University of California-Irvine

The University of California – Irvine is a public, 4-year university located in Irvine, CA, 40 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The campus was established in 1965 as one of three new UC campuses established in the 1960s to accommodate growing enrollments across the UC system. UC Irvine represents one of the 10 campuses in the University of California system. The sprawling 1500 acre campus is centered around Aldrich Park and features buildings of both modern and contemporary architecture. The city of Irvine is a planned city and serves as headquarters to many technology companies and other corporations. Among the many notable alumni of UC Irvine are Olympic Diver Greg Louganis and actor Jon Lovitz.

Academic Programs

The University of California Irvine is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission and offers Bachelor’s Degrees, post-baccalaureate Certificates, Master’s Degrees and Doctorates in over 80 majors. Noted for Nursing, English Language and Public Health, the largest programs on campus are in Social Sciences, Engineering and Bio/BioMed fields. The University is comprised of many colleges and schools: Claire Trevor School of the Arts; Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences; Paul Merage School of Business; School of Education; Henry Samueli School of Engineering; School of Humanities; Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences; School of Law; School of Medicine; Program in Nursing Science; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; School of Physical Sciences; Program in Public Health; School of Social Ecology; and School of Social Sciences. Per the Mission statement, the University combines “the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.”

Student Life

There are almost 25,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the University of California Irvine, many of whom reside on campus among the many residence halls, suites and apartments that make up several communities on campus. The university sponsors over 650 clubs and organizations including club sports and intramurals. For the varsity athlete, the blue and gold Anteaters, led by Peter the Anteater, field teams in 8 sports and participate in NCAA Division I competition. Among the traditional calendar events is Midnight Magic at the start of Basketball season – where coaches and players are introduced for the new season. Being a large school located in a densely populated region, activity choices abound both on and off campus. Students understand that “UC Irvine is a multicultural community of people from diverse backgrounds. Our activities, programs, classes, workshops, lectures, and everyday interactions are enriched by our acceptance of one another, and we strive to learn from each other in an atmosphere of positive engagement and mutual respect.”