Address: Notre Dame Avenue, 46556 Notre Dame, Indiana, United States
Theology and Philosophy, Business (Mendoza College), Law
Notre Dame, Indiana, is both the address and the name of the University of Notre Dame, a private Catholic research university in the northern part of the state. Father Edward Sorin and members of the Congregation of Holy Cross founded it on 26 November 1842, and the Indiana legislature granted its charter on 15 January 1844. The university describes itself as a global Catholic research university.
Teaching is organised in the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science, the College of Engineering, a college of business, the School of Architecture and the Law School, alongside a graduate school. In fall 2024 the university enrolled about 13,000 students, of whom roughly 8,900 were undergraduates and 4,200 were graduate and professional students, and its official profile lists 1,526 instructional faculty. The Main Building was destroyed by fire on 23 April 1879 and was rebuilt, and it still carries the golden dome that has become a symbol of the campus.
The twentieth century brought lasting changes. Theodore Hesburgh was president from 1952 to 1987, governance passed from the Congregation of Holy Cross to a board of lay and religious trustees in 1967, and women were first admitted as undergraduates in 1972. Under coach Knute Rockne the football team, known as the Fighting Irish, built a national following in the 1920s, and during the Second World War the campus trained naval officers.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Engineering, Life Sciences, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
One of the leading Catholic universities in the world. Strong emphasis on undergraduate education, ethics, and community service. Highly recognizable athletics (Fighting Irish).
Research:
Research in areas such as theology, philosophy, peace studies, business ethics, engineering (particularly chemical and biomolecular), and science.
Famous Alumnis:
Condoleezza Rice, Joe Montana, Regis Philbin, Nicholas Sparks, Knute Rockne, Ara Parseghian
Located in a small town (South Bend area), less diverse student body than some large public universities, strong religious character may not appeal to all.
Best For
Students seeking a strong undergraduate education within a Catholic intellectual tradition, often valuing ethics, community service, and strong school spirit.
Georgetown University, a private institution in Washington, pairs arts and sciences and foreign service with medicine, law and business, so its mix of professional schools is the nearest match to Notre Dame's.
Emory University in Atlanta is another private university where theology sits alongside law, business, medicine and public health.
Private and research-intensive, Duke University in Durham offers medicine, law and the Fuqua business school, three fields also central to Notre Dame.
Vanderbilt University, a private school in Nashville, is listed for medicine, law and the Peabody College of education, which gives it a comparable professional profile.
George Washington University is a private university in Washington with law, business and international affairs next to arts and sciences, a mix that overlaps with Notre Dame's.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Italy is a private university whose economics, law and medicine departments parallel Notre Dame's professional schools.
Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium is a private university with engineering, biomedical sciences and computer science, a Catholic-named counterpart in Europe.
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is a private pontifical university, comparable in its religious affiliation, with engineering as a main field.
Korea University in South Korea is a private university where law, business and medicine are among the main fields, as at Notre Dame.
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany is a public university with theology, law and economics, and university medicine, so it shares Notre Dame's theological and legal strands.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Who founded Notre Dame and when did it receive its charter?
Father Edward Sorin and members of the Congregation of Holy Cross founded the school on 26 November 1842. The Indiana General Assembly granted the college charter on 15 January 1844.
Where in the United States is the campus?
The university is in Notre Dame, Indiana, in the northern part of the state. Prospective visitors should use the maps and visitor pages on the official website for directions and parking.
How many students and faculty are there at Notre Dame?
The university enrolled about 13,000 students in fall 2024, roughly 8,900 undergraduates and 4,200 graduate and professional students. Its official profile lists 1,526 instructional faculty.
What colleges and schools does the university contain?
It includes the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science, the College of Engineering, a college of business, the School of Architecture, the Law School and a graduate school. Programme lists and degree requirements are published by each unit on the official site.
Is Notre Dame run by a religious order today?
It was founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross and remains a Catholic institution, but governance moved from the congregation to a board of lay and religious trustees in 1967. The official profile calls it a global Catholic research university.
When were women admitted as undergraduates?
Women were first enrolled as undergraduates in 1972, during the presidency of Theodore Hesburgh, who served from 1952 to 1987.
What role does football play in the university's identity?
Teams are called the Fighting Irish, and football under coach Knute Rockne gained a national following in the 1920s. Athletics is only one part of campus life, and academic and admission information is found on the official admissions pages.
Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Change Management, Continuous Improvement, Innovation, User-Centered Design, Value Proposition
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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