Arlington College was founded as a private, two-year institution in 1895 by community leaders seeking to improve the educational opportunities in the area. Several other private schools later merged with Arlington College in the early 20th Century. In 1917, Grubbs Vocational College, which had assimilated the earlier colleges, became the first state-supported institution in Arlington. It was an "extenstion" of what is now the Texas A & M University System. Grubbs evbentually became North Texas Agricultural College (1949) and achieved four-year status. In 1962, the school's name was changed to Arlington State College. Arlington citizens soon sought the support of Governor John B. Comnally and the Texas Legislature to separate the college from the Texas A & M System and to join the University of Texas System. In 1965 the changeover was completed and in 1967 the name was changed to today's University of Texas at Arlington.
Enrollment peaked in 1991 at more than 25,000 students. Today, the University offers 140 degree programs - 58 bachelor's, 60 master's and 22 doctoral.