Auburn University: A Comprehensive Overview

Auburn University, a public land-, sea-, and space-grant research university located in Auburn, Alabama, stands as a prominent institution of higher education. Informally known as AU or Auburn, it is the second-largest university in Alabama. With a rich history and a commitment to academic excellence, Auburn University offers a diverse range of programs and opportunities for students. This article delves into various aspects of Auburn University, including its rankings, history, campus, academics, student life, and more.

Historical Perspective

Auburn University's history is deeply rooted in the 19th century. The Alabama Legislature chartered the institution as the East Alabama Male College on February 7, 1856. It came under the guidance of the Methodist Church in 1859. Reverend William J. Sasnett served as the college's first president.

Early Years and the Civil War

Auburn's early history is inextricably linked with the Civil War and the Reconstruction-era South. Classes were held in "Old Main" until the college was closed due to the war. During this time, most of the students and faculty left to enlist. The school reopened in 1866 after the end of the Civil War, marking its only closure.

Transition to a Land-Grant University

In 1872, control of the institution was transferred from the Methodist Church to the State of Alabama for financial reasons. The Reconstruction-era Alabama government placed the school under the provisions of the Morrill Act as a land-grant institution, the first in the South to be established separately from the state university, which in this case was the University of Alabama. This act provided for 240,000 acres (970 km2) of Federal land to be sold to provide funds for an agricultural and mechanical school.

Curriculum and Military Training

Under the act's provisions, land-grant institutions were also supposed to teach military tactics and train officers for the United States military. In the late 19th century, most students at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama were enrolled in the cadet program, learning military tactics and training to become officers. The university's original curriculum focused on engineering and agriculture. This trend changed under the guidance of William Leroy Broun, who taught classics and sciences and believed both disciplines were important for the growth of the university and the individual.

Coeducation and Athletics

In 1892, two historic events occurred: women were admitted to the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, making it the first four-year coeducational school in Alabama. Football was also played as a school sport, eventually replacing polo as the main sport on campus.

World War I and the Great Depression

On October 1, 1918, nearly all of API's able-bodied male students 18 or older voluntarily joined the United States Army for short-lived military careers on campus. The student soldiers numbered 878, according to API president Charles Thach, and formed the academic section of the Student Army Training Corps. The vocational section was composed of enlisted men sent to Auburn for training in radio and mechanics. The students received honorable discharges two months later, following the Armistice that ended World War I. API struggled through the Great Depression, having scrapped an extensive expansion program by then-President Bradford Knapp. Faculty salaries were cut drastically, and enrollment decreased, along with state appropriations to the college.

World War II and Post-War Growth

As war approached in 1940, there was a great shortage of engineers and scientists needed for the defense industries. The Office of Education asked all American engineering schools to join in a "crash" program to produce what was often called "instant engineers". API became an early participant in an activity that eventually became Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT). Fully funded by the government and coordinated by Auburn's Dean of Engineering, college-level courses were given in concentrated, mainly evening classes at sites across Alabama. Between 1941 and 1945, 32,000 troops attended the university in some manner.

Following the end of World War II, as with many other colleges around the country, API experienced a period of massive growth caused by returning military personnel taking advantage of the GI Bill's offer of free education.

Integration

Auburn University was racially segregated prior to 1963, with only white students being admitted. Integration began in 1964 with the admittance of the first African-American student, Harold A. Franklin. Franklin had to sue the university to gain admission to the graduate school and was denied a degree after he completed his master's thesis.

Read also: Auburn Student Statistics

Name Changes

Throughout its history, Auburn University has undergone several name changes. It was initially known as East Alabama Male College (1856-1872), then Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (1872-1899), followed by Alabama Polytechnic Institute (1899-1960).

Rankings and Recognition

Auburn University consistently receives recognition for its academic programs and overall excellence. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Auburn University is ranked No. 102 in National Universities. It's also ranked No. 46 in Lowest Acceptance Rates. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Auburn among the top 50 public universities nationwide for 20 consecutive years.

Campus Overview

The Auburn campus spans 1,875 acres. It is primarily arranged in a grid-like pattern with several distinct building groups.

Campus Sections

The northern section of the central campus (bounded by Magnolia Ave. and Thach Ave.) contains most of the College of Engineering buildings, the Lowder business building, and the older administration buildings. The middle section of the central campus (bounded by Thach Ave. and Roosevelt Dr.) contains the College of Liberal Arts (except fine arts) and the College of Education, mostly within Haley Center. The southern section of the central campus (bounded by Roosevelt Dr.) houses the College of Sciences and Mathematics, the College of Agriculture, and the fine arts facilities.

Recent Developments

Several erratic building spurts, beginning in the 1950s, have resulted in some exceptions to the subject clusters as described above. Growing interaction issues between pedestrians and vehicles led to the closure of a significant portion of Thach Avenue to vehicular traffic in 2004. A similarly sized portion of Roosevelt Drive was also closed to vehicles in 2005. In an effort to make a more appealing walkway, these two sections have been converted from asphalt to concrete.

The current period of ongoing construction began around the year 2000. All recently constructed buildings have used a more traditional architectural style that is similar to the style of Samford Hall, Mary Martin Hall, and the Quad dorms. The Science Center complex was completed in 2005. This complex contains chemistry labs, traditional classrooms, and a large lecture hall. A new medical clinic opened behind the Hill dorm area. Taking the place of the old medical clinic and a few other older buildings, is the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology. Phase I of the Shelby Center opened in the Spring of 2008, with regular classes being held starting with the Summer 2008 term.

In recent years, the university has been replacing or renovating older buildings. Completed in August 2017, the Mell Classroom Building was attached to the Ralph Brown Draughon Library, offering a new flexible learning space. A brand-new 89,000 square foot building for the school of nursing was also finished in 2017; it features active learning classrooms, skill and simulation labs, and public gathering areas. In 2019, two significant projects were finished: the Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center, which includes classrooms, student study spaces, a wind-tunnel laboratory, meeting spaces, and departmental spaces for professional development and labor relations; and the opening of a new Graduate Business Building, which includes flexible classrooms and lecture halls, student study pods, team areas, and offices for the college's MBA program.

Most recent developments include an $83 million academic classroom and laboratory complex with a seating capacity of 2,000 students in 20 adaptable classrooms and laboratories, six EASL classrooms, and five lecture halls. This building will include collaborative classrooms, instructional laboratories, up-to-date technology, and administrative spaces for faculty and staff. The new 265,000 square foot $200 million STEM+Ag Complex will replace older STEM-related and agricultural science facilities on the former Hill site. It will offer new space for cutting-edge wet and dry research labs, collaboration spaces, shared lab support spaces, and instructional labs for six departments. The complex is scheduled to open in 2026.

Campus Master Plan

Auburn's initial campus master plan was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. in 1929.

Academics

Auburn University is dedicated to providing opportunities for all students to succeed and to engage in socially fulfilling and educationally purposeful experiences inside and outside the classroom. It offers strong academic and research programs in engineering, agriculture, natural resources, and the life and physical sciences, as well as additional doctoral and professional programs in architecture, business, education, forestry and wildlife sciences, human sciences, the liberal arts, nursing, pharmacy, mathematics, and veterinary medicine.

Colleges and Schools

Auburn University comprises 13 colleges and schools, including its graduate school, which offer more than 140 programs, in 206 academic buildings on 1,841 acres. Some of the notable colleges and schools include:

College of Architecture: Pioneered the nation's first interior architecture degree program; its dual degree Architecture & Interior Architecture degree was the first in the nation.
Samuel Ginn College of Engineering: Has a 134-year tradition of engineering education, consistently ranking in the nation's largest 20 engineering programs in terms of numbers of engineers graduating annually. The college has a combined enrollment of close to 4,000. Auburn University was the first university in the Southeast to offer the bachelor of software engineering degree and the master of software engineering degree. Auburn was also the only school to offer a degree in the 2000s for Polymer & Fiber Engineering, combining medical research, advanced composites, sustainability and recycling and other disciplines into an advanced material science offering for undergraduates through doctorate degrees.
College of Business: U.S. News & World Report magazine ranks the MBA Program in the top ten percent of the nation's more than 750 MBA Programs. Modern Healthcare ranked Auburn University's Physicians Executive M.B.A. (PEMBA) program in the College of Business ninth in the nation among all degree programs for physician executives, according to the journal's May 2006 issue.

Research and Innovation

Auburn University is a leading research institution. It provides principal academic support for Alabama’s agricultural, construction and manufacturing industries and is the primary source of instruction and research for Alabama’s emerging aerospace, automotive, microelectronics and wireless technology industries. Auburn is one of only five US universities conducting research into nuclear waste storage for recycling and is also a leading light in cyber operations research. The Old Rotation on campus is the oldest continuous agricultural experiment in the Southeast, and third oldest in the United States, dating from 1896.

Academic Calendar and Admissions

The student-faculty ratio at Auburn University is 21:1, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Auburn University accepts the Common Application and has a test-optional admissions policy.

Student Life

Auburn University offers a vibrant and engaging student life. With a diverse student body and a wide range of activities and events, students have ample opportunities to connect, learn, and grow.

Enrollment and Demographics

Auburn University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 27,907 (fall 2024). AUM features one of the most diverse campuses in the southeast.

Housing

Auburn's on-campus student housing consists of 30 residence halls in nine residential neighborhoods, housing a total of 4,800 residents. The Quad is the oldest of the five housing complexes, dating to the Great Depression projects begun by the Works Progress Administration and located in Central Campus. Comprising ten buildings split into the Upper and Lower Quads, the Quad houses undergraduate students. Eight of the buildings are coed by floor, the remaining two are female-only. The Hill currently consists of six and houses mostly undergraduates. There are two high-rise, 6-story dormitories (Boyd and Sasnett), and all dorms are coed with gender-separated floors. The Village was constructed in 2009 and consists eight four-story buildings.

Activities and Events

Discover the energy and excitement of AUM’s events! These gatherings are more than just fun - they’re your chance to connect, create memories, and make the most of your college journey. Other prominent campus events and activities include the First 56 and Hey Day. Campus activities and events begin with orientation and training sessions for new Auburn students. Auburn offers two orientation programs, Camp War Eagle and Successfully Orienting Students. Camp War Eagle is offered to incoming freshmen and their guests, helping familiarize students with the orientation to college life and Auburn. Successfully Orienting Students is designed for college students transferring into Auburn from another academic institution.

Athletics

Athletics teams go by the name of Auburn Tigers and compete in NCAA Division I, with 19 varsity teams in 13 sports and a strong women’s presence. Aubie the tiger has been the much-loved mascot of Auburn for over 30 years, representing the university at its football games and other sporting challenges. Auburn has a tradition dating back to 1930 whereby eagles are allowed to fly untethered over the football stadium at sports events. The most recent participant in this custom is an eagle called ‘Nova’.

Financial Aid

Twenty-nine percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $24,297. Only 11% of Auburn students qualify for a federal Pell grant, even though Alabama has one of the highest poverty rates in the United States.

Financials

As of FY2025, Auburn University has an endowment of $1.31 billion and a budget of $1.85 billion. By 2018, fundraising had risen to $778.2 million, thanks to a $500 million "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign began in 2005, the most successful in school history.

Notable Alumni

Auburn has graduated six astronauts (including T.K. Mattingly of Apollo 13 fame) and one current and one former director of the Kennedy Space Center. 1972 Auburn Mechanical Engineering graduate Jim Kennedy, currently director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, was previously deputy director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Several hundred Auburn graduates, primarily engineers and scientists, currently work directly for NASA or NASA contractors. In addition to the ROTC graduates commissioned through Auburn, two master's degree alumni from Auburn, four-star generals Hugh Shelton and Richard Myers, served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the last decade.

Visiting Auburn

Hartsfield International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, GA, is approximately 100 miles from campus. Groome transportation airport shuttle (Phone: 334.821.3399) runs vans 24/7 for 17 daily round trips between the airport and campus. Rental cars are available at the airport. Rte. 29 N. This becomes College St., which borders the campus. Across the street from the University is the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center (241 South College Street; 334.821.8200 or 800.2.AUBURN), where you can have a double room at a moderate rate. The hotel has an Italian restaurant, a cocktail bar and coffee bar, gift shop, and outdoor pool. The Graduate by Hilton opened in 2024 and combines hometown history and Tiger traditions with creative interiors and college nostalgia. Located downtown, steps from Auburn University, we’re your perfect base for exploring. The Crenshaw Guest House (371 North College Street; 334.821.1131) offers suites at a moderate rate and a carriage house in the garden at an inexpensive rate.

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