The University of the Straye

The University of the Straye is an institution of higher education located in Fairsing Straye. Some small trade schools do exist within the Straye, but generally speaking, the University is the only option for higher education. The University's central campus and the College of Magic are in the Third Ward, south of Hudde Pond. The medical school and the Ravelin have satellite campuses in the University District.

## Colleges

There are several colleges under the University's banner, and the majority of students don't attend to study magic.

### **The College of Arts & Sciences**

The largest college, representing general education topics: the humanities, the sciences, the arts. It's known as the easiest college to get into, with a passing rate of 45% on the entrance exam. What usually deters students from attending is the cost, though scholarships and loans are available. Graduates from lower income brackets are almost guaranteed social mobility, as the business and art worlds of the Straye are majority run by CoAS alumni. Undergraduate degree programs range from 2-4 years; 4 years is standard. Graduate degree programs range from 2-6 years.

### **The Ravelin**, or the college of government

The smallest college. This is due to its extremely specialized nature: nearly every confederation political figure of the last century passed through its halls. Even the Ashuan prince and heir attended. The school offers degrees in everything from urban planning to international relations, and some 6-year straight-to-doctorate programs are also available.

### **The Kathryn P. Burnie School of Medicine**

The medical school offers both a 6-year undergraduate track and a 4-year graduate track for its future doctors. Additionally, there's a joint degree offered by the school of medicine and the college of magic, which allows a student to receive training as both a doctor and a medical arcanist. This joint degree is perhaps the most exclusive and rigorous of all the university's degree programs; its nickname is "the incinerator."

### The College of Magic

**The College of Magic** is the original and most prestigious of the colleges. It predates the second oldest college, the CoAS, by three hundred years. Acceptance rates are in the single digits, requiring potential students to pass both a written evaluation and a magical aptitude exam. It's typical to apply to the CoM and another school within the university with the assumption you won't get in. The undergraduate program is 6 years, and graduate work for those interested in professorship lasts another 3-6 years. Unlike the other colleges, CoM students are required to live in university housing for the first three years of their tutelage. Paradoxically, the tuition for the CoM is the lowest in the university, partly because the admissions are so selective and partly because of the college's enormous trust.

## Notable Locations

### University Park

This is the large greenspace directly adjacent to the main campus. There is a pond, Hudde Pond, with walking paths around it; the rest of the park consists of open, carefully manicured lawns. Sometimes known as the UP (the "eupy"), it serves as a meeting place and event space for the school.

### Little Library

The library's name, taken from the founding president, is ironic; the library is the campus's largest building and hosts the world's preeminent catalogue, including a restricted annex devoted to rare arcane texts.

### Dell House

A mansion facing the park, home to the current president of the University of the Straye. In addition to being a private residence, it often hosts smaller events for the school.