University of North Texas
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The University of North Texas (UNT) is located in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1890 as Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute, it became North Texas Normal College in 1894, and North Texas State Normal College in 1901. It has subsequently been known as North Texas State Teachers College (1923), North Texas State College (1949), and North Texas State University (1961), before being renamed UNT in 1988. It is now the largest university in the north Texas area and the fourth largest university in Texas, with more than 31,000 students.
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Departments
College of Music
The University of North Texas is home to the second-largest college of music in the United States (after Indiana), and is particularly known for its world-class jazz program, often highlighted on campus radio station KNTU. Because of its long history in training teachers, the education program also is well-respected.
College of Engineering
In the spring semester of 2003, UNT opened a College of Engineering at its Research Park campus, also in Denton, focusing on the specialties of aeronautical and aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and materials science.
Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science
One of the highlights of UNT is the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, an early college entrance program that annually admits 200 gifted students into full-time college studies following their 10th grade year. This program has produced numerous Intel Talent Search finalists and semi-finalists, Goldwater Scholars, and National Merit Scholars.
General
Other academic units include the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business Administration, School of Community Service, College of Education, School of Merchandising & Hospitality Management, School of Visual Arts, and the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies.
Graduate programs
The School of Library and Information Sciences carries on one of the oldest graduate programs in professional library education in the South (originally as the Department of Library Service, which began offering an undergraduate major in 1939). The School of Library & Information Sciences at UNT (http://www.unt.edu/slis) also has a very strong distance education program, and it is possible to complete an entire Master's program online.
Sports
The university adopted the eagle as its mascot in the 1920s. In recent years, many of North Texas' athletics programs (especially football) have adopted the name Mean Green, taken from the nickname for football legend "Mean" Joe Greene, a 1969 NTSU graduate.
However, the eagle is still kept as a mascot. The costumed character who appears at games is known as Scrappy, though he was known for part of the 20th century as Eppy, because the student body thought the name "Scrappy" was too warlike. In the Spring of 2002 the Albino Squirrel Preservation Society attempted to name the legendary albino squirrel the secondary mascot of UNT, which would have made it only the second university in the nation to have a secondary mascot. The measure was narrowly rejected by the student body.
Notable students
- Stone Cold Steve Austin - professional wrestler
- Pat Boone - singer
- Thomas Haden Church - actor
- Phyllis George - Miss America 1971, actress and broadcaster
- Toby Gowin - NFL punter
- "Mean" Joe Greene - NFL defensive tackle
- Don Henley - musician and member of The Eagles
- Sarah Hickman - musician
- Norah Jones - musician
- Bill Moyers - journalist and public commentator
- Dr. Phil McGraw - TV personality
- Larry McMurtry - author of Lonesome Dove and The Last Picture Show
External links
- University of North Texas (http://www.unt.edu/)
- Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (http://www.tams.unt.edu/)