University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and a member of the University of Arkansas System. Established in 1927, it serves as a metropolitan institution offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across a wide range of disciplines, including business, engineering, education, public affairs, and law. The university includes the William H. Bowen School of Law and maintains a strong connection to the civic and economic life of Arkansas’s capital city. With flexible course formats and an urban campus, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock attracts traditional students, working professionals, and adult learners seeking accessible higher education opportunities.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was founded in 1927 as Little Rock Junior College, established by the Little Rock School District to provide affordable access to higher education for central Arkansas residents. Initially offering two-year liberal arts courses, the institution expanded steadily and moved to its present campus in 1949. In 1957, it became a private four-year institution known as Little Rock University, reflecting its growing academic scope. A major transformation occurred in 1969 when Little Rock University merged with the University of Arkansas System and adopted the name University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During the 1970s, the university introduced graduate and professional programs, including the establishment of the William H. Bowen School of Law in 1975. Over the decades, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock developed into a comprehensive public research university serving the Little Rock metropolitan area and the state of Arkansas.