University of North Alabama

University of North Alabama International Student Insurance

General Information

The University of North Alabama (UNA), located in Florence, Alabama, was founded in 1830, the first state-chartered college in the state. It was founded as LaGrange College near Leighton, Alabama. It moved to its current location in 1855 and has undergone several name changes in the interim, including Florence Wesleyan University, the State Normal School at Florence, Florence State College, and Florence State University, until it adopted its current name in 1974 as a reflection of its status as comprehensive regional university. It offers more than 60 bachelor’s programs and seven graduate programs in four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Nursing and Allied Health.

UNA enrolls more than 7,500 students each year. The school colors are purple and gold, and its athletic nickname is the lions.

On Campus

UNA is one of the only schools in Alabama with a commercial music degree program, and it’s one of five in the U.S. with an accredited industrial hygiene program. It also operates the Kilby Laboratory School, the only university-owned elementary school in the state, which offers classes to students in grades K-6 and provides observation and instruction opportunities for UNA education students and faculty. 

Noteworthy campus traditions include the Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant, the preliminary round of the Miss Alabama / Miss America Pageants, which gives women on campus the opportunity to compete for scholarship money and prizes; pregame tailgating at Spirit Hill near the football stadium; the “Pride of Dixie” Marching Band, the largest organization on campus; and Step Sing, an annual musical comedy fundraising event.

Notable Alumni

Notable University of North Alabama alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning author T.S. Stribling, actor George Lindsey, politician Edward Berton Almon, and several members of the Drive-By Truckers band.