Boston University(BU) was founded in 1869 by three businessmen Lee Claflin, Jacob Sleeper, and Isaac Rich as a Methodist college. Originally, the University had buildings on Beacon Hill (the old chapel building still exists on Chestnut Street) and in the Back Bay -- and from its first day of classes it has admitted students of all races, religions, sexes, etc. Outgrowing its smaller locations, as the land fill area created Kenmore Square, BU moved out and created a linear campus that has continued to grow. It currently stretches from Kenmore Square out to Brighton, with the Medical School in the South End. With more than 3,000 faculty members and nearly 30,000 students, Boston University is the fourth-largest private university in the United States of America and the city's fourth-largest employer. The University offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through 18 schools and colleges. If MIT across the river is all about numbers - buildings just go by "3", BU is all about the letters. Referring to departments and colleges requires an understanding of this alphabet soup. STH = School of Theology, SED = School of Education, and so on.