Louisiana State University
The University of Louisiana in Baton Rouge is a teaching and research institution. Located not far from Pineville, the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy first opened its doors in 1860. Louisiana State University was the official name of the school at the time. Since its founding in 1926, LSU's main campus has expanded to include a 650-acre (260 ha) plateau on the banks of the Mississippi River with more than 250 structures designed in the style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. In 1987, the central campus historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
LSU is the flagship school of the Louisiana State University System and the state of Louisiana, in addition to being the most comprehensive university in Louisiana. It is the largest and most prestigious university in the Louisiana State University System. In 2021, the university had a total of 14 schools and colleges, and they served a student body of over 28,000 undergraduates and approximately 4,500 graduate students. There are many excellent graduate programmes at LSU, such as the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the E. J. Ourso College of Business, have been recognised for their outstanding achievements on a national scale. As such, it is categorised as a "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity" institution. LSU's large research facilities oversee almost 800 funded research programmes and are a major contributor to the university's reputation. The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration also provide money for similar endeavours. LSU is one of just eight universities in the United States to provide a Master of Business Administration in addition to dental, legal, veterinary, and medical degree programmes.
There are 21 varsity sports teams (nine men's and 12 women's) in the LSU Athletics Department, all of which compete in the NCAA and the Southeastern Conference (Southeastern Conference). The school spirit may be seen in its mascot, Mike the Tiger.