Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian but maintains its historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campus in Newbury, Vermont, before moving to Boston in 1867. The university now has more than 3,900 faculty members and nearly 33,000 students, and is one of Boston's largest employers. It offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates, and medical, dental, business, and law degrees through 17 schools and colleges on two urban campuses. BU is a member of the Boston Consortium for Higher Education and the Association of American Universities.