The California Institute of Technology ( Caltech or) is a private research university located in Pasadena , California , United States . Caltech has six academic divisions with a strong emphasis on science and technology . The 124 - acre ( 50 ha ) primary campus is located approximately 11 miles ( 18 km ) north of downtown Los Angeles .
Although founded as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. THROOP in 1891 , the college attracted influential scientists such as George Ellery Hale , Arthur Amos Noyes , and Robert Andrews Millikan in the early 20th century. Professionals - and preparatory schools is dissolved and spun in 1910 , and the College accepts its current name in 1921 . In 1934 , Caltech was the Association of American Universities , and the precursors of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory , which Caltech continues to manage preferences and industrious , was founded between 1936 and 1943 under Theodore von Karman . The university is one of a small group of the Institute of Technology in the United States , which tend to be devoted primarily to the education of technical arts and applied sciences .
Despite its small size, 32 Caltech alumni and faculty have a total of 33 Nobel Prizes ( Linus Pauling , the only person in history to win two unshared prizes ) and 70 won the United States National Medal of Science and Technology - . There are 112 members of the faculty who are already on the National Academies preferred . In addition, various members of the faculty associated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute , and NASA . Caltech manage 332000000 dollars in 2011 in sponsored research and $ 1.85 billion for its endowment in 2013 . It also has a long- standing rivalry with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) .
First year students are required to live on campus , and 95 % of the undergraduate remain in the on - campus housing system . Although Caltech has a strong tradition of practical jokes and playing tricks , the student life is governed by an honor code that faculty - home exams grant . The Caltech Beavers compete in 13 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA Division III 's Southern - California intercollegiate athletic conference .
Caltech announced its ninth president , Thomas F. Rosenbaum , on October 24, 2013 and he began his term to take the helm of Edward M. Stolper , Interim President and Provost . Over on July 1, 2014.
Caltech 's 124 - acre ( 50 ha ) primary campus is located in Pasadena , California , about 11 miles ( 18 km ) north of downtown Los Angeles . It is within walking distance of Old Town Pasadena and the Pasadena Playhouse District and therefore the two locations is a regular outing for Caltech students .
In 1917 Hale hired architect Bertram Goodhue a master plan for the 22 acres ( 8.9 ha ) to produce campus. Goodhue generates the overall layout of the campus and is designed to build physics , Dabney Hall, and several other structures , in which he tries to comply with the local climate , the character of the school , and Hale educational philosophy. Goodhue designs for Caltech is also influenced by the traditional Spanish mission architecture of Southern - California.
In 1971, a format - 6.6 earthquake in San Fernando caused damage to the Caltech campus . Engineers who evaluated the damage found that two historic buildings dating back to the early days of the Institute - THROOP Hall and the Goodhue - design Culbertson Auditorium - crashing . These were some of the first reinforced concrete buildings , and they do not plan enough details ( such as how much reinforcing bar is included in the concrete) to ensure that they are safe , contained , so the engineers recommended demolition. But the demolition of historic structures requires considerably more effort than would have been if they were in real danger of collapse . Needed A major havoc ball is used THROOP Hall break and break the concrete revealed massive amounts of rebar , far exceeding the safety requirements . The reinforcement should be cut to pieces to be dragged away , and the process is much longer than expected .
New additions to the campus include the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Center for Information Science and Technology , which opened in 2009 , and the Warren and Katherine Schlinger Laboratory for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering followed in March 2010 . The Institute also upgrading the South - closed homes in 2006. in late 2010 , Caltech has a 1.3 MW solar diversity projected to produce approximately in 2011 . 1.6 GWH
academy :
Caltech is a small four- year , highly residential research university with a slight majority in graduate programs . The Institute is by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges accredited since 1949 Caltech is on the quarter - system . The fall quarter began in late September and ends before Christmas , the second quarter after New Year begins and ends in mid-March , and the third quarter begins in late March or early April and ends in early June.
Caltech is classified first international since 2011 by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Caltech was considered the best university in the world into two categories : Engineering & Technology and Physical Sciences. It has also been found to have. The highest rate in the world reference faculty
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities, a position with an emphasis on Bibliographic data and scientific research , ranked Caltech 6th in the world and fifth in the U.S. for 2011. Caltech was also found that the highest score for each - to have in that position capita performance.
In 2012 , the Center for World University Rankings ranked Caltech fifth in the world and fourth nationally in his CWUR World University Rankings .
U.S. News & World Report rankings Caltech as the 10th best university in the United States in their 2013 National Senior rankings , along with Dartmouth College . According to U.S. News & World Report 's Best Graduate Schools 2011 position , " California Institute of Technology sections of the new rankings, with top billing in three categories : . Chemistry , earth science , and physics "
The United States National Research Council in its recent report by the research doctorate program in 2010 , and 23 of the 24 graduate programs of Caltech is ranked in the top four programs in the nation in their size quartile as determined by both the R95 and S95 rankings . Of particular interest , programs that have applications in the field based on an average of the R95 and S95 rank placed within the top 10 % of all size , close Aeronautics, Astrophysics , Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics , Bioengineering , Biology , Chemical Engineering , Chemistry, electrical Engineering , Environmental Science and Engineering, geophysics , Materials Science , Mechanical Engineering , Physics , Planetary Science , and Social Sciences ( Economics ) .
In 2013, an article published in the Quarterly Economy Caltech ranked second in the U.S. (after Harvard ) for revealed preference. The sample of the study was 3240 high achieving students ( students who are in the top 10 % of the public high school class or top 20 % of the private high school classroom ) . Rankings are based on the number of students offered admission accept .
Currently, Washington Monthly ranks Caltech first in the nation in the B - to PhD category and the Faculty in national academies category .
For the Class of 2018 ( registered fall 2014 ) , Caltech received 6524 applications and accepted 529 ( 8.1% ) [63 ] In 2013 , the number of register was 249 ; The yield rate ( the percentage of accepting students who enroll ) was 43 % . Of the 31 % of the imports of freshman class rankings submitted , 98% were in the top 10 % of their high school classes; 100% in the top quarter. The middle 50 % of the series Saturday scores for enrolled freshmen were 720-780 for critical reading , 770-800 for math , and 730-800 for writing . The middle range of 50% up composite score 34-35 .
Undergraduate program :
The full four - year undergraduate program emphasizes education in the arts and sciences and has high graduate society . Caltech offers 24 majors ( called "options" ) and six minors across all six academic departments . Caltech also offers interdisciplinary programs in Applied Physics , Biochemistry , Biotechnology , computation and neural systems, control and dynamical systems , Environmental Science and Engineering, Geobiology and Astrobiology , Geochemistry , and Planetary Astronomy . The most popular options are Chemical Engineering, Computer Science , Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Physics .
For the input class of 2017, Caltech requires students to a core - take curriculum of 30 classes : five terms of mathematics, five terms of physics , two terms of chemistry , one term of biology , a freshman selection - " menu" of course , two terms of introductory lab courses , 2 terms of science writing , and 12 terms of humanities . The new core curriculum effective from the academic year 2013-2014 reduced the mathematics and physics require three terms each, but most still require option requires approximately five terms of mathematics and physics .
A typical class is worth 9 academic units and given the extensive core curriculum requirements in addition to individual options - class meeting , students must take to graduate in an average of 40.5 units per quarter ( more than four classes ) four years. 36 units is the minimum full-time reading , 48 units is considered a heavy load , and registrations above 54 units require an overload petition . About 20 percent of students double - major. It is achievable since the humanities - and social science majors is designed to be done in cooperation with an academic major . Although the two options are discouraged in the same section , it is still possible .
First year students who are enrolled in the first quarter of classes based on the results of placement exams in math , physics, chemistry , and writing and take all classes in their first two terms on a pass / fail basis . There is little competition ; homework collaboration are encouraged and the honor system encourages take - home tests and flexible homework schedule. Caltech offers cooperative programs with other schools , such as the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and Occidental College.
Undergraduate education for the 2013-2014 school year was $ 39.990 and the total annual cost is estimated at $ 58.755 . In 2012-2013 , Caltech awarded $ 17100000 in need - based aid , $ 438k in non - need - based aid , and $ 2.51 million in self-help support introduced undergraduate student. The average financial aid package of all students eligible for assistance was $ 38.756 , and students graduate with an average debt of $ 15.090 .
Upon graduation , Caltech alumni has one of the highest median salary among graduates of other colleges or universities in 2012-2013 , of $ 67.400 , according to PayScale . Beginning The mid - career median salary is $ 120.700 . Caltech was found that the second highest return on investment of the college to offer at $ 1991000 over a period of 30 years, according to the same study education.
Caltech offers Army and Air Force ROTC in cooperation with the University of the South - California.
Graduate program :
The graduate training program emphasizes doctoral studies and is dominated by science , technology , engineering and mathematics fields . The Institute offers graduate degree program for Master of Science , Engineer - figure , PhD , BS / MS and MD / PhD, with the majority of the students in the PhD - program . The most popular options is chemistry , physics , biology , Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering . Applicants for graduate studies are needed to participate . GRE GRE Subject scores are either required or strongly recommended by various options . A joint program between Caltech and UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine granted MD / PhD - degrees . Students in this program do their prekliniese and clinical work at UCLA , and their Ph.D. work with any member of the Caltech faculty, including Biology , Chemistry, and Engineering and Applied Sciences Divisions . The figure would be MD and PhD from UCLA would be of Caltech . Awarded
The research facilities at Caltech are available to achieve students but there are opportunities for students to work in facilities of other universities, as well as private sector . The graduate student to faculty ratio is 4:01 .
About 99 percent of doctoral students have full financial support . Financial support for undergraduate students come in the form of scholarships, research assistant kappe , instructional assistant kappe or a combination of community and assistentskap support.
Students are bound by the honor code , including the undergraduate and the graduate Honor Council monitor any violations of the Code .