The university was established in 1957 through a generous donation from founders Alfred and Matilda Dodge Wilson. They contributed their historic estate and $2 million to Michigan State University to establish a satellite school, named Michigan State University– Oakland.
The list of academic options at Oakland University is constantly growing. OU offers more than 130 undergraduate degrees and more than 135 graduate degree and certificate programs. Students can also participate in high-level research as early as their freshman year.
Oakland University provides state-of-the-art research facilities and a rich, collaborative environment for our faculty and students in support of their research and educational activities. OU is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as one of the nation’s doctoral research universities.
The Research Office provides the necessary administrative infrastructure for investigators, and strongly encourages the involvement of students in research. OU is committed to the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research, which are essential for sustaining an excellent research program that contributes to the well-being of our local, national and global communities.
One of the best things about college life is discovering yourself and what makes you happy. At OU, you’re given the chance to do and be virtually anything you want.
Independence and community are a large part of OU housing’s appeal, but the benefits run deeper than that. Undergraduates who live in student housing are the university’s fastest-growing population segment. They’re involved in everything—filling leadership roles, building student organizations, staging events, and shaping OU’s future.
Oakland University’s Libraries support the educational, research, and public service mission of the University by providing user-centered teaching, services, resources, and learning environments for the entire OU community.
Situated north of Detroit and spread across 1,400 acres in the heart of Oakland County, OU houses seven residence halls, two apartment complexes, a state of the art recreation center and athletic dome, a newly renovated and expanded student union, the OU Art Gallery, Meadow Brook Hall, Meadow Brook Theatre and the Meadow Brook Amphitheatre.
Our team collaborates across campus to provide relevant, high-quality health programs and educational opportunities to all students. Wellness workshops may be requested by resident assistants, academic peer mentors, advisers, academic instructors, student groups, etc. View the current workshop menu below. Series workshops (Wellness in the House and RecWell programs) are open to everyone on campus.
GrizzOrgs is Oakland University’s database for over 300 student organizations. Students can get involved by accessing GrizzOrgs online. GrizzOrgs is a 24/7 connection to student, Greek, and club sports organizations. GrizzOrgs includes:
Oakland University is accredited by Higher Learning Commission.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 73 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 1635 | 1659 | 1732 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 1201 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 5 reviews
Oakland university engineering program has one of the best professors I have interacted with in all my application processes to different universities. In terms of diversity, staff and students are very welcoming to international students. The engineering program at OU is top quality and you can be assured of top quality research experience
Great school, worst aspect is social life. Many students leave campus after classes. Best way to meet people are through clubs or other groups. Professors are hot or miss. I've had great ones and bad ones.
Very good experience.Variety of majors and opportunities.For me i would like a more specified curriculum for graphic designers
Wishlist