The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law) was founed in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program. The school's reputation as one of the ten most prestigious law schools in the nation is supported by its perennial appearance among the "top ten" in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, where it is currently ranked 9th, tied with Michigan and Northwestern.