Created by the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. The Norman campus serves as home to all of the university’s academic programs except health-related fields. Both the Norman and Health Sciences Center colleges offer programs at the Schusterman Center, the site of OU-Tulsa. The OU Health Sciences Center, which is located in Oklahoma City, is one of only four comprehensive academic health centers in the nation with seven professional colleges. OU enrolls more than 31,000 students, has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members, and has 19 colleges offering 147 majors at the baccalaureate level, 152 majors at the master’s level, 80 majors at the doctoral level, 35 majors at the first professional level, and eight graduate certificates. The university’s annual operating budget is more than $1 billion. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

Created by the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. The Norman campus serves as home to all of the university's academic programs except health-related fields. Both the Norman and Health Sciences Center colleges offer programs at the Schusterman Center, the site of OU-Tulsa. The OU Health Sciences Center, which is located in Oklahoma City, is one of only four comprehensive academic health centers in the nation with seven professional colleges. OU enrolls more than 31,000 students, has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members, and has 19 colleges offering 147 majors at the baccalaureate level, 152 majors at the master's level, 80 majors at the doctoral level, 35 majors at the first professional level, and eight graduate certificates. The university's annual operating budget is more than $1 billion. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

The university is located in Norman, Oklahoma, the third largest city in the state with a population of approximately 100,000. The number and quality of cultural, recreational, and entertainment events rival that of a large metropolis.

Students enjoy frequent opportunities to attend lectures at OU given by internationally recognized scholars and business leaders, to join in the excitement of cheering for Sooner athletic teams, and to enjoy outstanding theatrical and cultural events.

The 82,000 seat Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at the University of Oklahoma is frequently filled to capacity with loyal Sooner fans cheering on the football team. OU's Lloyd Noble Center is home to the basketball team and offers seating for 11,000 spectators. The Lloyd Noble Center also hosts a wide variety of performers and entertainers each year. Also at the university is the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and the recently completed Sam Noble Museum of Natural History; it is the largest university-based museum in the United States.

Exceptional recreational opportunities exist within the community and at OU. The City of Norman maintains 640 acres of parks. The 104,000 square foot Huston Huffman center at the university offers facilities for basketball, volleyball, badminton, racquetball, squash, aerobics, and weightlifting. There is a wide array of cardiovascular equipment, including treadmills and stairmasters. The nearby Murray Case Sells Swim complex has both indoor and outdoor pools. The OU Intramural Recreational Sports department also maintains 10 outdoor lighted tennis courts and a 20-acre football/softball field complex. The newly remodeled OU Jimmie Austin Golf Course features an 18-hole championship golf course. The historic design of the previous course has been retained while several holes have been redesigned, resulting in an extremely challenging course. For outdoor water sport enthusiasts, Lake Thunderbird and Little River State Park and Zoo are approximately nine miles east of Norman. This area offers the ultimate in recreation, including swimming, boating, sailing, water skiing, wind surfing, camping, and horseback riding. Norman features several shopping centers and unique stores, including Campus Corner, a cluster of interesting shops and restaurants located just north of campus; Brookhaven Village, which offers several excellent restaurants, unique shops, and a movie theater complex; Sooner Mall, featuring major department stores; and downtown Norman, which offers a variety of antique mails and restaurants. The combination of all that OU and Norman have to offer makes Norman one of the most progressive and interesting cities in the state. For additional information, please visit Norman on the World Wide Web at http://www.normannow.com.

When people want to explore further than Norman and OU, the state's largest city and capital, Oklahoma City, is just 18 miles away. The National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center is one of Oklahoma City's outstanding attractions. The museum features exhibits of Indian and pioneer life in realistic settings and a $50 million Western art collection. Oklahoma City is also home to the Kirkpatrick Center Museum Complex, which houses seven separate museums. Restaurants, boutiques, and nightlife come together in Bricktown, a renovated warehouse district in downtown Oklahoma City. Bricktown is scheduled to be at the heart of a multimillion dollar improvement project, which includes the newly built Bricktown Ballpark and a river front lined with restaurants and shops. For additional information on all that Oklahoma City has to offer, please visit the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Web site at http://www.okcchamber.com.

The state of Oklahoma has become the crossroads for America. As noted in the Oklahoma Vacation Guide, "One still can find Native Americans and cowboys, wild mustangs and thoroughbreds, dogtrot cabins and Art Deco palaces, rodeo and ballet, opera and country-western music, tuxedos and blue jeans, pickups and polo ponies, juke joints and country clubs, Fortune 500 companies and mom-and-pop enterprises." The diversity of Oklahoma is also reflected in its breathtaking landscapes. From pristine mountain streams and piney forests to peaceful lakes and sandy beaches, the state offers endless vistas. Oklahoma's 55 state parks and numerous wildlife refuges and recreation areas offer up a wealth of outdoor adventure: fishing, camping, mountain biking, canoeing, horseback riding, rappelling, and scuba diving. There's great golf to be found in every corner of the state.

Once known as Indian Territory, Oklahoma is still home to more American Indians than any other state in the Union. Fifty-nine tribal headquarters and members of at least 65 tribes make their home here. Among the treasures: Native American art galleries, museums, historic sites, powwows, dances, and festivals. The annual Red Earth Festival brings 1500 Indian dancers to Oklahoma City each June. The state hosts festivals, fairs and special events which reflect the state's sense of heritage and community. Some of these festivals include the Medieval Fair in Norman, Shakespeare in the Park in Edmond, Cheyenne Arapaho Days and Cowboy Festival in Elk City, Rattlesnake Festival in Apache, Kolache Festival in Prague, Reggaefest in Tulsa, and Grant's Bluegrass Festival in Hugo. Whether it is musical entertainment, historical re-enactments, outdoor performances, cultural demonstrations, or unique arts and crafts, Oklahoma has an event for everyone.