SMU R1 Research University | SMU

SMU R1 Research University | SMU
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Top-tier research. Big impact.
SMU ranks among the nation’s top research universities. As an R1 university in the heart of Dallas designated by The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, SMU brings together government, industry, and academia to solve society’s challenges. Research with impact is at the heart of our motto to shape world changers.
Research news
New Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing Pushes Boundaries of Digital Innovation
New Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing Pushes Boundaries of Digital Innovation
$14 Million Grant to Improve Math Learning Loss
$14 Million Grant to Improve Math Learning Loss
AI and quantum mechanics team up to accelerate drug discovery
AI and quantum mechanics team up to accelerate drug discovery
Discover More Research
Driving innovation and collaboration at SMU
At SMU, we are pioneering advancements in data science, fostering groundbreaking faculty research, and building strong partnerships with industry and academia. Our initiatives, including the state-of-the-art Pegasus Park, interdisciplinary research clusters, and over 40 centers and institutes, position us at the forefront of research and innovation in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Data science and high-performance computing
Data science and high-performance computing
SMU is actively developing a big-data ecosystem, supported by next-generation research computing technology that includes virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence, which will engage disciplines across campus.
Faculty researchers
Faculty researchers
Our faculty combine rigorous research with the drive to produce world changers. View our directory to find experts who can lend their insights on news topics and policymaking.
Pegasus Park
Pegasus Park
SMU’s Institute for Computational Biosciences joins Pegasus Park, a 23-acre mixed-use office campus for biotech firms, schools and nonprofit organizations where researchers will participate in the development of both research and entrepreneurial endeavors.
External partnerships
Strong partnerships with industry and nonprofits foster growth for our region. SMU can connect your organization with researchers who will collaborate on cutting-edge research and skilled students who will benefit your company.
It’s fantastic that SMU achieved R1 status. R1 is the elite in terms of research, attracting students and bringing in investment. AT&T is thrilled to have that in our backyard.
Mark Austin, Vice President, Data Science | AT&T
Research clusters
Interdisciplinary clusters of faculty enhance established research strengths at SMU. These clusters support the University’s research ambitions while empowering SMU to become a leader in key disciplines.
Centers and institutes
Over 40 centers and institutes on our Dallas campus provide venues for collaborative research, act as liaisons between the University and the community, and partner with businesses to solve complex problems with practical solutions.
Graduate research stories
Through collaborations with industry, support with fellowship applications and connections to centers that process data on a large scale, our graduate students learn to produce research with a social impact.
Read more about our graduate students’ innovative research
Research around campus
Cox School of Business
Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences
Dedman School of Law
Lyle School of Engineering
Moody School of Graduate & Advanced Studies
Perkins School of Theology
Simmons School of Education and Human Development
Libraries
Libraries
SMU’s seven libraries, with their distinctive collections, advance research and creative excellence on and off campus. The library staff’s multidisciplinary expertise and personalized services help patrons catalyze discovery and champion innovation.
Undergraduate research
Undergraduate research
Many of our incoming undergraduate students pursue research during their studies. We provide our students with a range of research and entrepreneurial opportunities that enrich their undergraduate experiences.
Learn more about graduate programs at SMU.
With 35 doctoral degrees and 125+ master's degrees, SMU offers students innovative and impactful graduate study while allowing them a chance to live and learn in a thriving international community.
Explore SMU’s graduate opportunities
FAQs
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classifies universities in terms of their research productivity, with R1 being the pinnacle of distinction among university research rankings. R1 is a designation given by the Carnegie Classification of Institution of Higher Education to universities with the highest levels of research activity, spending at least $50 million on research & development and producing at least 70 doctoral graduates annually.
In 2025, Carnegie changed the methodology for determining R1 classification. To attain the status, research and development expenditures must total at least $50 million and award 70 doctoral research degrees annually. The threshold to attain R2 classification remained the same — at least $5 million in total research expenditures and awarding at least 20 doctoral research degrees.
R1 research institutions are now called "R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production," while R2 universities are called "R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production." Additionally, Carnegie has a third category for higher education institutions spending at least $2.5 million on research and development called "Research Colleges and Universities."
Achieving Carnegie R1 research institute status places SMU among the nation’s top public and private research universities. Additionally, as a new member of the ACC – one of the nation’s most prestigious academic and athletic conferences – we join the rest of the members who are all R1 institutions. Many universities conduct research at scale, and SMU is well on its way to performing at comparable levels. And many universities aspire to expand beyond research and into the realm of innovation, though fewer can do this successfully.
Universities with the R1 Carnegie research classification receive significantly more funding than R2 institutions. Funding comes from federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense.
Attaining R1 status enables SMU to attract more top-tier faculty, invites greater collaboration with other institutions and agencies, increases research opportunities for our students and elevates engagement with community and industry partners — all in the pursuit of research with impact, which is at the heart of our motto to shape World Changers.
As Dallas’ only R1 university, SMU partnerships with Dallas-area companies boosts our city’s economy, improves the workforce, and helps address major challenges. We utilize our investments in big data to conduct research at a scale that would have been inconceivable even a decade ago and that responds to the pace and demands of our dynamically changing world.
SMU means business when it comes to engaging the full research and innovation lifecycle. And there’s no better laboratory than DFW to make this vision a reality. As the SMU research ecosystem grows, we’re focused on areas that are of great interest to our corporate partners.  Plus, more than two-thirds of SMU graduates stay in North Texas for their first job. SMU’s R1 status will attract even more world-class research talent to the region.
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