UNO was established by the Louisiana Legislature on June 26, 1956. Its purpose is to bring public-supported higher education to the state's largest urban complex. The University of New Orleans main campus is located in an area of New Orleans known as the Lakefront.  UNO, a major urban research university, is categorized as an SREB Four-Year 2 institution, as a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University-Intensive, and as a COC/SACS Level VI institution, its students now enjoy a broad range of academic programs nearly one-quarter of which are at the master's or doctoral level.