Founded in 1964 as a constituent college of the Faculty of Arts and Science, the University of Toronto Scarborough is situated on a park-like campus at the eastern edge of the city.
The first full-time students enrolled in 1965 in temporary quarters on the St. George campus, moving to the current site when the original buildings opened in January 1966. Designed by Toronto architect John Andrews, they won immediate international acclaim for their striking architecture.
1973 saw the opening of the Bladen Building, housing classrooms, offices, and athletic facilities, and the Student Village, a complex of townhouse residences. Campus development continued through the 1980's with the Vincent W. Bladen Library, a Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, and a large addition to the original Student Village. In 1990 the West Village opened, followed by the N'Sheemaehn Child Care Centre and the Leigha Lee Browne Studio Theatre.
In anticipation of unprecedented enrolment growth, in 2002 UTSC began the greatest capital expansion program since its opening. Three new facilities opened in 2003: the Academic Resource Centre (ARC), housing greatly expanded library facilities, a digital library, teaching and learning services, abundant student study space and a 500-seat lecture theatre; Joan Foley Hall, an apartment style residence for 230 students; and the Doris McCarthy Gallery.
In the Fall of 2004, the University of Toronto Scarborough celebrated its 40th Anniversary and opened a new, state-of-the-art Management Building and the campus's first Student Centre.
Since 1972 the University of Toronto Scarborough has been a separate division of the University, and in 2002 reorganization of its administrative structure made its Principal also a Vice-President of the University.
UTSC was the first college in the University to adopt a credit system and offers the University's only formal co-operative programs.The Early Teacher Projects in the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences and the Department of Humanities guarantee successful graduates admission to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto.
In 2000 UTSC was granted the right to offer the only U of T programs leading to the Bachelor of Business Administration degree (B.B.A.) and in 2002 it began offering unique programs in collaboration with Centennial College. Beginning with the 2003 summer session, UTSC started operating on a trimester system, which enhanced opportunities for year-round study as well as facilitated its growing co-op programs.
UTSC faculty, many internationally recognized for their research and scholarship, also teach courses and train graduate students on both the Scarborough and St. George campuses. The well-appointed research laboratories, high level of technical services, relatively small size and the diversity of the faculty foster an ideal environment for intellectual exchange and development.
UTSC students have full and expanding facilities on their own campus; they also enjoy access to the resources of the University as a whole. Regular events at UTSC include concerts, drama productions, and literary readings. The prestigious Watts Lectures have brought such distinguished speakers as Nobel Prize winner Lester Pearson, and theologian Hans Kung to campus. Intramural athletics and recreation, a wide variety of student clubs and cultural groups, and a campus newspaper and radio station provide some of many opportunities for full involvement in student life.