The UPRM is a Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) focused, Land Grant, Sea Grant, Space Grant Hispanic Serving Institution and the second largest institution of the UPR system, serving approximately 12,000 students every year. During the 2016 spring semester student enrollment reached 12,226 with 5,655 (46%) female and 1,032 (8.5%) graduate students. Among the four colleges, the largest enrollment was in Arts and Sciences with 4,984 students (sciences: 3,117, arts: 1,867), followed by Engineering with 4,462 students. Established in 1911, UPRM has evolved into a comprehensive institution with over 50 undergraduate and 36 graduate programs in Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and Business Administration.

There is no College of Education at UPRM. The Teacher Preparation Program under the Dean of Academic Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business Administration share responsibility for initial teacher preparation in 12 subject areas. The Department of Agricultural Education in the College of Agriculture is responsible for all aspects of agriculture teacher preparation.

The UPR admission index is based on high school GPA, CEEB verbal reasoning and math aptitude scores (see http://estudiantes.upr.edu/admisiones/carreras/igs.php for calculator). The UPRM average admission index has been at least 24 points on a 400 point scale above the average UPR system admission index for the past 5 years (see 1.1.8 pages 5-60). The UPRM accepted 66% to 78% of applicants over the past 5 years and admitted 92% to 95% of those admitted.

The UPRM is one of the leading institutions awarding degrees to Latinos in the United States in STEM fields: ranking first in bachelor’s degrees, fourth in master’s degrees, and twelfth in doctoral degrees in 2012-2013 (Excelencia in Educación. (2015). Finding Your Workforce: Latinos in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Washington, D.C.: Excelencia in Educación).