Students come to The University of Texas at Austin to change the world, and that isn't accomplished just by soaking up knowledge. Our students also grow from consumers of knowledge to creators of it through direct participation in the research process. Undergraduates can start as early as freshman year, and the graduate student experience culminates with a novel contribution to the student's field. Whether studying nanotechnology, child welfare, or literature, the research conducted by students and faculty makes UT Austin one of the most highly rated public research universities in the nation.