/identity derivation.

    Hi, how can i derive this fundamental identity "without using entropy"? \left(\frac {\partial U}{\partial V}\right)_T = T\left(\frac {\partial P}{\partial T}\right)_V - P I believe the above equation is purely thermal and has nothing to do with entropy and statistical mechanics but...
  21. A

    Schools Get Into University in UK/Ireland Without GCSEs?

    Hello, is it possible to get into a university in England or Ireland without taking the GCSE's, do they accept SAT scores?
  22. K

    Schools Recommendation from President of University

    When applying for graduate schools in physics, would a recommendation from the president of a the university be better than say a physics professor I had for class? One of the schools I'm looking at requires 3 letters of recommendation, & I believe I have two solid recommendations from physics...
  23. H

    Schools Can the success of Ivy Leaguers in science be attributed to their alma maters?

    Hello, I am looking at universities now, as a high school student in Canada. I live very close to a top 40 university, and I was wondering on how much difference a top 40 university makes versus a top 10 or Ivy League university for undergrad in physics. Looking at Nobel Prize winners for...
  24. J

    Schools What Classes Should a First Year Physics/Math Student Consider?

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  25. E

    Schools Did anyone go to the University of Arizona?

    I toured the college a week ago (and they are aparrently the top college in the nation for astrophysics) and I loved it. The mirror lab was HUGE and they were working on mirrors for the LSST and the GMT at the time. Just wondering if anyone here has gone there and if they would recommend it.
  26. R

    Schools Physics/Mathematics from the Open University

    Well this is my second query on this forum on this very helpful forum :) As suggested by the title, I am considering a additional degree from the Open University. Whether it will be Physics or Mathematics I have not decided, as of now. But my query pertains to the acceptance of Open University...
  27. S

    Schools Weird marking scheme for university course -

    Hi, I am doing this really crazy course at university, i need some help in understanding the final course mark calculation which is: Course mark = 0.6max{ T, F} + 0.4min{T, F} T = term mark = 0.3( average percentage on assignments) + 0.7( average percentage on term tests) F = final exam...
  28. M

    Schools Track One to Engineering Science at University of Toronto

    Hello everyone, This year I am going to Track One engineering at U of T. I chose Engineering Science, but I didn't get in. On some other forum I have found one person, who said that people can switch to EngSci after TrackOne if they have a very high average. On the U of T website it says that...
  29. S

    Schools Physic mentor position at university

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  30. K

    Schools Exploring Theoretical Physics Programs in American Universities

    Which University in America will have a theoretical physics program? I'm going to obtain my A.A. degree this year(fall semester). I tried looking at my state, Florida, and it was no good. I checked UCF(University of Central Florida) and it was a sure fail. I want to major in physics and have a...
  31. Borek

    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

    That's what I got yesterday: As far as I can tell from the headers the mail was really sent from kaust.edu.sa Request to send bank details on the company letterhead smells of fraud for miles for me, but that's the first time I see something like that. Any comments?
  32. K

    Tips for Thriving as a Physics Major in College

    I am a soon-to-be physics major starting freshman year of university very soon, I'm sure at least a few users who come onto this sub-forum can relate. So, I am wondering about what advice about being physics student (or generally about college) those of you who are much wiser and experienced in...
  33. A

    University Thermodynamics- Turbojet

    Hello, I am currently revising for a thermodynamics resit exam and I cannot get past a certain part in a turbojet question from a past paper. This is the past paper which I failed a few months ago and still can't understand it. Any help would be appreciated. A single spool, axial flow...
  34. B

    Looking for books about Science/Math from high school level to university

    This is going to be asking for a lot, but I'd be grateful for any help I can receive in my endeavor. I am looking to compile a list of a series of books that someone could read to self-teach themselves a high school understanding of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematical subjects such...
  35. C

    Schools Know anything about Florida State University undergrad physics?

    Hey, I'm attending FSU next fall and hoping to achieve a physics degree in 2 years (because i don't have to do any electives). I just read a post on here from someone who absolutely hated their physics program... professors/classes/everything. I was wondering if anyone else has experience with...
  36. U

    Schools University of New Mexico Vs University of Nebraska–Lincoln

    Hello, I going to apply for the graduate Physics program of these universities. (I'm not a US citizen) University of New Mexico. University of Nebraska–Lincoln. My research interest are Material Physics and BioPhysics. I went through the department web sites and AIP web...
  37. A

    Schools Deciding Which UK University for Astrophysics BSc

    I am trying to decide which university to attend (to study for an Astrophysics BSc).. I have offers from both Kings College and QMUL (Queen Marys University of London), but i don't know where to go! Although kings has a better reputation overall, the guardian university guide puts QMUL 7th...
  38. T

    Schools Will I Get Into University of Kentucky with My Stats?

    Hello all, I'm a senior Electrical Engineering student at Wright State University in OH and I'll be graduating in March 2011 with my BSEE degree. I've come to the conclusion that my main area of passion and interest is in power systems and power generation so I'd like to do a masters...
  39. S

    Exploring String Theory: A University Student's Guide

    Hi everyone, I'm soon going to be performing a project that looks at quantum turbulence of 3He and 4He, and more specifically how it decays over time depending on the vortex density and temperature. I’ve done much research into the low temperature part of my project however I’ve...
  40. B

    Schools Best UK Universities to Consider for Your Upcoming Applications

    hey guys, I am applying for uni in a few months, anyone recommend some uk unis? thanks
  41. O

    Question On University & Course

    Hello everyone, Can anyone please tell me which university and what postgraduate course/program for learn and built a CNC machine? Thanks in advance Huygen
  42. H

    Schools Chapman University vs UC Riverside

    I got accepted to both Chapman University and UC Riverside. I'm a statistics major at UC Riverside and a mathematics major at Chapman. I really do not know which one to choose. Chapman is private and Riverside is public. I would like to become a statistician and I would like to attend grad...
  43. E

    Schools Does a bad start to university hurt grad school chances?

    I wasn't a particularly good high-school math student, I usually tested around the top of the school for standardized exams, but never bothered to do the class work for my actual math classes, and was mainly just a jock. I went to the local university to do engineering, and while I got A's...
  44. C

    Schools Graduate University for de Broglie-Bohm Theory Research

    Hi everyone, I am a junior undergraduate physics student now and I want to study "de Broglie-Bohm theory" in my graduate research. Can you tell me which universities have this study for graduate? (My gpa is low, so please try to do not mention about very challenging universities like Rutgers...
  45. M

    Should I do a CAD course prior to university?

    Hi, I'm in my final year of high school and am taking a gap year before I head off to uni to study Renewable Engineering.. Some friends of mine did an external CAD course in Year 11(second last year of high school) and I'm considering taking the same course in my gap year.. Just wanted...
  46. C

    Schools Transferring to another university ( engineering)

    Hi i will be attending Ottawa university in the fall and would like to transfer out to waterloo or u of t, how does the transfer credits work i don't want to start from 1st year again , secondly i know waterloo/ u of t are rigorous programs, so do you think they would make me repeat at least 1...
  47. C

    Schools University for Master's Degree in Theoretical Physics (GB)

    Dear all, I'm a German physicist in his second year and I'm going to finish my bachelor thesis in summer 2011. To make international experiences I tend to do my Master's degree abroad and I think Great Britain would be a good choice. After some discussions with friend who are studying in...
  48. M

    Schools Anyone know anything about Saint Martin's University in WA state

    Ok, so I got accepted there and it was my only option due to location and major. It's a private university (28,000$/year) located in Lacey, Wa (8 mins away from my house). The next nearest university is University of Washington. I don't know where it ranks, but I don't really care if its ranked...
  49. M

    Schools University Education and Financial Security

    I read this article on the NYT about college students graduating with debt: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/your-money/student-loans/29money.html?src=me&ref=homepage The piece only focused on a single case but I know a few cases similar to this one and many of you (or yourself) have probably...
  50. S

    Schools Self Teaching, and entering University.

    Hello, I'll start off by introducing myself, I'm a high school graduate who barely passed any form of Mathematics, I struggled even on some of the most basic of Math. My grades never passed the C - range (50%~). I have been self teaching myself for the last 2~ years. I have currently worked...
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