Colleges in Austin
Austin is Texas’ state capital, the fourth most populous city in the state, and is home to a number of colleges and universities, including the University of Texas flagship location and headquarters. UT-Austin, whose Department of Radio-Television-Film has helped the city become a popular location for motion pictures, is considered a Public Ivy and a member of the Association of American Universities. The city of Austin also hosts several film festivals, including the SXSW Film Festival. The Texas State University System (TSUS) is also headquartered in downtown Austin, in O. Henry Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Considered a major center for high tech, Austin’s technology and defense industry sectors have rapidly grown thanks in large part to engineering and computer science graduates. The area has been nicknamed “Silicon Hills” and has operations for big-name companies that include 3M, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Dropbox, Paypal, Qualcomm, Inc.,and more. Austin is also part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network under Media Arts.
Austin is home to a number of religious institutions, including the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Austin Graduate School of Theology, St. Edward’s University, and Huston-Tillotson University, a historically black institution affiliated with the Methodist church. The Austin Community College District (ACC) is also centrally located around the city of the same name and serves more than 100,000 students in the area through its network of campuses.