University of Alabama at Birmingham (also known as
UAB) is an public, coeducational university located in Birmingham, Alabama. The university is part of the
three-member University of Alabama System,
which also includes the main University of Alabama campus
in Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama in Huntsville
(
UAH). UAB's history began with the relocation of the University of Alabama School of Medicine from Tuscaloosa to
Birmingham in 1945. Because of the rapid growth of Birmingham, it was deemed necessary that
an extension program for students who had difficulties which prevented them from studying in Tuscaloosa was needed. UAB became an
autonomous campus in 1969. UAB currently has an enrollment of approximately 16,000
students. The school's president is Carol Garrison.UAB offers programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, doctoral and
professional degrees in various fields, including liberal arts, business, education, engineering, health-related fields (such as
medicine, dentistry and nursing) and public health. The school is highly renowned for its medical research and natural sciences
programs. UAB received over $390 million in federal grants during the past fiscal year for research purposes. This places the
school as one of the larger research institutions in the Southeast.UAB's green-and-gold-swathed athletics teams are nicknamed the
Blazers. UAB is a member of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA. UAB's athletic programs are relatively young. As
such, the school has often had to struggle to earn recognition nationally (and even in the state). Specifically, its football
team struggles within Alabama to climb out of the shadows cast by the state's premier
football programs, the University of Alabama's Crimson
Tide and Auburn University's Tigers.
Watson Brown coaches
the football team, which plays at 83,901-seat Legion Field. The school's
men's basketball team, led by "hell ball" disciple
Mike Anderson, plays in 8,508-seat Bartow Arena. While the football
team entered post-season play only recently (2004 Hawaii Bowl), the men's
basketball program has long had a history of playing in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. In 2004, the school gained national attention when it upset the University of Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the tournament and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
