Colleges of the University of Santo Tomas

Types of college

Colleges that were founded with the University in 1611 up until the beginning of the twentieth century uses the title of Faculty. This is an accordance with statutes of the medieval University of Salamanca and the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico which used "faculty" for their constituent colleges. The Faculty of Sacred Theology, Faculty of Philosophy, and the Faculty of Canon Law, which are housed in the Faculties of Ecclesiastical Studies, are considered to be the oldest faculties in the university. The Faculty of Civil Law, founded in 1734, is usually dubbed as the "oldest lay faculty", while the Faculty of Engineering, founded in 1907, is regarded as the "youngest faculty". The term faculty is only historical and does not signify dominance over the "newer" colleges. UST is the only university in the Philippines that uses faculty.

College is used by independent degree-granting units that were founded since the American period in the 1920s until the present time. The College of Education, founded in 1926, is often called to be the "oldest college".

A department under a certain college, which is being developed to become an independent entity, is usually given the title Institute. In 1974, the Institute of Physical Therapy was founded and was supervised by the College of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. The Institute was granted a full autonomy in 1993 and became independent in 2001. In 2006, the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management was founded from the College of Education. It became an independent college in 2008. The Institute of Information and Computing Sciences was established in 2014 from the Faculty of Engineering. Though referred to as an "Institute", the Institute of Religion does not confer undergraduate or graduate programs. It is a department that supervises the theology classes in the lay colleges.

School was earlier used by the School of Civil Engineering, School of Architecture of Fine Arts, School of Commerce, School of Nursing, and the defunct Normal School. Only the Graduate School uses the style today.

Conservatory is used by the University's music school, the Conservatory of Music. It offers complete bachelor's degrees in music.

Renamed and separated colleges

The College of Commerce and Business Administration had several name changes. It was first called as the School of Commerce in 1933. Later on, it developed to become the College of Commerce in 1934, College of Commerce and Accountancy in 1988, and eventually to its present name. The Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management became the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management in 2008.

The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the Faculty of Pharmacy were both founded in 1871 as the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy only to become two different faculties in a later time.

In 1896, the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters was founded. It became the Faculty of Arts and Letters when part of the programs of the College of Liberal Arts where merged with it. The programs of the College of Liberal Arts leading to bachelor of science degrees where reorganised to become the College of Science. It is interesting to note that the College of Science retained the college color and seal of the College of Liberal Arts.

The College of Fine Arts and the Conservatory of Music were originally part of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts. The College of Fine Arts became an independent college in 2000. The Institute of Physical Therapy became the College of Rehabilitation Sciences in 2001.

The Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy became an independent college from the College of Commerce and Accountancy in 2004. It was also the first college of the university to be named after an alumnus.

College insignias

The coat of arms of the older faculties and colleges of the university were designed by Cenon M. Rivera, former director of the Fine Arts department of UST. Each college also has a patron saint that was chosen based on the field or profession of the college. The selection is administered by the council of regents of the university.

Roll call

In university events, like the Thomasian Welcome Walk and The Sending-off rights, the roll call of the university colleges is done according to their foundation year instead of the usual alphabetical order. Founded in 1611, the Faculty of Sacred Theology is called and introduced first. Being the youngest, founded in 2014, the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences is called last.

The Thomasian, the university website, USTET application forms, and most official publications follow the same way of presenting the colleges.