University of Houston-Clear Lake

Nestled on a 524-acre wildlife and nature preserve, University of Houston-Clear Lake has become a cornerstone of higher education along the upper Gulf Coast of Texas. Since opening its doors in 1974, the university has awarded more than 62,000 degrees.

UH-Clear Lake emphasizes high academic standards through teaching, research and community service and delivers outstanding educational opportunities in a traditional classroom setting using the latest instructional technologies, as well as cutting-edge distance learning.

The Schools of Business, Education, Human Sciences and Humanities, and Science and Computer Engineering offer more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. In 2007, the university began offering its first doctoral degree, the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. A second doctoral degree, the Doctor in Education in Curriculum and Instruction, was added in 2014.

In its short history, UHCL has earned a distinctive reputation as a community-minded, partnership-oriented university. UHCL has developed partnerships with area businesses, organizations, schools and individuals that enhance the region’s educational, economic, cultural, scientific and professional environment.

In 2007, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved creation of UHCL Pearland Campus. The new campus was developed as a partnership between UHCL and City of Pearland to provide further access to higher education for the Pearland area. Classes began at the satellite campus in fall 2010.

For four decades, the university has filled a vital niche in higher education, specializing in junior and senior undergraduate and graduate-level programs. In 2011, the university gained approval from the state to add freshman- and sophomore-level courses to its roster and welcomed its first freshman class in fall 2014.

Extensive class offerings and programs attract more than 8,600 students during the fall and spring semesters, with many of them enrolled in graduate courses. More than 80 percent of its undergraduate student population transfers from local community colleges to attain bachelor’s degrees at UHCL.

Most students are Texas residents, and 61 percent of the student population is female. UHCL’s student population reflects a diverse mix of ethnicities with 46 percent comprising Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native American students and 15 percent encompassing international students from around the world. In 2010, UHCL was designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities.

More than 2,000 students graduate each academic year from UHCL.