UPB athletic programs are affiliated with NCAA Division III, competing as members of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford was founded in 1963, in response to a shortage of higher education institutions in the North central / Northwestern region of Pennsylvania.

To address this void, local leaders reached out to University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) Chancellor Edward Litchfield, advocating for a permanent presence in the region.

During the early correspondence, Litchfield was evaluating the feasibility of several sites in Western Pennsylvania with the goal of increasing the University’s footprint.

To support the college’s establishment and growth, local philanthropists and businesses exceeded the University’s fundraising target by more than thirty percent.

[7] Initially a two-year institution for students intending to transfer to the Pittsburgh campus, Pitt Bradford received baccalaureate degree-granting status in 1979.

Under the leadership of President Richard McDowell, the campus continued to experience growth throughout the 1980s and 1990s, expanding its academic programs, physical plant, and forging its identity as a four-year residential college.

As part of this process, the campus continued revising its curriculum to include foundational liberal arts courses, ensuring that students received an eclectic education and exposure to various disciplines, in addition to their major coursework.

[8] In 2004, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford conferred its first honorary degree to opera star Marilyn Horne, in recognition of her support of the campus and local community.

[9] A 2012 study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Social and Urban Research found that Pitt Bradford was generating $67.5 million in annual economic activity for the region, creating or supporting 740 full-time jobs.

The 470-acre campus has 38 buildings (including 16 residence halls and an athletics complex) and is bordered by the Tungungwant Creek and the adjacent McDowell Trail.

Swarts Hall, Pitt-Bradford's first academic building, is home to several disciplines, including business, economics, history, education, nursing, political science, and sociology.

Positioned in front of the commons is a 10.5 foot-long (3.2m) bronze panther statue created by Bradford native David Hodges.

[19][20] Marilyn Horne Hall, formerly the Seneca Building, is located in downtown Bradford and contains the offices and classrooms of the Division of Continuing Education and Regional Development and the Center for Rural Health Practice.

[26][27] The University of Pittsburgh (including Pitt Bradford and its other regional campuses) is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

The largest degree programs by enrollment are biology, computer information systems and technology (CIS&T) [1], business management, nursing, and criminal justice.

[41] Pitt Bradford is a residential college, with most students (including 86% of freshmen) living on campus in one of the fourteen residence halls.

First-year students reside in Livingston Alexander House, a $17 million LEED-certified complex constructed in 2018 and featuring study lounges and fitness areas.

[43] The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is an NCAA Division III institution and a charter member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

Pitt Bradford's athletic programs hold a combined 16 conference titles and have appeared in several NCAA Division III tournaments.