The University of Virginia (also called U.Va., UVA, Virginia, Mr. Jefferson's University, or The University) is an historic public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson. Conceived by 1800 and established in 1819, it is the only university in North America to be designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, an honor it shares with nearby Monticello.
The University is notable in U.S. history for being the first educational institution to offer academic programs in disciplines now common, such as astronomy, and philosophy. Its School of Engineering and Applied Science was the first engineering school in the United States to be associated with a university. Officially, the University of Virginia is incorporated as The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.
