Washington University in St. Louis is among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care and service to society. Exploration, critical thinking and discovery are at the core of the university’s academic experience. We challenge our undergraduate and graduate students to push the boundaries of learning, creating new knowledge and understanding an ever-changing world. Founded in 1853, Washington University is an internationally renowned research university with students and faculty from approximately 90 countries. Through our seven schools, we provide our students with opportunities for flexible, in-depth study across a range of disciplines. We offer more than 90 fields of study and 1,500 courses. Our broad spectrum of academic departments and programs coupled with a highly interdisciplinary and personalized academic experience allow our students to fully explore their interests and gain the analytical and critical thinking skills needed to be successful. Our programs in social work, public health, medicine, law, engineering, business, art, architecture, and arts and sciences are consistently ranked and highly regarded. Our School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the country. We treat patients and train new leaders in medicine with our partners at BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the United States. Our strength in medicine and biomedical fields also has played a central role in igniting the St. Louis biotech and startup scene. In 2015, Popular Mechanics ranked St. Louis as one of the top 15 cities for startups in the United States. As a top research institution, we offer extensive opportunities for our students to conduct their own research. These projects are supported by faculty mentors and other university resources. Students also can collaborate with faculty on their groundbreaking research projects. Our faculty successfully win backing for their research from many sources, including the federal government, state governments, corporations, foundations, nonprofit agencies, individuals and the university itself.