University of Rochester

Aerial view of river campus

The University of Rochester has long been a leader in the study of the image. Rochester was one of the first programs in the country to offer a Ph.D. in visual and cultural studies (1989), making it a pioneer in the now established and thriving field of visual culture. Rochester Ph.D. recipients in the field have gone on to become leading experts in new media, photographic studies, and a wide variety of specializations across the domain of visual studies.

Founded in 1850, the University of Rochester is among the country’s top-tier research universities, ranking in the Top 15, when normalized for size, with respect to dollars committed for research through federal, state, and foundational sources. 

A private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution, UR is among the smallest of the 62 members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the New York State Board of Regents. It offers its students both the diverse array of intellectual assets of a major research university and the personalized attention usually found only at a great liberal arts college.

For more facts and figures about the University, visit rochester.edu/aboutus.