The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public research university in Mobile, Alabama. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May, 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. USA is the only major public institution of higher learning on the upper Gulf Coast. With Alabama's two older universities more than 200 miles distant, the University is strategically located in the greater Mobile area, which has a population of more than a million within a 100-mile radius. The University has a vibrant campus life, including more than 100 student organizations, NCAA Division I athletics, and an active Greek community. USA has ten colleges and schools, including a medical school, and offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs.