Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S. It is a part of the University System of Maryland. TU was originally a training school for teachers in Baltimore, and over the years it has expanded and evolved into a 4-year degree granting institution consisting of 8 colleges with over 20,000 students enrolled. Towson is also the second largest public university in Maryland, and still produces the most teachers of any university in the state. The U.S. News & World Report ranked Towson University 8th in the Public Universities-Master’s (North) category for its 2010 America's Best Colleges issue. Forbes included Towson University in its 2009 list of the top 100 public colleges and universities in the United States. Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine named Towson University one of the top 100 best values in public colleges for the 2008-2009 academic year. The Maryland Legislature established what would become Towson University in 1865, with the allocation of funds directed toward Maryland’s first teacher-training school, or normal school.