The University of Houston-Victoria has experienced a 12 percent increase in total enrollment this semester compared with the spring of 2007. To put that number in perspective, total spring enrollment in all Texas public universities grew by less than 1.5 percent annually between 2004 and 2007.

 

UHV enrollment grew by 314 students, giving the university almost 2,940 students this semester. Final certified enrollment numbers are expected in mid-February.

 

The majority of those students came to the School of Business Administration, the largest of the four UHV schools, which grew by about 22 percent, or about 195 students.

 

“In the fall, we took over as the lead institution for business classes at the UH System at Sugar Land campus,” said Charles Bullock, dean of the business school. The change allowed the school to recruit a large number of new students from the rapidly growing Fort Bend and Harris counties.

 

But the school also is garnering increased attention nationally through its master’s degree program in entrepreneurship and economic development and its new global MBA program, which teaches students to do business in an international economy. Both programs are experiencing strong interest, Bullock said.

 

The school also continues to draw students from across the country with its all-online MBA program, the school’s most popular degree plan.

 

The School of Arts & Sciences added about 60 students, an 8 percent increase, while the School of Education & Human Development added about 50 students, about a 6 percent growth.

 

“UHV is blessed with a talented faculty, innovative deans and a professional staff dedicated to facilitating access to quality higher education in Victoria and beyond,” UHV President Tim Hudson said. “By prudent and purposeful use of the Internet, the geographic span over which we can offer our degrees is continually growing.”

 

Some 230 of the added students are residents of Fort Bend County, and about 90 come from Harris County. Victoria-resident enrollment stayed fairly stable with about 530 students.

 

“UHV is in a period of unprecedented growth and development,” Hudson said. “For Texas to remain competitive in our global economy, broader access to higher education is a must. We have a number of new initiatives and programs underway and in development which will ensure that UHV does its part.”

 

Spring enrollment figures revealed a few interesting facts about UHV students:

• Female students outnumber males by more than 2 to 1.
• After the School of Business, the next largest school is the School of Education & Human Development (33 percent of students), followed by the School of Arts & Sciences (27 percent), then the new School of Nursing (2.5 percent).
• UHV enrollment is fairly evenly split between graduate students (1,455) and undergraduate students (1,481).

UHV Enrollment Trends

County of Residence	2008	2007	2004	Percent Change 2004-2008
Victoria	526*	518	560	-7 %
Harris County	739*	643	539	24 %
Fort Bend County	883*	653	530	66 %
Other	788*	806	733	7.5 %
Total	2,936*	2,620	2,362	24 %

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
*Not final certified numbers.