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University of Louisville History: Schools & Colleges

A brief history of UofL, including information on buildings, past presidents, schools.

Current Academic Units

School/College Founding Date Other Information
College of Arts & Sciences 1907- *The University traces its origins to Jefferson Seminary, chartered in 1798
School of Medicine 1837-  
School of Law 1846-  
School of Dentistry 1887- *Absorbed by U of L in 1918
Graduate School 1915-  
School of Public Health and Information Sciences 1919- Originally founded 1919 as the School of Public Health; absorbed into the School of Medicine in 1923; reactivated in 1998
Speed Scientific School 1925-  
School of Music 1932-  
Kent School of Social Work 1936-  
College of Business and Public Administration 1953-  
School of Education 1968-  
School of Justice Administration 1969- *Moved to College of Urban and Public Affairs 1983, then to College of Arts and Sciences 1992
School of Nursing 1979-  

Academic Units No Longer in Existence

School/College Founding Date Other Information
Jefferson Seminary 1798-1829 *Opened 1813
Louisville Medical Institute 1837-1846 *In 1846 became U of L's medical department
Louisville Collegiate Institute 1837-1840  
Louisville College 1840-1846 *In 1846 became U of L's academic department
Jefferson School of Law 1905-1950 *Absorbed by U of L School of Law
University College 1928-1982  
Louisville Municipal College 1931-1951  
Kentucky Southern College 1962-1969 *Absorbed in 1969; became U of L's Shelby Campus
School of Allied Health Sciences 1977-2002  
College of Urban and Public Affairs 1983-1992  

For more information, see Dwayne D. Cox and William J. Morison, The University of Louisville (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2000).