University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public research university in downtown Birmingham and part of the University of Alabama System [1][3]. It grew from a 1936 extension center into an autonomous institution in 1969, and it enrolled 22,563 students from more than 110 countries in fall 2020. The Carnegie Classification places it in the highest research category (R1), and with the UAB Health System it is the largest employer in the state [1][3][4]. Its campus covers 437 acres, and the Blazers compete in NCAA Division I with Blaze the Dragon as mascot [3].

Origins

In 1936 the University of Alabama opened an Extension Center in Birmingham’s central business district, offering instruction in business, education and engineering to adult students. The Alabama legislature passed the Jones Act in 1943, appropriating $1.3 million for a new medical college, and in 1944 the Medical College of Alabama moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham, where the university’s health program began [1].

Birmingham was chosen partly because Jefferson County offered a large and diverse patient population. The city deeded Hillman and Jefferson hospitals to the university and local citizens raised $160,000 for land. Roy R. Kracke was named dean of the Medical College in 1944, and the legislature created the School of Dentistry in 1945 with Joseph F. Volker named dean in 1948 [1].

Becoming a university

A nursing school was established in Tuscaloosa in 1950 and moved to the Birmingham system in 1967. An engineering program approved in 1961 began in 1962 and was reorganized as the School of Engineering in 1971. The University of Alabama organized its Birmingham operations as a branch campus in 1966, and in November 1966 the trustees declared them the University of Alabama in Birmingham. UAB became autonomous in 1969, and in 1984 the board changed the name to the University of Alabama at Birmingham [1][3]. See University of Alabama.

Leadership

Joseph F. Volker was UAB’s first president (1969 to 1976), followed by S. Richardson Hill (1977 to 1987), Charles A. McCallum (1987 to 1993) and J. Claude Bennett (1993 to 1997). Ann W. Reynolds (1997 to 2002) was the first woman to serve as president, Carol Z. Garrison served until 2013, and Ray L. Watts became president in 2013 [1].

Academics

UAB offers 140 to 155 degrees and certificates across 12 academic divisions, including 35 doctoral programs and 45 master’s programs. University College formed in 1971 with four schools: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Engineering. UAB Academic Affairs was established in 1989 with eight schools including the Graduate School, and the College of Arts and Sciences was created in 2010 [1][3][4]. Students come from every Alabama county, other states and more than 110 countries, and about 60 percent are women [1].

Medicine and the hospital

UAB Hospital, established in 1945, is the teaching hospital for the University of Alabama School of Medicine and is described as the third-largest public hospital in the nation. Hillman Hospital and UAB Hospital, including the North Pavilion, form the medical center, and the UAB Health System is independent of the academic unit but closely associated with it. The health system is named among the U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals and the 100 Great Hospitals in America [1][4].

Research

The Carnegie Commission classifies UAB as a highly ranked research university, the only such institution in Alabama. By 1968 federal funding made up 36 percent of the university’s total, mainly through the Hill-Burton Act of 1946, the National Institutes of Health and the Housing Act of 1949, and urban renewal land acquisitions occurred in 1957 and 1968. In 2006 U.S. News and World Report ranked five graduate programs in the top 20: AIDS research, geriatrics, internal medicine, pediatrics and women’s health [1].

UAB’s total budget rose from $49.9 million in 1969 to more than $3.6 billion in 2019 [4].

Economic impact

By 1976 UAB was Birmingham’s largest employer, and it helped shift the city’s economy from heavy industry to professional services. The university and health system together support nearly 53,000 jobs, with more than 24,000 faculty and staff, and the aggregate economic impact on Birmingham and Alabama exceeds $7 billion [1][3][4]. See Economy of Alabama and Jefferson County.

Athletics

UAB added an athletics department in 1977 and hired Gene Bartow to lead basketball, and the Blazers reached the NCAA tournament seven times under him. A football program was announced in 1991 and advanced to Division I-A in 1994. In 2014 UAB announced it would discontinue football, but after public outcry and a $27 million fundraiser the decision was reversed in June 2015. Blaze the Dragon debuted at games in 1995, after earlier mascots including a pink dragon in 1978 and Beauregard T. Rooster in 1979. The Blazers field 18 varsity sports [1][3].

FAQs

When was UAB established? As a University of Alabama extension center in 1936, and as an autonomous university in 1969.

How many students attend UAB? 22,563 in fall 2020.

What is UAB known for? Its academic medical center, UAB Hospital and research programs.

Is UAB part of the University of Alabama System? Yes, with the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

What are UAB’s teams called? The Blazers, with Blaze the Dragon as mascot.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
2. Encyclopedia of Alabama: University of Alabama
3. Wikiwand: University of Alabama at Birmingham
4. UAB: General institutional boilerplate

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue