University of New Mexico

About University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is a public flagship research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded on February 28, 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, UNM is the state’s largest higher education institution and carries federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Carrying the highest Carnegie Classification (R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity), UNM stands as a premier southwestern research powerhouse. It maintains intimate research pipelines with nearby national laboratories, including Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, driving global breakthroughs in optical sciences, quantum engineering, astrophysics, and nuclear energy. The university's picturesque 800-acre main campus is world-famous for its cohesive Pueblo Revival architecture pioneered by architect John Gaw Meem—characterized by warm adobe plaster, stepped silhouettes, exposed wooden viga beams, and earth-toned walls harmonizing with the Sandia Mountain backdrop. Historic landmarks like Hodgin Hall (built in 1892) and Zimmerman Library (famed for Spanish Pueblo tinwork chandeliers and southwestern fresco murals) anchor an inspiring collegiate setting. UNM encompasses 12 academic schools and colleges, including the comprehensive Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC)—which operates New Mexico’s only Level I trauma center, the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. UNM is also home to the state’s sole law school (UNM School of Law), the Anderson School of Management, and the world-renowned Tamarind Institute for fine art collaborative lithography.