University of California-Irvine (UCI, UCI, UC Irvine) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

The University of California (UC) is one of the world’s largest centers for higher education with a total enrollment of approximately 220,000 students spanning 10 different campuses, namely: Irvine, Santa Barbara, Berkeley, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Davis, Merced, San Francisco, and Riverside. The University of California-Irvine (UCI) was established in 1965 with a total enrollment of 1,589 students. Since then, the university has grown considerably in terms of students, faculty members, and distinguished achievements.

The University of California-Irvine is located in Irvine, in the center of the Orange County. Irvine has been named as the safest city in America for five consecutive years. The campus is spread over an area of 1,474 acres on coastal foothills, five miles from the Pacific Ocean. The university has a total enrollment of 27,670 students. Three UCI researchers have won Nobel Prizes (one in Physics, and two in Chemistry).

The University of California-Irvine comprises eight undergraduate schools and two graduate schools. These are: Claire Trevor School of the Arts, School of Biological Sciences, The Paul Merage School of Business, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, School of Humanities, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, School of Law, School of Physical Sciences, School of Social Ecology, School of Social Sciences, College of Health Sciences, and School of Medicine.

The University of California-Irvine is fully accredited by the Senior Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

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Information Summary

Ranks 24th in California and 266th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	91.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$34,261
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	33 / 1410
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	26 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	93% / 73%
Enrollment Total (all students)	36,032

Academics

University of California-Irvine offers 79 undergraduate majors and 63 undergraduate minors. The graduate degree programs are offered in more than 100 areas of study.

Undergraduate Degrees

The undergraduate degree programs offered at University of California-Irvine are: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree programs. The Bachelor of Arts degree program is available in different areas of study such as African American Studies, Anthropology, Art History, Business Economics, Humanities and Arts, and Film and Media Studies. The students opting for the Bachelor of Science degree program can specialize in areas such as Aerospace Engineering, Genetics, Informatics, Microbiology and Immunology, Public Health Sciences, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Graduate and Doctoral Degree Programs

The graduate degree programs offered at University of California-Irvine are: Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Advanced Study (M.A.S.), Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.), and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.). The doctoral programs available at University of California-Irvine are Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Admissions in the University of California-Irvine are primarily granted on the basis of academic excellence, number of college preparatory courses completed, the level of achievement in these courses, Advanced Placement, and college courses completed. Other factors influencing the chances of admission include the high school grade point average for the specified subjects and the standardized test scores. Another important evaluation criterion is the student’s personal achievement outside the classroom.

The application procedure involves submitting the admission application form, official high school transcripts, and ACT/SAT (Reasoning Test) test scores. After the applications are screened, candidates are intimated about their status. Students are then required to return a Statement of Intent to Register.

International Applicants

International students are required to submit the international application form, original secondary school transcripts/national exam score report, and certificates/provisional diplomas. They are also required to provide evidence of their proficiency in English by submitting their TOEFL/IELTS scores. Students are supposed to provide a certificate of finances to demonstrate availability of funds to finance the education and living expenses for a year.

Financial Aid

University of California-Irvine provides financial aid to students to help them meet their educational expenses. The basic objective of providing financial aid is to bridge the gap between family resources and annual educational expenses of the students enrolled for various programs at University of California-Irvine. Different financial aid programs available for the students are: grants, work-study opportunities, scholarships, and student loans.

Scholarships, Grants, and Loans

The need-based grant options include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B, and UCI Grant. Students can avail various loan options such as Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Student Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized), Federal Parent PLUS loan, Graduate PLUS Loans, and University Loan. Students can also apply for work-study programs wherein they can seek in-campus and off-campus work-study positions. The merit-based and need-based scholarships offered to the students of University of California-Irvine include Regents’ Scholarships, Henry Samueli Endowed Scholarship, Brython P. Davis Scholarship, LaVerne Noyes Scholarship, and Mabel Wilson Richards Scholarship.

FAFSA

To apply for financial aid from University of California-Irvine, students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education. To be eligible for financial aid, students must be U.S citizens or eligible non-citizens. University of California-Irvine recommends a priority deadline of March 2 to apply for the financial aid.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 5248th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in California.

Students

University of California-Irvine believes that students play an active role in enhancing their classroom studies by participating in community services, cultural events, sports, and extracurricular activities. The students of the university publish the weekly campus newspaper known as the New University. They also participate in operating the campus radio station, KUCI, which is also streamed online. The university bookstore stocks new and used textbooks, computer software, apparels, gifts, supplies and bags.

The Career Center provides valuable guidance to the students to assist them in career decision-making, career planning, apply for jobs, and preparing for interviews. The Counseling Center organizes workshops to address interpersonal, developmental, and cross-cultural issues. The Campus Recreation office promotes a healthy lifestyle by getting the students involved in adventure pursuits, fitness, sports, and special events. The university also offers six Child Care centers for the children of the students, staff, and faculty.

University of California-Irvine: Housing and Dining

University of California-Irvine offers on-campus and off-campus housing support for the students. The university has two residence halls – Mesa Court and Middle Earth which are situated close to the university campus. These residence halls offer coed buildings that can accommodate 48-75 residents in suite-style units. The facilities available in the residence halls include cable TV, internet connections, kitchenette, laundry facilities, recreation rooms, and computer labs.

Dining facilities are available for the students of University of California-Irvine throughout the campus. The dining options include Wendy’s, Panda Express, Bene Pizza & Pasta, Jamba Juice, Quiznos, Organic Greens-to-Go, and Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

University of California-Irvine athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division I. The university is a member of the Big West Conference. There are 18 athletic teams which compete in men’s basketball, cross country, track and field, baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, volleyball, and water polo. The women’s teams compete in tennis, cross country, golf, soccer, volleyball, basketball, outdoor track and field, and water polo.

Bibliography

University of California-Irvine. About the Campus. Web. 15 December 2011.

University of California-Irvine. Admissions. Web. 15 December 2011.

University of California-Irvine. 2011 – 2012 General Catalogue. 2011. Print.

University of California-Irvine