University of North Carolina

Many schools are in North Carolina.

One school is very old. It started long ago in 1789.

This school is in a place called Chapel Hill. Over time, the state added more schools. Some schools help people learn to be teachers.

Other schools help people learn art.

There are many different schools now. Some schools help people learn about plants or animals. Some help people learn to be doctors.

Many students go to these schools. They study hard to get degrees. This helps them get good jobs later.

Learning is a great way to grow. Do you like to learn new things?

The University of North Carolina is a big system of schools. It helps many people in the state of North Carolina. The first school started in 1789. It is in a place called Chapel Hill.

Over many years, the state added more schools. Some schools were made for women. Some schools were made for Black students. Other schools help people learn to be teachers or artists. In 1931, the state joined some of these schools together. This helped them save money.

Today, the system has 16 public universities. It also includes a special high school. This high school is for gifted students. It is called the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. The system has many different programs. Some teach law or nursing. Others teach engineering or music. Many students go to these schools. In 2021, there were over 244,000 students. They study hard to earn degrees. This helps them prepare for their future jobs.

The University of North Carolina is a large system of public schools. It serves the people living in the state of North Carolina. This system includes 16 public universities and one special high school. The high school is called the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Many students use these schools to learn new things. In the fall of 2021, there were 244,507 students enrolled.

This system works by bringing many different campuses together. Each school can have its own leaders called chancellors. They also have their own boards of trustees to help run things. Some schools focus on one specific subject. For example, there are schools for nursing and dentistry. There are also schools for law and engineering. Some campuses even have schools for performing artists.

The history of these schools started a long time ago. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1789. It is one of the oldest public universities in the United States. The school had to close for a few years between 1871 and 1875. This happened because of money and enrollment problems. Later, the state began to support even more schools. They added colleges for women and for American Indians.

Many changes happened to how the schools were organized. During the Great Depression in 1931, the state tried to save money. They created the Consolidated University of North Carolina. This brought Chapel Hill, North Carolina State, and the Woman's College together. In 1971, a new law brought all 16 public universities into the system. This was a very big step for the state. Each school then got its own leaders to manage its daily work.

Today, the system is very large and helpful. In 2020–2021, the campuses gave out 62,930 degrees to students. Most of these were bachelor's degrees. In 2008, the system gave out over 75% of all such degrees in the state. The schools help people prepare for many different jobs. Some students study at the largest school, North Carolina State University. Others might attend the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

The University of North Carolina, often called the UNC System, is the public university system for the state of North Carolina. It serves as an umbrella organization for 16 different public universities. It also oversees the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, which is a public high school for gifted students. This system is vital because it provides higher education to the people of the state. As of the fall of 2021, the system had a total enrollment of 244,507 students.

The system operates through a structure of different campuses and specialized schools. While the system is managed collectively, the 1971 consolidation allowed each constituent school to have its own chancellor and board of trustees. These leaders manage the daily operations of their specific campuses. Within these seventeen campuses, the system offers a massive variety of academic programs. There are two medical schools and one teaching hospital. The system also includes ten nursing programs, two schools of dentistry, and one veterinary school and hospital. Other specialized areas include a school of pharmacy, two law schools, 15 schools of education, three schools of engineering, and a school for performing artists.

The history of the system began with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Founded in 1789, it is one of only three schools in the United States that can claim to be the oldest public university. The school faced a difficult period between 1871 and 1785 when it closed due to enrollment and financial problems. After 1877, the state of North Carolina began sponsoring more institutions to expand education. This led to the creation of a women's college, now known as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The state also established land-grant universities like North Carolina State University. Additionally, the state founded five historically black institutions and one institution to educate American Indians.

Organizational changes shaped the system during the 20th century. During the Great Depression, the North Carolina General Assembly looked for ways to save money. In 1931, they created the Consolidated University of North Carolina. This new entity brought together the campuses at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State College, and the Woman's College. At that time, a single president and a single board of trustees led all three campuses. Leaders on the ground were called Deans of Administration, but this title changed to Chancellor in 1945. By 1969, three more campuses—Charlotte, Asheville, and Wilmington—joined the consolidated university through legislative action.

A major legal shift occurred in 1971 when North Carolina passed new legislation. This law brought all 16 public institutions that confer bachelor's degrees into the UNC System. This expansion created the modern structure we see today. The system also grew to include the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. This high school was founded in 1980 as the nation's first public residential high school for gifted students. It was an affiliated school for many years before becoming a full member of the university in 2007.

The impact of the UNC System on the state is significant. In the 2020–2021 academic year, the campuses conferred 62,930 degrees. The majority of these were bachelor's degrees, with 44,309 awarded. The scale of this achievement was particularly visible in 2008, when the system conferred over 75% of all baccalaureate degrees in North Carolina. The individual campuses vary greatly in size. North Carolina State University is the largest, with 37,323 students as of fall 2023. In contrast, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics is the smallest member, with 980 students.

The legal foundation for this system is rooted in the state's history. The original 1776 North Carolina Constitution included an article stating that the Legislature should establish schools for the instruction of youth. In 1789, the state granted a charter and funding for the university. Today, the 1971 North Carolina Constitution continues this mandate. Article IX, Sections 8 and 9, requires the General Assembly to maintain a public system of higher education. These laws state that the benefits of these institutions should be extended to the people of the state as far as practicable.