The University of Pennsylvania is a private research university located in Philadelphia. The university is known for its research in medicine, business, and law.
In fact, The University of Pennsylvania is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It’s been ranked among the top 10 universities in the world by U.S. News & World Report for more than 20 years and has produced some of the most influential scientists and leaders throughout history.
The school was founded on February 22, 1749 as “Academy,” a name that reflected its founder’s desire for an institution free from religious ties and devoted to science and learning. In 1896, it adopted its current name to reflect the fact that it had become a university as well as an academy.
The University of Pennsylvania offers undergraduate degrees through its College of Arts & Sciences and graduate degrees through its School of Engineering & Applied Science, School of Nursing, School of Design (including architecture), School of Education (including psychology), School of Social Policy & Practice, Wharton School (business), Annenberg School for Communication (communication studies), Perelman School of Medicine (medicine) and Penn Law School (law).
The university’s history includes many prominent alumni and faculty members, including five Founding Fathers of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Wilson and Robert Morris. Other notable alumni include John Marshall (Chief Justice), Alexander Hamilton (Secretary of Treasury), Walt Whitman (poet), Bill Cosby (actor/comedian), Ben Franklin (printer/statesman), Betsy Ross (seamstress), and Charles Darwin (scientist).
