University of Toronto

University of Toronto, public, coeducational institution of higher learning in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1827 as King’s College, in close connection with the Church of England, the college was secularized in 1850 and renamed the University of Toronto. The university maintains three campuses in the Toronto area: the St. George campus downtown, the Scarborough campus 33 km (21 mi) to the east, and the Erindale campus 33 km (21 mi) to the west.

The University of Toronto is one of the largest universities in Canada, with over 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students. A major teaching and research institution, the university confers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees in a variety of fields. The faculty of arts and science offers more than 2000 courses. The university’s broad range of professional faculties and schools includes applied science and engineering, architecture and landscape architecture, dentistry, education, forestry, law, library and information science, management, medicine, music, nursing, pharmacy, physical and health education, and social work. There are 66 distinct doctoral specializations offered in the School of Graduate Studies. Graduate courses are taught only at the St. George campus.

Since the late 19th century, a number of schools have become federated with the University of Toronto, including Victoria University, University of Trinity College, University of St. Michael’s College, and Massey College. Knox College (Presbyterian), Emmanuel College (United Church of Canada), and Wycliffe College (Anglican), also federated with the university, offer theology degrees in their respective denominations.