Student Scholarship

Not surprisingly, what closely accompanies distinguished teachers are distinguished student scholars. Since 1980, in conjunction with the University Honors College (UHC), the University of Pittsburgh has produced more Rhodes and Marshall Scholars than any other college or university, public or private, in Pennsylvania. Also, Pitt students have won five Truman scholarships in the past four years. In the sciences, Pitt undergraduates have won 29 Goldwater Scholarships.

Academics

Since 1974, the University of Pittsburgh has been a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), an association which includes the 62 most prominent national research universities in North America. The Center for Measuring University Performance's 2006 Top American Universities placed Pitt in the top seven, in a group of only seven top public universities, for overall performance. The University also ranks among the top ten of all U.S. universities as a recipient of competitive grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health.

Some top research centers at Pitt include:
University Center for International Studies
University Center for Social and Urban Research
Learning Research and Development Center
Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

In its most recent review, The National Research Council (NRC), the most respected evaluator of academic programs in the United States, has ranked a number of Pitt's programs in the top of their fields. The University's Department of Philosophy ranks second nationally and its Department of History and Philosophy of Science, fifth. According to NRC, departments such as Chemistry, Economics, English, History, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and Physiology are also among the best in their disciplines.

In medicine, the University of Pittsburgh has one of the world's leading organ transplant programs; the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business is ranked among the top business programs in the nation; and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences offers a highly regarded speech and hearing science program. Similar honors are credited to programs in writing, and music—the program that sponsors the nationally famous Pitt Jazz Seminar.

International Affairs

The University Center for International Studies (UCIS) is cited as one of the premiere international academic centers in the country by the Council of Learning. Five Pitt area studies programs are designated National Resource Centers by the U.S. Department of Education. UCIS programs include Asian, Latin American, Russian and East European, and European studies. The International Business Center in the College of Business Administration also shares this distinction.

UCIS also is home to certificate programs in African, Global, and European Union Studies as well as one of just 10 European Union Centers of Excellence in the United States funded by European Commission.