The University of Georgia

Chartered by the Georgia General Assembly Jan. 27, 1785, in Savannah, The University of Georgia is America’s first state-chartered university and the birthplace of the American system of public higher education.Two men who were leaders of the early University of Georgia also signed the United States Constitution. Abraham Baldwin, who wrote UGA’s charter and was the institution’s first president, and William Few, a member of the Board of Trustees, signed the Constitution on behalf of Georgia at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1787.The University of Georgia, a land-grant and sea-grant university with statewide commitments and responsibilities, is the state's oldest, most comprehensive, and most diversified institution of higher education. Its motto, "to teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things," reflects the University's integral and unique role in the conservation and enhancement of the state's and nation's intellectual, cultural, and environmental heritage.

Prior to the formal establishment of the Graduate School, courses of postgraduate status were offered under the control of a faculty committee on graduate studies. In 1910, the formal organization of graduate studies into a Graduate School was authorized. The Graduate School coordinates the graduate programs of all schools and colleges of the University. Matters of policy and procedure are determined by the graduate faculty through the graduate council. The graduate faculty consists of faculty members appointed by the President on the basis of productive research, effective teaching, and other creative activities. The policies adopted by the graduate council are administered by the dean of the Graduate School.The Graduate School administers all graduate programs of the University. It offers the Master of Arts in 35 disciplines, the Master of Science in 51 disciplines and the Doctor of Philosophy in 79 disciplines. Professional master’s degrees are available in 32 areas, and professional doctoral degrees are offered in education, music, and public health. The University also awards the Master of Education in 19 areas, the Specialist in Education in 19 areas and the Doctor of Education in 12 areas.