Please use these broad descriptions that capture broad facts and highlights about the UO's schools and colleges as well as the Knight Campus and Ballmer Institute. Take care to ensure new audiences are presented with consistent messaging.
About the Ballmer Institute
The mission of the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon is to expand equitable access to behavioral health support for children and families by training behavioral health providers, advancing research, and strengthening community capacity. Our vision is to ensure that all children have the support they need to thrive. To achieve this vision, the Ballmer has launched the nation’s first undergraduate program in child behavioral health. This program lays the foundation for a credentialed bachelor’s-level behavioral health profession grounded in evidence-based practices that will expand access to care and provides a model that can be scaled nationally.
This groundbreaking institute was made possible by an extraordinary gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, co-founders of Ballmer Group Philanthropy, and is located on the UO Portland campus.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) support the mission of the entire institution and shape its identity as a comprehensive research university. The college has disciplines in the social and natural sciences, as well as humanities, and it serves roughly two-thirds of all students at the university. Among faculty, CAS has some of the most accomplished and best-known researchers in the world, with members elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and National Academy of Sciences. The more than $75 million in sponsored research activity of CAS faculty provides the basis for the UO’s status as an “R1 doctoral university with very high research activity” as classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, as well as the UO’s membership in the Association of American Universities. CAS also houses two schools: the School of Computer and Data Sciences and the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages.
About the Lundquist College of Business
The University of Oregon’s Charles H. Lundquist College of Business empowers an engaged community of students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders who create, apply, and disseminate knowledge that contributes significantly to their professions, communities, and society. The college delivers a dynamic learning environment where world-class professors engage and get to know students, where students gain hands-on experiences working on projects for real companies, and where alumni go on to high-powered jobs worldwide. It boasts top-ranked programs in sports business, entrepreneurship, sustainable business, marketing, finance, and accounting, and is housed in the nation’s first certified environmentally friendly business school facility.
About the Robert D. Clark Honors College
The University of Oregon’s Robert D. Clark Honors College offers a liberal arts education through small, discussion-based classes along with the chance to conduct hands-on research and pursue professional degrees within the larger university. Our award-winning faculty encourage and embrace the intellectual curiosity and growth of students, mentoring them to strengthen their communication skills and critical thinking.
Flagship programs like the CHC Alumni Project and other career preparation courses hone skills in networking and job seeking, and pathways to guaranteed admission in law, medicine and management programs offer our students a head start in the professional world. All students also complete a thesis project, an in-depth, open-ended portfolio of work to enhance their resumes and strengthen project management, research and writing skills. Students graduate from CHC with a strong sense of leadership and perspective, ready to bring their well-rounded, adaptable education to bear in the career field of their choosing.
About the College of Design
The University of Oregon’s College of Design is home to creative practitioners, social scientists, biologists, and planners. It offers numerous undergraduate degrees and graduate accredited degrees, independent centers and institutes, and a myriad of minors and certificates at the UO’s Eugene and Portland campuses. The college is comprised of the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, School of Architecture & Environment, School of Art + Design, and School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.
About the College of Education
If you plan to become a teacher, special educator, administrator, human service provider, or clinician you will find a diverse array of learning, social/cultural, professional, and practice opportunities at the University of Oregon College of Education. In addition to academic programs, the COE includes an alliance of nationally prominent centers, institutes, and affiliated research and outreach units working together to educate our students, further groundbreaking research, and provide vital services to the community. Along with our degree programs, we offer teaching licensure, endorsements, and certificates for students interested in increasing their knowledge and adding credentials to their resume.
About the School of Journalism and Communication
The University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, founded in 1916, is a national leader in scholarship and education in advertising, journalism, media studies, public relations, and strategic communication. Its doctoral, master's, and undergraduate degree programs challenge students to become ethical communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled professionals prepared to navigate a complex and evolving media landscape. Award-winning faculty contribute innovative research and professional projects that advance the field.
About the Knight Campus
The University of Oregon’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is a hub of discovery and innovation where teams of world-class bioengineers and bioscientists are driving groundbreaking scientific research and providing an innovative approach to technical training, professional development, and entrepreneurship. Made possible by a $500 million lead gift from Penny and Phil Knight in 2016 and a second $500 million gift in 2021, the Knight Campus is home to several research centers of excellence and offers a PhD in bioengineering, a bioengineering minor, a brewing innovation minor and an applied master’s degree program with multiple industry-focused tracks.
About the School of Law
The University of Oregon’s School of Law is the state of Oregon’s first and only public, ABA-approved law school. Oregon Law has trained exceptional legal and dispute resolution professionals since 1884. In addition to the Juris Doctor (JD) degree, the school offers a Master of Laws (LLM) degree; concurrent degrees in fields such as business, public administration, and journalism; and an undergraduate legal studies program. Oregon Law boasts three top programs in legal research and writing (#1), environmental law (#9), and the dispute resolution program (#11) is the only top-ranked program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest.
About the School of Music and Dance
The University of Oregon’s School of Music and Dance serves as an educational and cultural resource for the institution, the local community, and the state of Oregon. The school prepares students to lead enriching lives by providing comprehensive programs for professional arts-based careers, as well as those seeking to gain a fully realized liberal arts education. The School of Music and Dance has the largest full-time, in-residence music faculty between Los Angeles and the Canadian border. Each faculty member is renowned in their field and actively performs and presents research all over the world. The School of Music and Dance offers over 40 music and dance programs and presents more than 300 concerts and events during the academic year featuring scholars, guest artists, faculty artists, and student ensembles.
Last updated: July 22, 2026