Colleges University of Chicago

University of Chicago www.uchicago.edu

University of Chicago is a private institution that was founded in 1890. The main campus consists of 217 acres in the Chicago neighborhoods of Hyde Park and Woodlawn, offering a rich, spacious environment in a big-city setting eight miles south of downtown Chicago. A majority of students live on campus. Students are placed in “houses” within their dorm, which serve as tight-knit communities and provide academic and social support. The University offers more than 450 student organizations. Students can choose from more than 50 majors and 40 minors, and have visited Greece, China, and France during study abroad experiences. The University contains six libraries, over 150 research centers and institutes, including the new Institute for Molecular Engineering and the Institute of Politics, world-class theaters, museums, and art centers; and three of the nation’s top professional schools in law, business, and medicine.

Academics

The University of Chicago features a liberal arts college amidst a world-renowned research university. The academic bodies of the University consist of the College, four divisions of graduate research, seven professional schools, and the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies. The University also contains a library system, the University of Chicago Press, and the University of Chicago Medical Center, and oversees several laboratories, including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), Argonne National Laboratory, and the Marine Biological Laboratory. The University has additional campuses and centers in London, Paris, Beijing, Delhi, and Hong Kong, as well as in downtown Chicago. The student-faculty ratio at University of Chicago is 5:1, and the school has 77% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Economics, Mathematics, and Biology.

Special Highlights

Center for Leadership and Involvement. The Center for Leadership and Involvement is a multi-faceted office that encourages student involvement at the University of Chicago and provides learning opportunities in ways as diverse and valuable as possible while enhancing the University’s unique culture. The Center staff advises student organizations on projects, events, and finances, advocates, and encourages co-curricular student involvement on campus. The Center sponsors social programs and events as well as leadership-based events through UChicago LEADS, including Impact Scholars Institute, Student Leadership Advisory Council, Industry Explorers, Women’s Leadership Program, and others.

Court Theatre. Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate current times. In residence at the University and on Chicago’s historic South Side, it engages audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people. Court Theatre defines classic theatre as texts from any culture, tradition, or era that resonate throughout time and speak to our present moment. Producing theatre since 1955, some of its productions have included The Lady from the Sea, An Iliad, Oedipus Rex, Long Day’s Journey into Night, Invisible Man, and The Comedy of Errors. Court Theatre is dedicated to the curation of large-scale, interdisciplinary theatrical experiences that access the intellectual resources that surround the theatre at the University of Chicago.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

For more than 125 years, the University of Chicago has forged its own path. This has led to new schools of thought and a transformative education for students, and laid the groundwork for breakthroughs across the sciences, medicine, economics, law, business, history, culture, the arts, and humanistic inquiry. Since its inception, the University has blurred the lines between traditional disciplines. Students, faculty, and scholars collaborate across fields to solve complex questions and uncover new knowledge. More than 100 universities and school systems have adopted the UChicago framework for supporting and protecting free expression on their campuses. The core campus was modeled after the English Gothic architectural style used at Oxford, complete with towers, spires, cloisters, elaborate ironwork, and grotesques.

Student Reviews…

“The Core Curriculum challenges me to think critically and explore diverse subjects, fostering intellectual growth and adaptability. Beyond academics, the campus teems with opportunities for involvement, from a cappella groups to community service initiatives, fostering lifelong friendships and personal development. Chicago offers a rich backdrop for cultural immersion.”