The College of William and Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, after Harvard University. William & Mary is a member of the Colonial Colleges, a group of nine American institutions of higher education chartered before the American Revolution. The university has more than 40 undergraduate majors and minors and over 20 graduate and professional degree programs across Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Law and Marine Science.