Although the University was established in 1957, its present form began to emerge during a period of rapid growth in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Within the past few years, the University's size has stabilized and comprises approximately 1,300 faculty and 13,000 undergraduate students and about 5,000 graduate students. Academic buildings, laboratories, and libraries form the nucleus of the campus. These are surrounded by six residential quadrangles and athletic fields and facilities. In 1980, the University Hospital opened as a 540-bed research/teaching hospital that is the focus of Stony Brook's medical and nursing programs.

Within the past 20 years Stony Brook has formed many departments and programs that have attained highly regarded national and international reputations. This is especially true within the Sciences. As a result, Stony Brook attracts faculty and students of the highest caliber from across the continent and the world.