- Year Established: 1869
- Location: 1088 Freehafer Hall West Lafayette, IN 47907-1088
- Number of Campuses: 2,474 acre-campus plus 15,108 acres for agricultural and industrial research
- Classification: Flagship/ Public, land-grant, Sea-Grant, Space-Grant University
- Total Number of Enrollees: 40,108*
Introduction to the University
The motto of Purdue University is embodied in three words “Education, Research, Service” – a dictum appropriate for a school that maintains its reputation and heritage in providing quality education such that this fine, long-established institution offers..
Perhaps PU is most noted and renowned for its number of astronauts passing through the institutions education system. The university has produced twenty-two astronauts including well-known personalities such as Neil Armstrong (the first to walk in the moon), Eugene Cernan (last man to walk in the moon) and Gus Grissom (one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, and the first person to return to space).
If you want to become part of a large university with a historic and diverse academic legacy – while still maintaining an intimate atmosphere that greatly values individual needs and achievements, then PU is the ideally suited institution for you.
A survey of corporate recruiters released by the Wall Street Journal in September 2010, ranks Purdue University fourth in the United States in preparing its students for the job market.
According to the Academic Ranking of the World Universities, Purdue ranked 56thth among all universities worldwide in 2010. For educators looking for a rewarding work environment, a survey released by the Scientist Magazine in November 2007, ranked PU as the fourth best place to work in academe.
The university’s programs in aviation technology and aeronautical engineering remain among the most competitive and top ranked in the world making significant contributions to America’s aviation history. In fact, in mid-20th century Purdue’s aviation program developed to encompass advanced spaceflight technology giving rise to its epithet – "Cradle of Astronauts."
Today, PU is one of the leading institutions in the United States, offering more than 210 major areas of study to choose from. Aside from its wide selection of courses offered, the university has very high research activity as recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
A Brief Look into the History of Purdue University- Main Campus
It was in 1865 when the Indiana General Assembly took advantage of the Morill Act, beginning plans to establish a school with a central focus on engineering. The state of Indiana received $150,000 from Lafayette businessman and philanthropist John Purdue along with $50,000 from Tippecanoe County, and 150 acres of land from Lafayette residents as support for the project. Below are some of the significant dates of Purdue’s history:
- May 6, 1869 –The decision was made to established the college near the city of Lafayette and name it Purdue University in behalf of the institutions main benefactor.
- September 16, 1874 – First classes began at Purdue with three buildings, six instructors, and 39 students.
- 1875 – Purdue awarded its first degree, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.
- 1919 – George W. Haskins became the first alumnus to land an aircraft on campus.
- 1930 – Purdue became the first university in the United State to offer college credit for flight training and later became the first university to open its own airport, the Purdue University Airport.
- 1935 – Famed aviator Amelia Earhart came to Purdue and served as “Counselor for Careers on Women” until her disappearance in 1937.
- 2010 – Purdue received a $1.35 million grant from the United States Air Force to develop alternative fuels and test aircraft engines at a new facility.
How the Educational System Works
Purdue University is actually the flagship campus of the Purdue University System. Below is the list of colleges and schools which comprise PU as a whole.
- College of Agriculture
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Health and Human Sciences
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Science
- College of Technology
- Engineering Schools of Purdue University
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
- School of Chemical Engineering
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- School of Engineering Education
- School of Industrial Engineering
- School of Materials Engineering
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Nuclear Engineering
- Division of Construction Engineering and Management
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering
- Krannert School of Management
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Nursing
- School of Veterinary Medicine
Program Listings
The entire Purdue University System offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 210 major areas of study and a variety of options for minors. Aside from offering undergraduate and graduate programs, PU also provides continuing education as well as distance learning. Below is the list of majors by college or school offered by Purdue University.
- Agribusiness Management
- Agricultural Communication
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Education
- Agricultural Engineering
- Agricultural Finance
- Agricultural Systems Management
- Agronomic Business and Marketing
- Animal Agribusiness
- Animal Production
- Animal Products
- Animal Science
- Applied Meteorology
- Biochemistry
- Biological Engineering
- Entomology
- Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering
- Environmental Plant Studies
- Environmental Soil Science
- Farm Management
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
- Food Industry Marketing and Management
- Food Manufacturing Operations
- Food Science
- Forestry
- Horticulture Production and Marketing
- Horticulture Science
- Interdisciplinary Agriculture
- International Agronomy
- Landscape Architecture
- Landscape Horticulture and Design
- Natural Resources and Environmental Science
- Natural Resources Planning and Decision Making
- Plant Biology
- Plant Genetics and Plant Breeding
- Pre-environmental Studies
- Preveterinary Medicine
- Public Horticulture
- Quantitative Agricultural Economics
- Sales and Marketing
- Soil and Crop Management
- Soil and Crop Science
- Turf Science
- Urban and Industrial Pest Management
- Wildlife
- Wood Products Manufacturing Technology
B. College of Education
- Elementary Education
- Social Studies Education
- Special Education
C. College of Engineering
- Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Biological Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Interdisciplinary Engineering Studies
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Multidisciplinary Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Undecided within Engineering
D. College of Health and Human Sciences
- Apparel Design and Technology
- Athletic Training
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Developmental and Family Science
- Dietetics
- Dietetics/Nutrition, Fitness, and Health (dual major)
- Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Family and Consumer Sciences Education
- Financial Counseling and Planning
- Foods and Nutrition in Business
- General Health Sciences
- Health and Fitness
- Health and Safety Education
- Hospitality and Tourism Management
- Human Services
- Medical Laboratory Sciences
- Movement and Sport Sciences
- Nursing
- Nutrition Science
- Nutrition, Fitness, and Health
- Occupational Health Sciences
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Public Health Promotion
- Radiological Health Sciences
- Retail Management
- Selling and Sales Management
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences - Pre-research
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences - Preprofessional
E. College of Liberal Arts
- Acting
- African American Studies
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Art Education
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Classical Studies
- Communication, General
- Comparative Literature
- Creative Writing
- English
- English Education
- Film and Theatre Production
- Film and Video Studies
- Fine Arts
- French
- French Education
- German
- German Education
- History
- Human Relations Communication
- Industrial (Consumer Product) Design
- Interior (Space Planning) Design
- Italian Studies
- Japanese
- Jewish Studies
- Journalism (See Mass Communication)
- Latin
- Law and Society
- Linguistics
- Mass Communication
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Organizational Communication
- Philosophy
- Photography and Related Media
- Political Science
- Professional Writing
- Public Relations and Rhetorical Advocacy
- Religious Studies
- Russian
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Spanish Education
- Theatre
- Theatre Design and Production
- Undecided Liberal Arts
- Visual Communications Design
- Women's Studies
F. College of Pharmacy
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Prepharmacy
G. College of Science
- Actuarial Science
- Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
- Biology
- Biology - Biochemistry
- Biology - Biology Education
- Biology - Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology
- Biology - Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Sciences
- Biology - Genetics
- Biology - Health and Disease
- Biology - Microbiology
- Biology - Neurobiology and Physiology
- Chemistry
- Chemistry - American Chemical Society
- Chemistry - Biochemistry
- Chemistry - Chemistry Education
- Computer Science - Computational Science and Engineering
- Computer Science - Computer Graphics and Visualization
- Computer Science - Database and Information Systems
- Computer Science - Foundations of Computer Science
- Computer Science - Machine Intelligence
- Computer Science - Programming Languages
- Computer Science - Security
- Computer Science - Software Engineering
- Computer Science - Systems Programming
- Earth/Space Science Teaching
- Geology and Geophysics
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Physics
- Physics Education
- Statistics - Applied Statistics
- Statistics with Mathematics Option
- Undecided Science
H. College of Technology
- Aeronautical Engineering Technology
- Aviation Management
- Building Construction Management Technology
- Computer and Information Technology
- Computer Graphics Technology
- Electrical Engineering Technology
- Engineering/Technology Teacher Education
- Flight (Professional Flight Technology)
- Industrial Distribution
- Industrial Technology
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Organizational Leadership and Supervision
- Technology Statewide Programs
I. Krannert School of Management
- Accounting
- Economics
- Industrial Management
- Management
J. School of Veterinary Medicine
K. Undergraduate Studies Program (for exploratory students)
- Undergraduate Studies Program (for exploratory students)
For the complete list of programs offered by Purdue University, kindly visit their official website.
Advantages of Enrolling at Purdue University- Main Campus
The university’s large setting is a plus for learners, enabling them to explore broader horizons in their chosen field of expertise. Purdue University's varied and diverst clubs and other social organization provide students the chance to get involved in the many aspects of extra-curricular campus life.
In terms of ratings in national and international surveys, Purdue has proven its competitiveness in both academic and athletic programs.
The school is also home 18 Division I/I-A NCAA and a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, playing a significant role in this historic conference's formation.
Among Top 100 universities in the world, Purdue ranked 89th as recognized by the QS World Universities Rankings in 2010.
The university consistently ranked among the top 100 best colleges in America as noted by the U.S. News and World Report.
As far as high-tech programs, Purdue’s ground-breaking nanotechnology research program ranks among the best in the United States.
According to Students Review, PU has an overall rating of B+, with 77% of the student respondents saying that they would choose to return to their beloved alma mater.
A Glimpse of the Weather when Studying at Purdue University
If you study at Purdue University, you will experience a climate where rainfall is equally distributed throughout the year with an annual average rainfall of 36.32 inches and an annual average snowfall of 22.3 inches. June is the wettest month with an average precipitation of 4.24 inches. The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 86.3°F. Things get cold in this part of the country with January as the coldest month showing an average minimum temperature of 17.20°F. This part of Indiana has experienced some rather hash record extremes and surprisingly within only a few years of each other. The lowest recorded temperature was -23°F in 1985 while the highest recorded temperature was in 1983, reaching 105 °F. Variations in temperature between nighttime and daytime tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22°F and moderate during winter with an average difference of 16°F.
Are There Any Downsides to Enrolling at Purdue University – Main Campus?
Perhaps, one downside of studying at PU is the rather high-expectation selection procedure in the entrance test requirements, with an overall admittance rate of only 77%.
Another disadvantage at Purdue is the lack of public transportation availability to nearby major cities. Unless you have your own car and want to get away from West Lafayette, you need to take Lafayette Limo to Indy or the Amtrak to Chicago's Union Station.
A Final Word about the Quality of Education Offered at Purdue University
Aside from producing multiple Nobel Prize winners and notable graduates, Purdue also has the distinction of having awarded more bachelor’s degrees in the field of engineering than any other institution.
Over the years, Purdue’s alumni have proven the institution’s multifaceted assets in the fields of business, economics, research, sports, government and culture, and other areas of specialization.
In addition to the abovementioned quality education offered by Purdue, it is noteworthy to state that the student to faculty ratio of the school is 14:1 with an average class size of 31; a very high ratio compared to other comparable institutions.
Inclosing you will find additional advantages for the research community as the university’s academic staff includes top researchers.
*Sources:
- purdue.edu/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purdue_University
- braintrack.com/college/u/purdue-university-main-campus
- eldoradocountyweather.com/current/climate-noaa/West%20Lafayetteclimate.html
- studentsreview.com/IN/PU.html
- idcide.com/weather/in/west-lafayette.htm
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