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Pamantasan ng Santo Tomas | |
Latin: Regalis et Pontificia Sancti Thomæ Aquinatis Universitas Manilana |
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Motto: | Veritas In Caritate |
Motto in English: | Truth in Charity |
Established: | 28 April 1611 |
Type: | Pontifical and Royal , Private |
Religious affiliation: | Roman Catholic, Dominican |
Chancellor: | Very Rev. Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP, JCD |
Vice-Chancellor: | Very Rev. Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, OP, S.Th.D. |
Rector: | Very Rev. Fr. Rolando dela Rosa, OP, S.Th.D. |
Secretary General: | Rev. Fr. Isidro Abaño, OP |
Students: | 33,013 |
Undergraduates: | 31,179 |
Location: | Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines |
Campus: | 215,000 square meters, Urban |
Hymn: | "The UST Hymn" |
Colors: | ![]() |
Nickname: | Growling Tigers (formerly "Glowing Goldies") |
Mascot: | Growling Tiger |
Affiliations: | ICUSTA, IAU, ASAIHL UAAP, among others. |
Website: | www.ust.edu.ph |
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines (or simply UST or affectionately, "Ustê"), is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. It is the world's largest Catholic University in terms of enrollment found in one campus.[1][2] It was founded on April 28, 1611 by the Spanish Reverend Miguel de Benavides. It has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines.[3] It is the oldest and largest university in the city of Manila. Having the distinction as the only Pontifical University in Asia,[4][5] UST is the only university, Catholic or not, to have been visited by two popes three times: once by Pope Paul VI on Nov. 28, 1970, and twice by Pope John Paul II on Feb. 18, 1981 and January 13, 1995.[6]
The University is composed of several autonomous faculties, colleges, schools and institutes, each conferring undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and the basic education units. Several degrees have been accredited by the Commission on Higher Education as Centers of Development and Centers of Excellence.
The campus is located at Manila's Sampaloc district. Composed in an almost perfect square of 215,000 square meters,[7] the present campus was settled on 1927 when the first campus at Intramuros district was deemed inadequate for the university's growing population. The university is at the process of adding new campuses at Sta. Rosa, Laguna, General Santos City and Negombo, Sri Lanka.
The Patron of the University is St. Thomas Aquinas, while St. Catherine of Alexandria is the Patroness.[8]
Prominent Thomasians include saints, Philippine presidents, heroes, artists, scientists, professionals and religious figures, who have figured well in the history of the Philippines.
The athletic teams are the Growling Tigers, members of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and are consistent winners of the Overall Championship.
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The foundation of the University is ascribed to the Most Reverend Miguel de Benavides , O.P., the third Archbishop of Manila. He came to the Philippines with the first Dominican mission in 1587. He went on to become bishop of Nueva Segovia, and was promoted archbishop of Manila in 1601. Upon Benavides’ death in July 1605, he bequeathed his library and personal property worth 1,500 pesos to be used as the seed fund for the establishment of an institution of higher learning. Fr. Bernardo de Santa Catalina carried out Benavides’ wishes and was able to secure a building near the Dominican church and convent in Intramuros for the College.
In 1609, permission to open the College was requested from King Philip III, which only reached Manila in 1611. On April 28, 1611, notary Juan Illian witnessed the signing of the act of foundation by Frs. Baltazar Fort, OP, Bernardo Navarro, OP, and Francisco Minayo, OP. Fr. Fort, appointed that year to the post of Father Provincial, was its first Rector. [9]
The Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario was established on April 28, 1611, from the library of the late Fray Miguel de Benavídes, O.P., then Archbishop of Manila. Later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas, it was elevated by Pope Innocent X to a university on November 20, 1645 in his brief, In Supreminenti.[10]. This made the university the second royal and pontifical institution in the Philippines, after the Jesuit's Universidad Máximo de San Ignacio which was founded in 1590 but closed in the 1768 following the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from the Philippines.
Its complete name is the The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines (Spanish: A La Real Y Pontificia Universidad de Santo Tomas de Aquino Universidad Catolica de Filipinas)[11]. It was given the title "Royal" by King Charles III of Spain on March 7, 1785; "Pontifical" by Pope Leo XIII on September 17, 1902 in his constitution, Quae Mari Sinico, and the appellative "The Catholic University of the Philippines" by Pope Pius XII on April 27, 1947. [10]
The university was located within the walled city of Intramuros in Manila. It was started by the Spanish Archbishop of Manila in the early 17th century as a seminary for aspiring young priests, taking its name and inspiration from Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican theologian. The first courses offered by the Colegio de Santo Tomas were canon law, theology, philosophy, logic, grammar, the arts, and civil law. In 1871, it began offering degrees in Medicine and Pharmacy, the first in colonized Asia.[10]
At the beginning of the 20th century, with the growing student population, the Dominican fathers bought land at the Sulucan Hills in Sampaloc, Manila and built its 215,000 square meter campus there in 1927 with the inauguration of its Main Building (the first earthquake-proof building in the Philippines). Also that year, it began accepting female enrollees. In the last four decades, the university grew into a full-fledged institution of higher learning, conferring degrees in law, medicine and various academic letters. The university has graduated Philippine national heroes, presidents, and even saints.[10]
During World War II, the Japanese converted the campus into a concentration camp for civilians, foreigners and POWs. Some of the most brutal war crimes against American soldiers (Filipino soldiers were granted amnesty) and civilians living abroad occurred in Santo Tomas.[12]
Since its establishment in 1611, the University's academic life was interrupted only twice: from 1898 to 1899, during the Philippine Revolution against Spain, and from 1942 to 1945, during the Japanese occupation of the country. In its long history, the university has been under the leadership of more than 90 Rectors. UST's first Filipino rector was Fr. Leonardo Legaspi, O.P. who served UST from 1971-1977. Its current rector is Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P. [10]
In recognition of its achievements, a number of important dignitaries have officially visited the university, among them, during the last three decades: His Holiness Pope Paul VI on November 28, 1970; His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain in 1974 and 1995; Mother Teresa of Calcutta in January 1977 and again in November 1984; Pope John Paul II on February 18, 1981 and January 13, 1995 (as part of the World Youth Day 1995).[10]
Today UST has a total enrollment of approximately 38,000 students, 33,000 undergraduates and 5,000 students in Medicine, Law and the Graduate School. The University admits about 10,000 new students out of 50,000 applicants per year, roughly 20%.
The seal of the University of Santo Tomas is a shield quartered by the Dominican Cross. Superimposed on the cross is the sun of Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of Catholic schools, after whom the university is named. The sun is actually made similar to the Sun of May.
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Some of the elements present in the University Seal: Left to right: Emblem of the papacy, crowned by the Papal Tiara, seal of the Spanish Kingdom of Leon showing the lion rampant, and the seal of Manila showing the sea lion. |
Encircling the Dominican cross are:
The symbols are rendered in gold (except for the Dominican cross which is black and white), and are set on a field of light blue, the Marian color.[13]
The Tongues of Fire is the official logo for the Quadricentennial celebration of the university. This logo features the outline of the UST Main Building Tower as a concrete symbol of the stability, integrity and 400 years of existence that UST is proud of.
From the cross of the Main Building emanates four tongues of fire, serving as a beacon and a guiding light for the University as it makes its way to its fourth century. Taken apart, one could discern that the flame actually spells out U, S, and T. Each of the tongues of fire stoke leaders, fuels nationalism, inflames Catholicism, and charges knowledge. Taken as a whole, strips of fire also recall the stripes of the Tiger – whose endurance represents the spirit of UST.
The Quadricentennial logo was designed by Dopy Doplon, a Thomasian. [14]
The main campus of the University of Santo Tomas is at the City of Manila, occupying 215,000 square meters.
Upcoming campuses are at Sta. Rosa, Laguna, occupying 440,000 square meters (campus development in progress for 2011), General Santos City, 800,000 square meters (campus development in progress for 2011), and Negombo, Sri Lanka, 50,000 square meters (campus development in progress for 2011).[15] The University is also in the process of establishing a presence in Mongolia. [16] In 2011, the University will be celebrating its 400th founding anniversary, and it is projected that the new campuses will be operational by then.[17]
Prominent landmarks in the Manila campus include:[18]
Conservatory of Music and Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management)
College of Rehabilitation Sciences)
and College of Commerce and Business Administration)
![]() UST Campus in Manila
![]() UST Quadricentennial Square
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Aside from the basic and major subjects, all undergraduate students are required to take 15 units of Theology classes. The students are also required to attend 4 physical education classes, and a choice from among ROTC, civil welfare training service, and literacy training service.
The UST Elementary School offers primary education for children in the K-12 levels. [19]
UST has two secondary institutions: The UST High School, and the UST Education High School whose students are more scholarly and serves as a laboratory for the College of Education.[20][21]
All students of these institutions undergo Citizenship Advancement Training. This training aims to introduce students to the National Service Training Program that college students undergo.
The different faculties, colleges and institutes of the University were created at different times in the University's history. The "Faculties" were founded before the American occupation of the early 20th century, while the "Colleges" were founded during and after American rule. The "Institutes" and "Departments" are found within their mother faculties/colleges. Some Institutes that attained enough enrollment were separated from their mother faculties/colleges and were made into colleges in their own right.
Centers of Excellence
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Centers of Development |
The degree programs for undergraduate studies were first offered in 1611, where the Faculties of Sacred Theology and Philosophy were founded.[22][23] The Faculty of Canon Law was founded in 1733.[24] These three original faculties are now known as the Ecclesiastical Faculties, to distinguish them from the Secular Faculties and Colleges that were founded later. The Eccesiastical Faculties are housed at the Seminary and at the Santisimo Rosario Parish.
The Faculty of Medicine & Surgery together with the Faculty of Pharmacy were founded on the same year in 1871. The Faculty of Pharmacy offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry, Medical Technology, and Pharmacy. The Faculty of Medicine & Surgery is located at the St. Martin de Porres building, while the Faculty of Pharmacy is located at the Main Building. [25]
The Faculty of Philosophy and Letters was founded in 1896. It was merged with some programs of the College of Liberal Arts in 1965 hence renaming the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters as the Faculty of Arts and Letters (the College of Liberal Arts was renamed the College of Science). The Faculty of Arts and Letters offers the Bachelor of Arts (AB) degrees, in Asian Studies, Behavioral Science, Communication Arts, Economics, Journalism, Legal Management, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology. The Faculty of Arts and Letters is located in the St. Raymond de Peñafort building. Its students are known as "Artlets" (previously "Philets"). The departments of Literature and Philosophy are Centers of Excellence.[26]
In 1907, the Faculty of Engineering was founded. Currently it offers the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Computer Science, Information Management, and Information Technology degrees were transferred to it from the College of Science. The department of Electronics and Communications Engineering is named as one of the Centers of Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education. The Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering programs, on the other hand, are the Centers of Development. Engineering is located at the Roque Ruaño building, named after the priest-engineer Roque Ruaño, O.P. For practical purposes, the building is called the "Engineering building."[27]
The College of Education, which was founded in 1926, offers the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education major in Pre-School or Special Education, Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with majors in Computer Technology,Biology-Chemistry, Biology-General Science, Social Studies, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Health and Music, Religious Education, or Social Guidance, the Bachelor of Library and Information Science, the Bachelor of Science in Food Technology, and Nutrition and Dietetics. Education is one of Centers of Excellence in the University. The college is located at the Albertus Magnus building.[28]
The College of Science, which was founded in 1926, offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics major in Instrumentation, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics major in Actuarial Science, Microbiology (the only such program in the Philippines), and Psychology. Chemistry is a Center of Excellence, while Biology is a Center of Development. The College also offered a degree in Zoology, but was later abolished. The College of Science is located at the UST Main Building.[29]
The College of Architecture, which was founded in 1930, offers the Bachelor of Science in Architecture. Later on, after adding a fine arts program the college was called College of Architecture and Fine Arts. By the year 2000, the Fine Arts program was elevated to a separate college. The College of Architecture is housed at the Beato Angelico building. It is one of the only two Centers of Excellence in Architecture.
in 1933, the College of Commerce and Business Administration was created. College of Commerce offers the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Marketing Management, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, and Business Economics (not to be confused with the AB Economics being offered by Arts and Letters) as well as Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Entrepreneurship. On 2005, the accountancy program was transferred to the new Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy (see below). It is housed in the St. Raymund de Penafort building together with the Faculty of Arts and Letters. The Business Administration program is a Center of Development.[30]
The Conservatory of Music, founded in 1945, offers the Bachelor of Music degree, with majors in Keyboard (Piano, Harpsichord, Organ), Music Education, Voice, Strings and Guitar, Woodwind, Brasswind, Percussion, Composition Theory, and Conducting. Its facilities are located at the Albertus Magnus building. The Conservatory is a Center of Excellence.[31]
The College of Nursing was founded in 1946. It currently offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which is a Center of Excellence. The college is housed in the St. Martin de Porres building.[32]
The College of Rehabilitation Sciences, founded in 1974, offers the Bachelor of Science degrees in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and the Bachelor in Sports Science degree. Like Nursing, CRS is at the St. Martin de Porres building. [33]
The College of Fine Arts and Design was separated from the College of Architecture in 2000. It offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with majors in Advertising, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Painting. It shares the Beato Angelico Building with the College of Architecture.[34]
The Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy was separated from the College of Commerce on November 2004. Named after one of its renowned alumnus, Alfredo M. Velayo, one of the three founding members of the Sycip-Gorres-Velayo auditing firm, the college houses students who are enrolled in the Accountancy course. With the aid of its alumni foundation, the college is now housed in its own building that was inaugurated on June 2006.
The Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) is an independent college intended for the elevation of sports and athleticism in the university. Situated at the once known as the biggest structure in the country, the historic UST Gym.
The Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (ITHM) was separated from the College of Education in 2006. It offers both the degrees; Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management and the Bachelor of Science in Tourism.
The Department of Military Science & Tactics (DMST) was later on integrated to the NSTP (National Service Training Corps) program of the University. It provides adequate learning in the military arts in preparation for Thomasians in entering into military Service. The ROTC Department is under the DMST.
As early as the 17th century post-graduate programs have been offered in the University of Santo Tomas through its various Faculties and Colleges.
The UST Faculty of Civil Law was the first secular faculty. Although the Faculty offers the Bachelor of Laws degree, it is considered as a post baccalaureate degree, as it requires applicants to either have a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Civil Law resides in the UST Main Building.[35] The Faculty of Civil Law has produced four Philippine Presidents and six Chief Justices of the Philippines. It also has a Legal Aid clinic named after one of its illustrious alumni, Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion.
A law student needs to finish at least a four year degree course before being admitted to the Faculty. He must then maintain an avereage of at least 78 in his freshman year to be readmitted to the succeeding year. The required minimum grade increases as the year level progresses (79 for the second year, 80 for the third year and 81 for fourth year). During the third year of stay in the Faculty and after finishing all the law subjects, the student is required to engage in an internship program of at least 200 hours before being admitted to the fourth year, wherein he will then be required to undergo an oral examination or revalida and at least two major examinations to be able to complete the whole program. Upon graduation, the student will be qualified to become a bar candidate that will be eligible to take the bar examinations in the Philippines.[36]
The Faculty is one of the top performing schools in the history of the Philippine bar examinations.[37] It has produced four Philippine Presidents, three Philippine Vice Presidents, six Supreme Court Chief Justices, and several law deans in the country.[38]
The UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery was founded in 1871. Medicine and Surgery offers the Doctor of Medicine degree which is a post baccalaureate degree.
The national hero of the Philippines, Jose Rizal, studied here before moving to Madrid Central University to complete his studies. Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery rank among the top scorers in the medical licensure exams, and the Faculty boasts a high passing rate overall.
In 2001, the Faculty adopted the problem-based learning method for use in the curriculum. This was highly controversial, as many professors complained that students were not learning the basic sciences adequately.[39] Eventually, in 2003 the curriculum was changed again, this time to an innovate format which combined elements of both traditional (lecture-based) and problem-based methods.
The Faculty is known for giving its fourth-year students a series of written and oral exams known as the "revalida". In the oral exams, groups of three students each are questioned by panels composed of three professors on basic, clinical, and emergency medical sciences. Passing the revalida is a prerequisite to graduation.
The Faculty is a Center of Excellence.[40] It has been consistently producing topnotchers in the annual national licensure exams for Filipino physicians.[41] It is also the alma mater of numerous Secretaries of Health of the Philippines,[42] as well as several Presidents of the Philippine Medical Association, the national organization of medical doctors in the country.[43]
As early as the 17th century postgraduate degrees were offered and granted by the various faculties in the University. In 1938, the UST Graduate School was established to administer and coordinate all the graduate programs in the University. The Graduate School academic programs have grown to 90 course offerings, spanning about seven clusters of disciplines. Today the UST Graduate School is recognized as a Center of Excellence in several fields of the Arts and Humanities, Allied Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering by the Commission on Higher Education. [44] Its programs in business, public management, and education were also recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Fund for Assistance of Private Education (FAPE)- Evaluation of Graduate Education (EGEP).
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UST is a founding member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.[47] The varsity team, originally the "Glowing Goldies" but has since been renamed to the Growling Tigers on the 1992-93 season, have won the men's basketball title 18 times since 1938. The University also has representatives for all the UAAP events.
The women's teams are called the Tigresses, while the Juniors (high school) teams are the Tiger Cubs.
The University has won the UAAP Seniors Overall Championship a record 35 times, and are currently holding the title for the last ten years.
The official dance troupe, the Salinggawi Dance Troupe with the official pep squad, UST Yellow Jackets, has won the UAAP Cheerdance Competition for five consecutive seasons already.[48]
In the UAAP 69th (2006-2007) season, the men's team captured the seniors basketball crown defeating the Ateneo Blue Eagles in two of the three games held.[49] In women's basketball, the Lady Tigresses defeated the FEU Lady Tamaraws for the title.[50] With the championship, the UST Growling Tigers ties the UE Red Warriors with 18 UAAP senior men's basketball titles, behind the league-leading FEU Tamaraws with 19. UST also won a senior NCAA championship, to bring the total to 19 men's championships.
The main venue of research in UST is the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex. The massive edifice named after the patron saint of the University is a semi-centralized system for the productive exchange of ideas among researchers in the fields of arts, humanities, science, technology, social sciences, and education. The following research centers can be found in the TARC: [51]
The USTPH was established in 1996. While it takes its inspiration from the four-century-old UST Press (founded in 1593), it is an entirely different entity. The USTPH, with the former UST Printing Office as its printing arm, is responsible for the publication of scholarly books, outstanding faculty researches and monographs, quality textbooks in all levels, artworks and designs, as well as other educational printed materials. Equipped with state-of-the-art printing machines from Germany and top-of-the-line computers from the United States, Japan, and other countries, the USTPH is envisioned to purvey extensively the creative and innovative outputs of the academe, not only within, but also outside the University's 21.5-hectare campus. [53]
Persons affiliated to the university, either as students, faculty members, or administrators, are known as "Thomasians". The University has produced four Presidents of the Philippines, namely Manuel L. Quezon,[54] Sergio Osmeña,[55] Jose P. Laurel and Diosdado Macapagal. It has also produced three Philippine Vice Presidents and six Chief Justices of the Philippine Supreme Court.
Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon and José Rizal the Philippine national hero, are honored by the University as they are displayed on the pillars of the Arch of the Centuries.
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