Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is a comprehensive, private, urban, coeducational institution of higher education with a predominantly African-American heritage. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees as well as certificate programs to students of diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Clark Atlanta was established in 1988 by the consolidation of Atlanta University (1865), the nation's first graduate school for African Americans, and Clark College (1869), the nation's first four-year liberal arts institution to serve a predominantly African-American undergraduate student population. Today, Clark Atlanta is one of the nation's foremost research institutions, offering students from around the United States and several foreign countries the opportunity to engage in 38 exciting areas of study at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. Located in the historic heart of Atlanta, one of the world's great international cities, our nearly 3,500 students enjoy access academic and co-curricular experiences, from forensic debate, to on-air broadcasting, to cancer research with world-renowned investigators. From the arts to zoology, CAU combines nearly 300 years of tradition with a solid focus on academic excellence to produce leaders who will shape the future of the global community.