51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

We started as the university farm

Students gather around an animal hide.
In less than a decade, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis was winning national acclaim for its livestock expertise. (51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis/archival photo)

 

We first opened as the University Farm, the research and science-based instruction extension of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Berkeley. As the century evolved, our mission expanded beyond agriculture to match a larger understanding of how we should be serving the public. By 1959, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis had grown into a with its own personality and strengths.

Over the years, as our geographical footprint developed, each new 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis presence — in , , , , and , to name a few — has strengthened our ability to serve the public through research, academics and public service.

Milestones

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis is known worldwide for our expertise in agriculture and veterinary medicine. But how did we become one of the top 10 public universities in the United States? Check out our milestones.

In the early days

Black and white photo of an early English class.
At the Farm School, students took English as part of their curriculum. (51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis/archival photo)
  • 1908: The Farm School launches the first farmers’ short courses, similar to intensive extension classes of today.
  • 1909: After University Farm School opens in January with 18 students, in May, more than 2,200 people attend the first Picnic Day.
  • 1915: The Division of Agricultural Engineering is established (later named the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering).
  • 1916: Animals from the University Farm herd sweep championships at the Chicago International Livestock Show.
  • 1922: A four-year degree program is established, and the Davis campus is renamed the Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture. 
  • 1938: The campus is renamed the College of Agriculture at Davis. One hundred and six courses are taught by 76 faculty.
  • 1940: The Division of Chemistry acquires the first patents for the entire University of California.
  • 1946: The School of Veterinary Medicine is established. 
  • 1949: Graduate degrees are awarded at a campus commencement.
  • 1951: The College of Letters and Science is established

We became a general campus

Students lead a cow around campus.
Two students lead a cow around the corner on campus near Haring Hall, the first home of the School of Veterinary Medicine. (51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis/archival photo)
  • 1959: The regents designate 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis and 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Riverside general campuses.
  • 1962: The College of Engineering opens.
  • 1965: The School of Law opens.
  • 1966: The School of Medicine opens.
  • 1975: The veterinary school is ranked first in the nation by a national survey of deans.
  • 1977: A 10-year purchase agreement with the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Medical Center is signed with Sacramento County for its county hospital.
  • 1981: The Graduate School of Management opens as the Graduate School of Administration.
  • 1989: The campus leads the nation in the number of Ph.D.s awarded in the biological sciences.
  • 1990: The football team wins its 20th consecutive league championship, a national record.
  • 1998: Men’s basketball team wins NCAA DII national championship.

51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis in the 21st century

Students gather in a lab for a wine crush.
Using state-of-the-art equipment, students calibrate, place monitors and assemble barrels into Rodgers fermenters at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. (Gregory Urquiaga/51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis photo)
  • 2002:  approved for veterinary use. Agricultural research funding leads the nation.
  • 2002: was founded.
  • 2005: The College of Biological Sciences opens.
  • 2008: 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis receives $16 million Gates Foundation grant to support research to .
  • 2009: The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing opens.
  • 2009: 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis leads the identification and control of diseases that move between wildlife and people through a .
  • 2011: Our women's basketball team advances to the NCAA’s Division I tournament for the first time.
  • 2012:  51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis is recognized for its sustainability and climate change efforts, ranking as
  • 2016: 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis named the most sustainable university in the world.
  • 2016: 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis electrical and computer engineers develop the world’s first 1000-processor chip.
  • 2016: Temporary Building 9, where 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis faculty made art history, placed on National Register of Historic Places.
  • 2016: opens.
  • 2016 and 2017: QS World University Rankings recognizes 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis as being 1st in veterinary medicine in the world. 
  • 2017: Our men's basketball team advances to the NCAA’s Division I tournament for the first time.
  • 2018: 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis scientists unveil images from the world’s first total body scanner.