Welcome to University of Akron

This is the accessibility version designed specifically for users needing extra accessibility features.
Feel free to check out the original experience here.

The University of Akron

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to The University of Akron, a vital, public urban research university in the heart of a great American city. Our beautiful campus is firmly anchored in the City of Akron. Here, you'll get a hands-on education that's taught by expert faculty, enhanced by internships and designed to help you graduate career ready. We are driven by collaboration, partnership and a steadfast determination to provide opportunity to all learners. While we offer more than 200 undergraduate degrees and programs, it's truly a place where you'll be more than your major. Take a look around and discover what makes us one of the top public universities in Ohio – and the nation.

Honors Complex

Tour stop audio transcript

The Williams Honors College is the dynamic center of activity for Honors Scholars, serving as a residence hall for like-minded and engaged students and as a hub for academics. The residence wing includes comfortable double and single rooms, and residents each share a bathroom with just one other person. The academic wing features a large classroom, three seminar rooms, a computer lab and a two-story common room. Plus, Honors students get priority class registration and access to exclusive classes.

Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences

Tour stop audio transcript

The Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences is our largest and oldest degree-granting college, providing world-class courses in the arts and humanities; natural, social and behavioral sciences; and general education. Many of your first- and second-year classes will meet in this building. Students in this college have access to unique programs and services, such as the Early Assurance Pathway and Early Acceptance Program that guarantees pre-med students seats at area medical, dentistry and pharmacy schools upon graduation.

Bierce Library

Tour stop audio transcript

Bierce Library is more than a library. It's an academic resource center where you can take advantage of research databases, rent laptops, meet tutors, get computer support, and enjoy distance learning classrooms, private study rooms and the designated quiet area on the third floor. Bierce also houses the popular Maker Studio, which is home to cutting-edge 3D printers, and the EX[L] Center for Community Engaged Learning, which connects students to hands-on, community-based learning experiences.

James A. Rhodes Arena

Tour stop audio transcript

The James A. Rhodes Arena, or the "JAR" as it's known on campus, is home to our Division I, championship-winning athletic programs. Every semester, it becomes electric with exciting games and energetic crowds who cheer our teams on to victory. Leading the charge is Zippy, our beloved female kangaroo mascot, and the AK Rowdies, a popular student organization with one simple mission: to fully support our athletes. The building features an indoor track, a basketball arena and volleyball courts. Best of all, students with a valid Zip Card can attend any UA sporting event for free!

Student Recreation & Wellness Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Our nationally recognized Recreation & Wellness Center is a favorite spot for students to keep fit and achieve a work-life balance. This state-of-the-art space has an impressive variety of cardio and strength equipment, free exercise classes, an indoor track, a pool with a lazy river, basketball courts and a 53-foot rock wall. It's also the best place to find all of UA's growing club and intramural sports! Attached to the Rec Center is the Ocasek Natatorium, featuring a beautiful Olympic-sized competition pool and diving well. On designated evenings, students can enjoy kayaking and paddleboarding in the pool. Also available are eight racquetball courts, four of which can be outfitted for wallyball.

Spicer Residence Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Our award-winning residence halls are among the best in the U.S. Students enjoy rooms that are full of amenities - like here in Spicer Hall, where each room has cable, internet and individual temperature controls. We also have Living-Learning Communities where students who share a common major or interest can live nearby in the same building. Each hall has live-in Resident Assistants to help you navigate college life. We've been named the "Programming Organization of the Year" because there's always something fun happening on campus and, by living here, you'll be in the heart of the action. It's comfortable, convenient and a great way to make friends that last a lifetime.

InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field

Tour stop audio transcript

InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field serves as the epicenter of our Division I football and women's lacrosse teams. On game day, students get free admission to home games and can join their classmates wearing blue and gold and singing the Akron Fight Song. This field is also used for intramural sports and marching band. On the first floor of the stadium's seven-story press tower, you'll find our championship-winning varsity esports team and its top-of-the-line gaming arena. The floors above are home to academic classrooms and wellness education labs for the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.

Coleman Common

Tour stop audio transcript

Coleman Common is the perfect outdoor area to study for classes or relax with friends. The vibrant space features an amphitheater, labyrinth, ample green space and internet access. It's also the venue for SpringFest – an annual, all-day event filled with music, food and fun to celebrate the closing of another school year. Nearby, you can watch softball and outdoor track teams compete at the Lee R. Jackson fields. You can also see our baseball and women's and championship-winning men's soccer teams in action. And as a reminder, students get into every home sporting event for free!

Buchtel Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Located in the heart of campus, this legendary structure was built upon the foundation of the original Buchtel Hall, which dates back to the founding of our University in 1870. At the time, the building provided everything a student needed: living quarters, a dining room and classrooms. Though the original building was destroyed by fire in 1899, the current Buchtel Hall, carries its name and continues this tradition of supporting academic achievement. Today, it houses many administrative offices, such as the Offices of the President, Inclusion and Equity, and Academic Affairs.

Jean Hower Taber Student Union

Tour stop audio transcript

Named for lifelong University friend and benefactor, the Jean Hower Taber Student Union is the vibrant hub of student life on campus. Spanning three floors, the Student Union offers great spaces to study, meet friends, eat and relax. Shoot pool or go bowling in the Roo Lounge; or grab a bite to eat from the wide variety of food options at the Union Market or the popular, well-known restaurants throughout the building. The Student Union is also home to the Department of Student Life, Career Services and Student Employment, the University bookstore, a walk-in bank and offices for many of our more than 300 student and service organizations.

Auburn Science & Engineering Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Our College of Engineering and Polymer Science produces some of the most sought-after, job-ready graduates in the country. Here, students perform research with expert faculty, work on space equipment and co-op with employers nationwide. They also build race cars, rockets, robots and more to compete in student design team competitions – often ranking among the best in the world. We also have an award-winning surveying and mapping program and the only aerospace engineering systems bachelor's degree program of its kind outside of the U.S. Air Force.

Mary Gladwin Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Mary Gladwin Hall is home to the College of Health and Human Sciences, which offers top-rated programs in nursing; speech language pathology and audiology; social work; food and environmental nutrition; sport studies and coaching education; and allied health. Students participate in diverse clinical experiences to get real-world training for an edge in the job market. Graduates of programs in our School of Nursing consistently score higher pass rates than the national average for licensure exams. The hall was named after Mary Gladwin, a UA alumna and American Red Cross nurse during the Spanish-American War and World War I, and today our students continue her legacy.

Folk Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

The Myers School of Art is located in Folk Hall, an impressive art facility that supports the University's ongoing advancement of the arts. Folk Hall contains a student projects gallery, an auditorium, classrooms, 28 studios and the renowned Emily Davis Gallery, which showcases work and lectures by emerging and established contemporary artists.

Polsky Building

Tour stop audio transcript

Once a popular regional department store, the Polsky Building is now home to programs in our College of Engineering and Polymer Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, and College of Business. The Art Deco building, built in 1929, contains a food court, bookstore and hands-on learning environments. Computer information systems students gain real-world experience in our cybersecurity testbed, audiology students study canine hearing in our FETCHLAB™ and business students benefit from marketing and selling institutes. The Adult Focus office supports adult learners who are finishing their degrees, working toward a certificate or starting a brand new career.

College of Business

Tour stop audio transcript

The College of Business is one of the few business schools in the world to hold dual accreditation. It prepares students to become successful professionals through rigorous coursework, leadership training, education abroad, and opportunities to network and intern with top businesses and executives. About 1,000 alumni from the College of Business hold executive positions throughout the country.

School of Law

Tour stop audio transcript

The School of Law provides a top-ranked legal education with flexible degree options at an affordable price. Akron Law is renowned for its intellectual property and trial advocacy programs. In fact, its student mock trial teams frequently compete at the highest level in the national student Trial Advocacy competition. Students learn in the beautiful C. Blake McDowell Law Center, featuring the latest classroom technology and the modern and sophisticated David and Ann Amer Brennan Courtroom. Akron Law students serve hundreds of clients annually through clinics housed within the school, gaining invaluable hands-on experience alongside seasoned law professionals during exceptional internship opportunities that set them apart from their peers.

Goodyear Polymer Center & Guzzetta Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

The iconic Goodyear Polymer Center building holds classrooms and research floors where students and professors in our globally recognized School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering invent new solutions to 21st century challenges. Our polymer research has resulted in more than 300 issued and pending patents. Recently, UA was named the #1 university in the world for polymer science and plastics engineering. Next door is Guzzetta Hall, which houses our academic programs in the performing arts with a dance institute, music school and national choreography center. Its proximity to E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall makes the area an artistic, educational and cultural hub for the campus and community.

Rob's Café

Tour stop audio transcript

Rob's Café, or "Rob's," is the main dining hall on campus, and all UA dining plans can be used here. Simply swipe your Zip Card and enjoy all-you-care-to-eat, made-to-order foods at various specialty stations, including a grill, pizza station, homestyle line, vegetarian/vegan selections and much more. Eat a full meal, grab a quick snack, come in for dessert or visit the café during one of its specialty food days. Whether you're craving subs or sushi, beef or shrimp, waffles or wonton soup, there's an eatery on campus for you!

Kolbe Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Kolbe Hall is home to the School of Communication, its top-rated, student-run college radio station, WZIP, and the student-run television station, Z-TV, which has won nine Emmy Awards and has been nominated for more than 30. The school offers undergraduate programs in media studies, communication studies, public relations and organizational supervision, along with professional certificates and graduate programs. Prominent alumni Matthew Cherry, a former NFL wide receiver and communication major at UA, won an Oscar for his animated short film "Hair Love," and actress Yvette Nicole Brown has starred and appeared in several television comedies, including "Community," "The Office" and "That '70s Show."

Simmons Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Simmons Hall is a one-stop shop for student services. Here, you'll have access to a variety of resources related to admissions, registration, academic advising, counseling, military service, financial aid, accessibility and more. Also located in Simmons Hall is ZipAssist, which serves as the student advocacy and support office, as well as a central information hub at UA. Thank you for touring our campus. There are so many ways to experience UA, so take the next step in your journey to become a Zip by scheduling a visit or applying today!

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames