Vanderbilt University, also known as Vanderbilt University, or Vandy for short, is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The following is a detailed introduction to the school:

School History

Founding Background: During the American Civil War, the Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, planned to establish a "Southern University". In 1873, local bishop Herland McTell won the support of the American railroad and shipping tycoon Vanderbilt and his wife, who decided to donate $1 million to build the school. The school initially covered an area of ​​75 acres and consisted of a main building, an observatory, and professors' dormitories.

Development History: Enrollment began in 1875 and the school broke off relations with the church in 1914. In 1949, it was elected as a member of the American Association of Universities and ranked among the top 20 private universities in the United States for the first time in 1963. From 2000 to 2007, the school ranked among the top in the United States in terms of academic research funding growth rate and became one of the most selective undergraduate institutions in the United States. In 2016, Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Medical Center separated into two independent institutions.

School size

Campus area: covers an area of ​​about 1.38 square kilometers and has 179 buildings.

Number of students and teachers: As of July 2024, there are 13,710 students, including 7,151 undergraduates and 1,858 in-service teachers.

Department settings

College of Arts and Sciences: It is the largest college in Vanderbilt, offering more than 100 majors and minors in more than 70 research fields. It only recruits undergraduate students and awards bachelor's degrees upon graduation.

Blair School of Music: Provides students with music training at the level of a music school, with a teacher-student ratio of 4:1, and students are awarded a bachelor's degree after graduation.

The School of Theology: Accredited and approved by the Accreditation Commission of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, it can offer Master of Theology, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry, and has been recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Commission on Colleges to award bachelor's, master's, professional and doctoral degrees.

The School of Engineering: Provides the depth, breadth and flexibility of engineering graduate education, as well as multidisciplinary research and teaching, and is committed to training the next generation of engineering students. It can award master's and doctoral degrees.

The School of Law: Customizes learning according to students' interests, is committed to cultivating a public service culture, and provides students with learning opportunities in public interests through firms, internships and pro bono projects. It can award Doctor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees.

The School of Medicine: Provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to practice safe, effective, ethical, evidence-based and patient-centered health care, and can award Master of Medicine and Doctor of Medicine degrees.

The School of Nursing: It is a school that practices practicing nurses and advanced practice nurses in collaboration with doctors and institutions, and can award master's and doctoral degrees.

Owen Graduate School of Management: Focuses on training leaders in business and other fields, MBA The program is divided into a full-time MBA and an executive MBA.

Graduate School: Students can obtain customized master's and doctoral degrees through a variety of pathways to advance their studies in their chosen fields and help them achieve their career goals. 49 different doctoral degrees, 4 different Master of Arts, 4 different Master of Science, Master of Arts and Creative Writing, and Master of Arts and Science can be awarded.

Academic Research

Ranking: Ranked 18th in the 2024 U.S. News Best Universities in the United States and 63rd in the "U.S. News Best Global Universities". Ranked 248th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, 23rd in the QS WUR Subject Rankings, and 497th in the QS Sustainability Rankings. Ranked 92nd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.

Research Achievements: The school is classified as "R1: Doctoral University - Very High Level of Research Activity", with many outstanding chairs and nationally recognized centers of excellence. It has conducted in-depth research in many fields such as medicine, education, and engineering, and has achieved remarkable scientific research results.

Advantageous Majors

Education Majors: The overall ranking is in the top ten in the United States, ranked 6th in the 2024 USnews American University School of Education Ranking, and is recognized as the best in the world. Its education management and supervision, special education majors ranked 1st in the United States; education policy majors ranked 2nd in the United States; curriculum and teaching majors ranked 3rd; educational psychology majors ranked 4th.

Business Majors: Ranked 27th in the 2024 USnews American University Business School Ranking. The curriculum is comprehensive, covering core areas such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics, and also provides a wealth of internship and research opportunities for business graduates.

Nursing: offers master's and doctoral degrees, as well as non-degree courses and special student courses, providing students with innovative educational methods, flexible schedules, and numerous remote learning opportunities.

Campus Life

Student Organizations: The school has a variety of student organizations and clubs covering academic, cultural, artistic, and sports aspects, such as the "Alternative Spring Break" student club, which provides students with rich extracurricular life and social opportunities.

Campus Media: The independent daily newspaper "Daily Helmsman" on campus has been in operation since 1925 and is one of the outstanding student organizations. It has won many honors in reporting, photography, and design over the years.

Sports Tradition: Vanderbilt University's sports teams are called Vanderbilt University Commodores, and are members of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference. The school's sports programs are also competitive in the United States, and its football team, basketball team, etc. have many supporters.

Application Requirements

Undergraduate: IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL 100+, SAT total average score 1480-1590 or ACT 32-35.

Graduate students: Different majors have different requirements, such as TOEFL 88 or above, IELTS 6.5 or above, GRE 320+, and Q score between 153 and 170 for a master's degree in economics.