Northwestern University

Northwestern has grown considerably since its founding in 1851. Read stories about our past and find current statistics about Northwestern today. Northwestern University (NU) is a private university located primarily in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern has twelve undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools and colleges offering 123 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees.

Northwestern is one of 61 institutions elected to the Association of American Universities and remains a research university with very high research activity.Northwestern’s schools of management, engineering, and communication are among the most academically productive in the nation in their respective disciplines.Northwestern managed research and development budgets totaling $420 million in 2006, 34th among all universities and 13th among private universities in the United States.

Northwestern’s earliest days, from the perpetual scholarships that were sold to raise funds to the foundation of graduate schools and undergraduate education. Over time, Northwestern built a world-class library, including notable collections, such as the Library of African Studies. Academia at Northwestern was also contentious at times; during the Great Depression, a proposal to merge with the University of Chicago sparked debate and strong opposition.

Northwestern weathered turbulent times while the nation was at war. In World War I, Northwestern formed and manned a field hospital in Europe, and during World War II, the war effort transformed campus. During the Vietnam War, demonstrations and activism shaped student life. The history of Northwestern University is traceable to a meeting on May 31, 1850 of nine prominent Chicago businessmen who had formed the idea of establishing a university to serve what had once been known as the Northwest Territory. On January 28, 1851, the Illinois General Assembly granted a charter to the Trustees of the North Western University, thereby making it the first chartered university in Illinois.

Northwestern is a large, highly residential research university. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the respective national professional organizations for chemistry, psychology, business, education, journalism, music, engineering, law, and medicine, the university offers 123 undergraduate programs and 145 graduate and professional programs. NU conferred 2,089 bachelors degrees, 2,665 masters degrees, 462 doctoral degrees, and 416 professional degrees in 2006–2007.

Library
The Northwestern library system consists of four libraries on the Evanston campus including the central University Library, three libraries on the Chicago campus, and two libraries affiliated with Garrett-Evangelical and Seabury-Western Seminaries. The Northwestern library contains over 4.6 million volumes, 4.5 million microforms, and 45,000 periodicals making it (by volume) the 30th-largest university library in North America and the 10th-largest library among private universities.

Courses Offered

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs

Colleges and Schools

• Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Communication
• School of Continuing Studies
• School of Education and Social Policy
• McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
• The Graduate School
• Medill School of Journalism
• School of Law
• Kellogg School of Management
• Feinberg School of Medicine
• Bienen School of Music

Contact Details
Northwestern University
633 Clark Street Evanston,
IL 60208 Evanston:847.491.3741
Chicago: 312.503.8649
Official Website: http://www.northwestern.edu/