University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Academics

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is an urban campus located 45 miles southeast of Little Rock, and it has an extended campus in North Little Rock. The university’s mission is to provide cutting-edge research, teaching, outreach, and service programs that respond to the social and economic needs of the state and region. It is the 4th largest recipient of research funding among institutions in the University of Arkansas System. UAPB is made up of eight divisions ranging from the traditional, such as the School of Business and Management, to newer concentrations, such as Military Science and the School of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Human Sciences. The school offers 28 undergraduate degree programs, eight master’s degree programs, and a doctorate program. Students interested in careers in the agriculture sector should know that UAPB offers an agricultural engineering program as well as the only comprehensive Aquaculture Fisheries program in Arkansas. Additionally, the Aquaculture and Fisheries PhD program is recognized as one of the leading programs in the country. To provide its students with as many opportunities as possible, UAPB collaborates with other universities and colleges in the state. For example, the university partners with the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to provide a fast track into law school. UAPB students with 3.4 GPA, minimum 154 LSAT score, and clean disciplinary record are automatically admitted to the law school and receive a 25% tuition scholarship. Engineering students have the option to acquire an expanded engineering degree through a partnership with University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. To further enhance the students’ educational opportunities, UAPB is a member of the Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE-ON), allowing students to engage in information exchange with faculty and researchers around the world.

Career

The philosophy at UAPB is that extracurricular activities contribute to student development across the board: in education, career, and lifestyle. To that end, students are served by more than 90 organizations, including all nine National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities. From the arts to professional and leadership development, community service, and many other pursuits, there’s something for everyone. Students can participate in a wide variety of sports; from football and basketball to golf and tennis. The Golden Lion and Lady Lion athletic programs compete in Division 1 of the NCAA. And the UAPB’s Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4), one of the largest collegiate marching bands in the state, is on hand to keep the energy high when the Golden Lions play football. UAPB honors its own HBCU history, as well as the lives and culture of African-Americans who helped shape the history of UAPB and the Arkansas Delta, at The University Museum And Cultural Center. The Center houses a collection of historical photographs, catalogs, yearbooks, letters, artifacts, portraits, and other ephemera and is the only museum of its kind in Arkansas.

Culture

UAPB’s Office of Career Services prepares students and alumni to make a successful transition from college to a job or career, following in the footsteps of notable alumni like Chris Mercer, the first Black deputy state prosecutor in the South; Samuel L. Kountz, who performed the first successful kidney transplant between humans who were not identical twins; and jazz bassist Jamil Nasser. In addition to maintaining partnerships between the university and employers of all types, Career Services offers a variety of activities and assistance (like résumé and interview prep) to help students navigate career opportunities. There's also a paid Cooperative Education program that provides employment directly related to the student’s academic major.