There are many good reasons why IUP is consistently ranked among the best institutions in the region by a wide variety of sources, including The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges publications; Donald Asher’s Cool Colleges: For the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late Blooming and Just Plain Different; Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine; Arco’s Dollarwise Guide to American Colleges; Barron’s Best Buys in College Education; The New York Times; Money magazine; and U.S. News and World Report. Here are some of those reasons:
Breadth of High-Quality Programs
Undergraduates can choose from roughly 120 majors. IUP also offers more than fifty graduate programs, including eight doctoral programs. Students can challenge themselves with honors programs in almost every major or attend the nationally renowned Robert E. Cook Honors College.
Strong Graduate Programs
Graduate students at IUP gain the advantages of a nationally recognized university known for its commitment to high-quality research. They work with distinguished faculty members who regularly secure prestigious research grants and make noteworthy contributions to their discipline’s body of knowledge.
Faculty
IUP students enjoy an 18-to-1 student/faculty ratio. Nearly all classes are taught by fully qualified faculty scholars. Some faculty members have won Fulbright Teacher Exchange awards to study and research in other countries. Many publish books and contribute to professional journals. Faculty research wins sponsorship by major institutions such as the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Education.
Campus and Location
The main IUP campus is in the heart of Indiana County, close to recreation of all kinds and only an hour away from Pittsburgh. IUP’s location puts students in a safe, friendly, small-town environment within easy reach of all the opportunities a big city has to offer.
Hands-on Learning
An IUP education is rigorous and research based. Every IUP program endeavors to prepare students for the real-world challenges they will face after graduation. Our students engage in applied learning through laboratory work, internships, and exchange programs.
Transfer-Friendly
Students who want to transfer to IUP from another academic institution will find an admissions staff dedicated to their success. IUP’s transfer coordinators work hard to make the transfer process as smooth and easy as possible.
Distance Learning
Undergraduate and graduate courses are available to students who may have work or family schedules that conflict with on-campus classes. Through IUP’s distance learning, students have the flexibility to take select courses on line, making a quality IUP education available anytime.
A Diverse, Vibrant, Welcoming Community
IUP attracts and sponsors a wide variety of local, national, and international cultural events that make both the campus and the surrounding town a vibrant place for the arts as well as for intellectual pursuits. In addition, more than 220 student clubs and organizations thrive on campus, ensuring that the IUP experience is as much about shared activities and memories outside the classroom as it as about collaboration and dialogue within.
Division II Athletics
IUP competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and is an NCAA Division II member. The university sponsors eight varsity sports for men and eleven for women, with scholarships available for all of them. In the 2005-2006 school year, eight sports sent teams or individuals to postseason competition. IUP students also get involved in a variety of club and intramural sports.
Excellent Value
All of the above add up to one thing: value. That’s why IUP is nationally recognized for offering an education of real value. In addition to keeping tuition costs competitive (undergraduate tuition, not including housing or dining, for the 2006-2007 academic year was $6,390; graduate tuition was $7,117), IUP disburses substantial financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and low-interest loans. In fact, more than 80 percent of IUP students receive financial assistance in one form or another.
I have had an incredible experience at IUP. My professors have all been great, always ready to offer me one-on-one help. I’ve also made friends for a lifetime. The thought of graduating and leaving IUP makes me sad. But I’m also excited about entering ‘the real world’ because I know that IUP has prepared me well.
—Erin Moffat, Political Science
