Python class error: "str object is not callable"

The error is pretty descriptive; strings aren't callable, functions are. I believe Python will look for variables within the class before it checks if there are functions with a given name. Thus, the string name is found but because it has () added to it, python then tries to call it like a function and fails.

Simply rename the function or the variable. You could use self._name as the variable name if you want to indicate that it's private and shouldn't be changed - at least not from outside the class. You'll also have to write print "The University name is %s" % (self._name) (and self.rank).

You already have a variable called name in your class University, so the program is trying to call "University of America"(), which triggers an error. Thus, change the function name to something like print_name:

class University():
        def __init__(self, name, rank):
                self.name = name
                self.rank = rank

        def print_name(self):
                print "The University name is %s" % (self.name)
                print "This University is ranked at %s" % (self.rank)

>>> users = University("University of America", "#1")
>>> users.name #The string of the name
'University of America'
>>> users.print_name()
The University name is University of America
This University is ranked at #1
>>>