Northwestern University Program Review

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Northwestern University transcends the limitations of traditional academic institutions by combining the resources of a well-respected research university with the personal, student-focused environment of smaller colleges. Northwestern uses innovative teaching styles and supports intellectual and professional curiosity to give students a well-balanced, quality education.

Northwestern University was founded in 1851 as a private university designed to serve the Northwest Territory. The school has two campuses, one in Chicago, and one in nearby Evanston, a suburb named in honor of one of the university founders, John Evans. Today, Northwestern University serves over 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students in nine different colleges and schools, including the Medill School of Journalism, School of Law, Kellogg School of Management, and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Notable alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, New York Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller, Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley, and producer, writer, and director Garry Marshall, among others. Northwestern University is often recognized as having one of the top five business schools in the country and one of the top 15 law schools in the country.

The undergraduate offering of academic programs is diverse, ranging from Asian and Middle East Studies to Biochemistry to Legal Studies to Sound Design to Political Science to Gender Studies to Evolutionary Processes. Graduate degrees are awarded in areas in medicine, management, engineering, education, social policy, music, law and more. The school also serves working adults through its continuing education program. Fields of study include management and business executive programs, a Marital and Family Therapy program, a Managerial Communication program, and more. Adults can take for-credit courses, professional development courses, or even classes through the Institute for Learning in Retirement.

Students and faculty are continuously active in the many research projects sponsored by Northwestern University. The school currently boasts an annual budget of $1.5 billion, including $416 million in research. Northwestern features 90 school-based centers and 20 university centers, including the Center for Drug Discovery and Chemical Biology, Materials Research Center, Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence and others.