With 25,000 students located in 15 colleges, this university, the largest in the Chicago area, is big enough to have its own police department. Its campuses and buildings are located in the Little Italy and University Village section of the city and house the nation's largest medical school. UIC plays a vital role in Illinois, serving as the principal educator of Illinois physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Particularly highly rated for subjects such as midwifery, it is easy to overlook the fact that Illinois also has flourishing departments covering other areas such as English, history, physics and psychology. On campus, students enjoy the best of both worlds, having a large park-like section yet being only a 15-minute walk from the buzz and bustle of downtown Chicago - ideal for students who wish to experience life in a big metropolis but still have a typical college environment. The campus itself is populated with scores of shops, restaurants, bars, bookstores, cafes and museums.
