Founded in 1894 in Muskogee as Henry Kendall College and relocating to Tulsa in 1907, the University of Tulsa is a premier private research university located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Spanning an attractive 230-acre campus featuring English Gothic architecture, limestone towers, and manicured quads, TU connects petroleum engineering, cybersecurity, law, business analytics, and health sciences. You can examine its founding charter, Presbyterian origins, and urban growth through the University of Tulsa Wikipedia historical entry.
When you study at TU, you enter an intellectually rigorous academic setting characterized by small class sizes, direct faculty mentorship, and active undergraduate research. Living in Tulsa places you three miles from downtown corporate energy headquarters, art museums, and financial districts.
Premier Academic Programs
TU organizes its instruction across specialized colleges holding national reputations for STEM and professional excellence:
- Collins College of Business: AACSB-accredited business school famous for energy management, corporate finance, accounting, and business analytics. Explore degree paths on the Collins College of Business portal.
- McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering: Internationally renowned leader in drilling engineering, reservoir fluid dynamics, and energy transition studies.
- Tandy School of Computer Science: Recognized center for cybersecurity, software theory, artificial intelligence, and game design.
- University of Tulsa College of Law: Premier private law school specializing in energy law, Native American law, and trial advocacy.
- Oxley College of Health Sciences: Prepares clinical nurses, speech pathologists, and athletic trainers in downtown Tulsa.
"Wisdom, Faith, Service, translated from the founding university seal, guides TU's commitment to ethical leadership."
Campus Culture and Mascot
Your daily student experience centers on Kendall Green, Sharp Chapel, and the Allen Chapman Student Union. School spirit revolves around Captain Cane, the energetic mascot representing Tulsa Golden Hurricane athletic teams in NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference sports. You can read about spirit traditions and mascot history on the official Tulsa Golden Hurricane Athletics portal. Cheering inside H.A. Chapman Stadium for football games, attending basketball games in the Donald W. Reynolds Center, and joining over 150 student clubs creates a close-knit campus culture.
Research Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Excellence
TU operates an active doctoral research framework backed by federal defense research partnerships:
- Cyber Corps Program: National Security Agency-designated center of academic excellence in cyber defense, producing top cybersecurity researchers for federal agencies.
- North Campus Research Complex: Sprawling research center conducting full-scale petroleum flow loop experiments and solar energy research. Learn more via TU Research Operations.
- Institute of Trauma, Adversity, and Injustice: Interdisciplinary research facility investigating trauma recovery and community health policy.
Notable Alumni Legacy
You walk in the footsteps of Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors, Emmy winners, and radio legends, including:
- Doug McMillon: President and CEO of Walmart Inc. who earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at TU.
- S.E. Hinton: World-famous author of The Outsiders who wrote the iconic novel while attending the University of Tulsa.
- Rue McClanahan: Emmy Award-winning actress best known for The Golden Girls who earned her degree at TU.
- Paul Harvey: Legendary radio broadcaster and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient who studied at TU.
TU meets high financial need and provides generous merit scholarship packages for qualified domestic and international students. Review full entry requirements on the official TU Admissions portal.