University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania, private, coeducational institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded as the Charity School in 1740, the institution was reestablished as the Academy of Philadelphia in 1751 under the leadership of Benjamin Franklin. The academy’s name was changed in 1755 to the College of Pennsylvania, and the current name was adopted in 1779.

The university’s four undergraduate schools are the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Nursing, and the Wharton Undergraduate Division. Its 12 graduate schools consist of the Annenberg School for Communication; the Graduate Division, Arts and Sciences; the School of Dental Medicine; the Graduate School of Education; the School of Engineering and Applied Science; the Graduate School of Fine Arts; the Law School; the School of Medicine; the School of Nursing; the School of Social Work; the School of Veterinary Medicine; and the Wharton Graduate Division. The university confers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees.

The University of Pennsylvania has more than 25 research centers and institutions, including the Cancer Center; the Center for Bioethics; the Center for East Asian Studies; the Center for Greater Philadelphia; the Center for Judaic Studies: Ancient and Modern; the Center for Technology Transfer; and the Institute for Human Gene Therapy. Notable alumni include real estate developer Donald Trump.