The University of Iowa is a major national research university with a broad-based liberal arts foundation. Founded in 1847 as Iowas first public institution of higher education, it has won international recognition for its wealth of achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities and offers several top-ranking programs. The university is composed of eleven colleges, the largest of which is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, enrolling most of Iowas undergraduates. The Henry B. Tippie College of Business, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Law, Nursing, and Pharmacy enroll undergraduates, and, with the Colleges of Dentistry and Public Health, provide graduate education in conjunction with the Graduate College. Located in one of six cities in the world designated a City of Literature by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Iowa is home to the world-renowned Writers Workshop, International Writing Program, and the Playwrights Workshop. Its research programs in genetics, hydraulics, and speech and hearing are world-renowned, and it operates one of the countrys most advanced and comprehensive university-owned teaching hospitals. The University of Iowa enrolls more than 30,000 students, yet 81 percent of its undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students. Students can choose from more than 200 areas of study and nearly 500 student groups. More than 1,300 students studied abroad last year, programs range from one year to a few weeks in length. A University-wide honors program is dedicated to advancing Iowas best students and the Center for Research by Undergraduates helps students connect with mentors and research opportunities in every discipline, while the Leadership Development Program offers leadership training, education, and development opportunities. Sports fans enjoy Big Ten and NCAA Division I athletics for 22 Hawkeye varsity squads and more than 170 home events each year. Recreation facilities, including a new $69-million 215,000-square-foot Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, offer opportunities to swim, run, lift weights, climb, and more. The picturesque campus is adjacent to downtown Iowa City, home to numerous coffee houses, dance clubs, and a wide variety of restaurants along with art galleries, clothing boutiques, and other local shops. Other entertainment options on and off campus include live music, theater, dance, readings by famous authors and poets, film screenings at a student-run cinema and lectures by luminaries such as Niel de Grasse Tyson, Temple Grandin, Robert Reich and Tom Brokaw.

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