Texas State University is a public, student-centered, doctoral-granting university located in San Marcos, Texas. It is located on the banks of the San Marcos River, halfway between Austin and San Antonio, just off I-35. The university was founded in 1899, as Southwest Texas State Normal School on the site of a chautauqua, and opened its doors to the community, in 1903. The school was started to meet the various needs of teachers in the southwest part of the state. In 1918, the school was renamed as Southwest Texas State Normal College and began offering bachelor’s degrees. The college became Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1923, and again changed its name to Southwest Texas State College, in 1959. Finally in 1969, it was granted university status and renamed Southwest Texas State University. In 2003, the university name was changed to Texas State University. The major landmark on campus is Old Main, a restored red-gabled, Victorian-vintage building. The original 11-acre main campus of 1899, has grown into a 429-acre campus, in addition to the 4,200 acres used for studies in ranching and farming, and includes a recreational camp. The university offers 114 undergraduate, 81 master's and six Ph.D. programs. The various programs are offered in seven colleges - Applied Arts, Business Administration, Education, Fine Arts and Communication, Health Professions, Liberal Arts, and Science - plus the university college and the graduate college. The Department of Geography at Texas State is ranked top in the United States. The School of Music also provides one of the top music education programs in the nation. Some of the other facilities include Albert B. Alkek Library, LBJ Student Center, and Centennial Hall. Texas State University is the headquarters for the National Center for School Improvement and the Texas School Safety Center.