 Texas A & M University ( Texas A & M , TAMU / ˈtæmuː / , or A & M ) is a coeducational public research university located in College Station , Texas , United States . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A & M University System , the fourth @-@ largest university in the United States and the largest university in Texas . The university enjoys a strong athletic program and fan following , known as the twelfth man , and is a member of the Southeastern Conference . It is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the United States ; most notably , its engineering school ranks in the top 10 of public schools . Texas A & M 's designation as a land , sea , and space grant institution reflects a range of research with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) , the National Institutes of Health , the National Science Foundation , and the Office of Naval Research . The school ranks in the top 20 American research institutes in funding and has made contributions to such fields as animal cloning and petroleum engineering . 
