St. Thomas University was founded in 1961 as Biscayne College by the order of the Augustinian Friars. The college was accepted as a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and first accredited by the Commission on Colleges in 1968. Through continued growth and development, Biscayne College earned university status in 1984 after the addition of 10 Master degree programs and the opening of the School of Law. The University came under the sponsorship of the Archdiocese of Miami in 1988, conferring upon St. Thomas the distinction of being the only Catholic Archdiocesan sponsored university in the State of Florida.

When University status was attained, the name of the institution was changed to St. Thomas University to reflect its Cuban heritage. The University traces its roots to the Universidad de Santo Tomas de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, by American Augustinians with assistance from European Augustinians. When the Castro government expelled the Augustinians from Cuba in 1961, several of the American Augustinians came to Miami where they founded Biscayne College. Given their experience in Cuba, the University's founders, and specifically its first president, who was vice rector of Villanueva, were intimately familiar with teaching students from different backgrounds. That commitment to student diversity continues strongly today.

The St. Thomas University School of Law is one of only two accredited Catholic law schools south of Georgetown University's School of Law in Washington, DC. The School of Law at St. Thomas was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in February 1995, and offers the Juris Doctor degree (J.D.).

Today, St. Thomas has an enrollment of 2,629 students -- 1,168 in the traditional undergraduate program, 740 in its graduate program and 721 in the law school. St. Thomas University has students enrolled from more than 70 countries and many different ethnic backgrounds.

Programs:
27 Undergraduate Programs
2 Pre - Professional Programs
15 Graduate Programs
17 Certificate Programs
2 Doctoral Degrees
1 Juris Doctorate Degree
3 Master of Law Degrees
4 Joint Graduate/Law Degrees

In recent years Rennert Miami students have ranged in age from 17 to 55, with a median age of 22, and have come from as many as 24 countries. The diversity of the student population reflects the international ambience at St. Thomas University, which welcomes women and men of all ages, races, nationalities, religious traditions, and beliefs. It is a diverse community of learners that provides a student-centered environment to encourage individual growth.

Rennert Miami students are welcome to use St. Thomas University facilities, including a multimedia room with online computers and learning materials, modern library, fitness center, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, baseball and football fields, the student lounge and cafeteria.

The University library houses more than 215,000 volumes, 900 print periodicals, and 5 computer labs, and provides digital access to more than 14,474 journal, magazine, and newspaper titles, and 28,000 electronic books.

The Library will be closed on the following holidays in 2010:

• Monday, May 31 - Memorial Day
• Saturday, July 3rd through Tuesday, July 6th - Independence Day
• Monday, Sept. 6th - Labor Day
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24-26 - Thanksgiving
• Dec. 20th, 2010 through Jan. 3, 2011 - Christmas Holidays

Students, faculty, and staff may dine in the University dining facility, called the Market Place, located in Carroll Hall or the Rathskeller Snack Bar located in the Student Center. Resident students are required to participate in the campus board plan. Non-resident students may purchase commuter meal plans directly from dining services.

The Market Place offers may different selections from which to choose, including:

• Cafe Features offers home-style meals
• The Deli Corner sells fresh meats, cheeses, and breads for creating the perfect sandwich
• Grille Works features pressed sandwiches and wraps
• World's Fare celebrates our diversity with an international selection of menu choices
• Pan Geos Pasta Kitchen prepares fresh pasta dishes to your liking while you wait
• Our Salad Bar offers healthy choices of fresh veggies and homemade soup
• Quench your thirst with a full line of Coca-Cola products, ice-tea, lemonade, milk, or coffee
• Sweet Things presents homemade desserts, cakes, fresh fruits and ice-cream

The Rathskeller Snack Bar offers:

• Chicken Wings
• Hot Submarine Sandwiches
• Chicken Quesadillas
• Corn Dogs and Fries
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Stuffed Pretzels, Hummus and Pita Chips
• Assorted beverages

The Market Place
Carroll Hall
Rathskellar Snack Bar
Student Center

ID Card:
New students only! Your ID card allows you to eat in the dining area, among many other benefits. Get one as soon as you arrive on campus. Visit the B.A.S.I.Center

The swimming pool is open daily from dawn to dusk. Pool rules are posted in the pool area.

The STU Fitness Center is located in the Fernandez Center for Leadership and Wellness facility. The weight room is a 2,800-square-foot area equipped with brand new machines and weights for all fitness levels. The Fitness Center contains a cardiovascular section which includes treadmills, elliptical, arc trainers and many other machines to satisfy your need to get in shape. The weight room also features a dumbbell rack that ranges from five to 100 pounds, barbells and more than 150 rubber grip plates from 2.5 to 45 pounds.

The Fitness Center will be closed on the following holidays in 2010:

• Monday, May 31 - Memorial Day
• Saturday, July 3rd through Tuesday, July 6th - Independence Day
• Monday, Sept. 6th - Labor Day
• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24-26 - Thanksgiving
• Dec. 20th, 2010 through Jan. 3, 2011 - Christmas Holidays