UL Lafayette is committed to preserving the area's unique Cajun and Creole cultures. The University has a separate College of the Arts that encompasses a School of Architecture, visual arts, and performing arts. Lafayette is a city of contrasts, with the intimacy of a small town and the resources and sophistication of a big city. It has a symphony, art galleries, upscale retail stores, and semi-professional ice hockey, baseball, and soccer teams. UL Lafayette is probably the only university in the world with its own swamp.
Cypress Lake is filled with cypress trees, alligators, turtles, birds, and fish.
UL Lafayette recently implemented selective admissions which means it has strengthened its academic entrance requirements. It offers more than 100 majors in nine schools, with undergraduate programs that provide students with a strong knowledge base and practical experience through labs and internships. It also has a growing Graduate School. Ninety-eight percent of UL Lafayette's academic programs are accredited by professional accrediting bodies. Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns compete in NCAA Division I, the highest level of collegiate athletics.