A complete guide to the University of Houston- Downtown

About University of Houston- Downtown

Since the doors to the University of Houston– Downtown (UHD) first opened more than 40 years ago, UHD has grown to meet the educational needs of Houston, America’s fourth-largest city. UHD now offers bachelor’s degrees in 46 fields of study as well as 11 master’s degrees. It is a comprehensive four-year university that offers futuristic bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

The university is in the heart of Downtown Houston, one of the most culturally diverse metropolitan areas in the country. UHD has naturally created an environment that welcomes and embraces students from all walks of life.

UHD’s faculty provides a unique hands-on learning environment for each student with a 20-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. They can choose between face-to-face instruction downtown or at one of the satellite locations, fully online degrees and classes, or a combination of the two.

It offers everything at one of the state colleges’ and universities’ lowest tuition rates.

University of Houston- Downtown- A brief overview

The University of Houston-Downtown is one of four campuses in the state-funded University of Houston System. UHD offers four-year bachelor’s degree programs in 44 academic areas, as well as eight master’s degree programs. The university is divided into five colleges that specialize in areas such as business, humanities, social sciences, public service, and science and technology.

UHD also has a student-faculty ratio of 20: 1 and one of the lowest tuition rates among state-supported higher education institutions. The UHD campus is in the heart of downtown Houston, the fourth most populous city in the country and one of the most culturally diverse.

The University of Houston-Downtown College was established in 1974, following the University of Houston’s acquisition of South Texas Junior College. Five years later, with the approval of the Texas Legislature, UHDC became a separate university within the University of Houston System. The university introduced its first-degree program as a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

In the 1980s, UH-Downtown College dropped its ‘college’ title and quickly became one of the state’s fastest-growing universities. Graduate programs in criminal justice, security management, professional writing, and education are now available at the university. The College of Public Services relocated to the brand-new Commerce Street Building in the 1990s.

Opened in 2007, the Shea Street Building provided a new home for the College of Business. In January 2012, UHD welcomed its first cohort of MBA students. UHD also has the designation of a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a Minority-Serving Institution due to its diverse student population.

Campus

The UHD campus consists of eight buildings located near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Main Street in the north end of Downtown Houston and the south end of Northside. The university lies near Allen’s Landing, the site of Houston’s foundation.

The National Register of Historic Places lists two of the university’s buildings- One Main Building (formerly the Merchants and Manufacturers Building) and the Willow Street Pump Station. UHD also offers online classes at three campuses- Lone Star College-Kingwood, Lone Star College CyFair, and UHD-Northwest.

UHD opened the College of Sciences and Technology Building in 2020. The new Wellness & Success Center will open in January 2023.

Founded in 1970 as gifts from Harry W. O’Kane, Mary W. Bingman, and the Humphreys Foundation, the Harry W. O’Kane Gallery is popular as the O’Kane Gallery among people and students. The O’Kane Gallery hosts five to six exhibitions each year to cater to the diverse interests of UHD students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors. Exhibitions in all media provide educational support for a variety of university courses as well as local schools. The Gallery is also useful for university forums, meetings, and receptions. The exhibitions are free and open to the general public.

Although UHD does not have an intercollegiate varsity athletics program, it does provide its students with a variety of club and intramural sports, as well as a variety of fitness programs. The Gators are UHD’s club sports teams. Ed-U-Gator is the mascot of UHD. Clubs, organizations, fraternities, and sororities are among the extracurricular activities available to students at the university and in the surrounding community.

METRORail’s UH-Downtown station on the Red Line serves the UHD campus.

Courses

The University of Houston-Downtown offers strong academic and career preparation and opportunities for lifelong learning. The University reflects the diversity of the Greater Houston Area and, through its academic programs, engages with the community to address needs and advance the region’s development. UHD is an inclusive community dedicated to developing students’ talents and preparing them for success in a dynamic global society through the integration of teaching, service, and scholarly research.

Study areas available (Bachelor courses)-

• Accounting
• Psychology
• Criminal justice/safety studies
• Finance
• Business administration and management
• Business/commerce
• Management information systems
• Computer and information sciences
• Logistics, materials, and supply chain management

Rankings

• 78 in Regional Universities West
• 27 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
• 40 in Top Public Schools

Alumni

• Ghulam Bombaywala, restaurateur
• Juan Díaz, professional boxer, and former Lightweight World Champion
• Mario Gallegos Jr., member of the Texas Senate
• Ed Gonzalez, Harris County Sheriff
• Ananth Prabhu Gurpur, cyber law expert, Professor in Computer Engineering at the Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, and author
• Diana López, taekwondo practitioner (2008 Olympic bronze medalist)

Key takeaways

• The University of Houston-Downtown College came into existence in 1974, following the University of Houston’s acquisition of South Texas Junior College. Five years later, with the approval of the Texas Legislature, UHDC became a separate university. 
• The UHD campus includes eight buildings located near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Main Street in the north end of Downtown Houston and the south end of Northside. 
• UHD reflects the diversity of the Greater Houston Area. Through its study courses, the university engages with the community to address its requirement and develop the region.

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FAQs

Q1. Is it difficult to get admission to the University of Houston-Downtown?

Ans- University of Houston- Downtown has an acceptance rate of 83.2% which indicates that all applicants are welcome.

Q2. What is the difference between the University of Houston and the University of Houston-Downtown?

Ans- UHD is an independent university, not a branch campus of the University of Houston (UH). Although UHD and UH are both parts of the University of Houston System, they both are distinct degree-granting institutions.

Q3. What GPA do you need to get into the University of Houston-Downtown?

Ans- Students need a 2.50 GPA or greater in all college-level work that is attempted.