The University of Oregon is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Most academic programs follow the 10 week Quarter System. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and is a member of the Association of American Universities.Since July 2014, UO has been governed by its own board of trustees.

The university has a long and complex relationship with Nike, Inc., and the firm's co-founder Phil Knight. As a consequence of state higher-education disinvestment starting in the 1990s, UO has embraced a "University of Nike" image. Fueled by large investments in athletic infrastructure, this trend has accelerated in recent years. Knight, an alumnus, has advocated for both athletic prominence and increased privatisation of the university, and has donated over $1 billion to UO since the late-1980s, much of it going towards athletics. The school's "O" logo was designed by Nike in 1998 and sports facility projects on campus typically involve both Knight and Nike.