Colleges Reflect Growth as University of Arkansas Posts Record Enrollment

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas set a new fall enrollment record of 19,849 students, an increase of 655 students over fall 2008. Almost half that increase came in the College of Education and Health Professions, which led all colleges with an increase of 323 students.

The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences remains the largest college in the university, with total enrollment of 7,280 students, a 1 percent increase over the previous year. Fulbright College makes up 36.7 percent of the student enrollment at the university.

The College of Education and Health Professions is now the second largest college on campus, after showing a 9.8 percent increase in total enrollment, to 3,628 students. This represents 18.3 percent of the total university enrollment.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business had a slight decrease in enrollment, 0.4 percent, or 35 students, and now has a total of 3,579 students. The Walton College makes up 18 percent of the university enrollment.

The College of Engineering had the second highest percentage increase in enrollment, 6.9 percent, and now has a total of 2,421 students. The college has 12.2 percent of the total university student population.

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences also showed a strong increase in enrollment, 5.8 percent, for a total of 1,772 students. Bumpers College students are 8.9 percent of the total university enrollment.

Both the Fay Jones School of Architecture and the School of Law have enrollment restrictions, so their numbers don’t vary as much from year to year.

The Fay Jones School of Architecture remains the smallest undergraduate school on campus, but its 6.6 percent enrollment increase is one of the largest at the university. The Jones School has a total enrollment of 450 students and makes up 2.3 percent of the total student body.

The School of Law showed a 1 percent decline in enrollment, but that only represents a decrease of 4 students from fall, 2008. The School of Law, with 408 students, is 2.1 percent of the total university enrollment.

There are now a total of 2,253 University of Arkansas students enrolled in the Honors College program, a 2.7 percent increase over last year. Nearly half the Honors College students are enrolled in Fulbright College, although the number of Fulbright students declined by 3.6 percent this year.

The College of Engineering has 21.2 percent of the Honors College students, an increase of 3.9 percent. Walton College students are the next largest group in the Honors College program, with 18.3 percent. Walton College had a 7.9 percent increase in Honors College students.

The College of Education and Health Professions had the largest percentage gain in Honors College undergraduates. The college makes up 5.4 percent of Honors College enrollment, but had a 25.8 percent increase in the number of students in the program.

Bumpers College students account for 5.2 percent of Honors College enrollment, a 17 percent increase over fall 2008. The School of Architecture showed a 15.3 percent increase, and makes up 3 percent of Honors College enrollment.