The University of Cincinnati (commonly referred to as UC or Cincinnati) is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, in the U.S. state of Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio.
Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,000 students, making it the second largest university in Ohio and one of the 50 largest universities in the United States. In the 2010 survey by Times Higher Education (UK), the university was ranked in the top 100 universities in North America and as one of the top 200 in the world.Beginning with the 2011 edition of the U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges" rankings, the University of Cincinnati has been ranked as a Tier One university, ranking as the 140th National University and 71st Top Public University in the 2016 rankings. This includes being the number 3 ranked university in the nation in the "Up-and-Coming" National Universities section of the 2014 edition. In 2011–2012 academic year the Leiden University ranking put the University of Cincinnati at the 93rd place globally and at the 63rd place in North America by the proportion of top-cited publications.[ In 2014, U.S. News & World Report ranked UC in the top 200 of universities worldwide.
The university garners roughly $400 million per annum in research funding, ranking 22nd among public universities in the United States. Numerous programs across the university are nationally ranked, including: aerospace engineering, anthropology, architecture, classics, composition, conducting, cooperative education, criminal justice, design, environmental science, law, medicine, music, musical theater, neurology, nursing, opera, otolaryngology, paleontology, pediatrics, and pharmacy.
The school offers over 100 bachelor's degrees, over 300 degree-granting programs, and over 600 total programs of study, ranging from certificates to doctoral and first professional education. With an economic impact of over $3.5 billion per year, it is the largest single employer in Greater Cincinnati. After extensive renovations through the implementation of the 1989 Master Plan, the university has been recognized by campus planners and architects as one of the most distinguished campus settings in the world.