Frequently Asked Questions

R1 universities are those that meet benchmarks in research activity and expenditures as measured by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The classification measures universities across ten indicators, driven by research expenditures, research doctorates awarded and number of research staff in Science and Engineering fields, to determine which universities are eligible for R1 status.

A Tier 1 university operates at the highest levels in not only teaching and research, but throughout the university in services to students, the arts, athletics and more. As Baylor strives to reach R1 status, our commitment to excellence university-wide grows even stronger. That commitment is evident in classroom teaching, in providing impactful services to students that support them academically, spiritually, personally and in their future careers, and in achieving at the highest levels of human performance in the arts and athletics as we prepare students for worldwide leadership and service.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education maintains and releases reports on universities meeting R1 benchmarks every three years. In their December 2021 report, Baylor University attained R1 recognition as a doctoral institution with "very high research activity."

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education examines 10 research activity indicators to determine R1 institutions:

• annual expenditures in science and engineering;
• per-capita (faculty member) expenditures in science and engineering (S&E);
• annual expenditures in non-S&E fields;
• per-capita (faculty member) expenditures in non-S&E fields;
• doctorates awarded in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields;
• doctorates awarded in social science fields;
• doctorates awarded in the humanities;
• doctorates awarded in other fields with a research emphasis;
• total number of research staff including postdoctoral researchers;
• and other doctorate-holding non-faculty researchers in S&E and per-capita (faculty) number of PhD-level research staff including postdocs.

Baylor University's vision affirms that the world needs a preeminent research university that is unambiguously Christian. With a historic Baptist foundation and a demonstrated commitment to faith and learning at the highest levels, no university is better positioned to achieve this goal. Through top-tier research and scholarship, R1 universities bring their voice to bear in addressing our world’s most meaningful challenges. As Baylor achieves preeminence as a Christian research university, it enables researchers from throughout the University to infuse the quest for solutions, at the highest levels, with Baylor's distinct voice and Christian mission.

The mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. As the challenges facing our world become more complex, the need for solutions borne from the highest levels of scholarship, collaboration and ethics, grow ever more vital. At Baylor University, faith is the very motivation for discovering the richness of God's creation. Additionally, today's top students recognize the importance of deep engagement with their course of study, and ask admissions teams at Baylor and other top universities about research opportunities. Research informs curriculum and advances today's higher education experiences beyond lectures and towards holistic engagement that encourages deep-thinking and problem solving. That mission to build worldwide leaders, prepared to make a meaningful difference in addressing challenges, is enhanced and accelerated through the pursuit of transformative research and scholarship.

Faculty play a vital role in growing Baylor's research enterprise. Top-tier faculty who conduct groundbreaking research, compelled by the conviction that all truth is God's truth, truly embody the ideal of what a Christian research university can be. Through grants, partnerships and collaboration both on and off-campus, they advance human knowledge, contribute to their disciplines, create solutions to societal problems and advance Baylor towards R1 status. In the classroom, their research enhances teaching through engaging insights that bring texts, theories and ideas to life in ways that encourage problem-solving approaches, broaden students' understanding and ignite new interests in a subject. Baylor's Office of the Vice Provost for Research works alongside faculty to assist them in elevating Baylor research to even more meaningful levels.

High-level research enhances the classroom experience by providing students with cutting-edge, real-world examples that advance knowledge in the very disciplines they study. As students are equipped by Baylor faculty with foundational understanding in their chosen field, research opportunities provide meaningful applications to invigorate and advance that knowledge. Research engages students holistically, transporting them beyond passive listening and actively compelling them go deeper as it supplies undergraduate students with graduate-level experiences and discoveries.