Campus Description — UC Irvine

Interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research are hallmarks of UC Irvine. Since its founding in 1965, UCI has been a driving force of innovation and discovery that benefits local, national and global communitites in multiple ways. The campus is a center for educational excellence, fostering a passionate and enthusiastic expansion of knowledge and scholarship. UCI attracts many of the most accomplished, interesting, and energetic students and faculty to its incomparable Southern California location.

Academic Highlights

UC Irvine is noted internationally for its rich academic programs and stellar faculty. The campus’s long-standing commitment to undergraduate education and research excellence yields a wealth of programs across all academic disciplines.

Irvine's distinctive undergraduate research programs allow students to work closely with faculty mentors as early as the freshman year. Those who are new to the campus find that at UCI the strengths of a large resarch university are combined with the friendly feel of a small college. In fact, students may even find themselves conducting research for or attending a lecture by a Nobel laureate -- UCI's prestigious faculty and researchers are that accessible. All undergraduates on the UCI campus can participate in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. In learning how to conduct research, students develop skills they will use throughout their lives, such as critical analysis, problem-solving and communication. Our students access research opportunities in every discipline and can carry out their work at outside agencies, including national laboratories, industrial partners, community service agencies and other universities.

Students may choose from 75 undergraduate majors, 50 minors and myriad specializations, concentrations and emphases offered by the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, School of Biological Sciences, Henry Samueli School of Engineering, College of Health Sciences, School of Humanities, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, School of Social Ecology, School of Social Sciences and e Paul Merage School of Business.

UCI encourages study abroad and offers opportunities through the UC Education Abroad Program and the International Opportunities Program (IOP). Students may choose from 150 host universities in 33 countries around the world and can experience a different culture while making progress toward their degrees. IOP provides information, counseling and assistance in placing students in international study, short-term employment, field research, volunteer work, internships, and non-credentialed teaching abroad.

The Campuswide Honors Program and Humanities Honors Program are open to outstanding students in all majors. The programs’ special curricula feature seminar-style classes, independent research projects or creative performance, and mentorship from top UCI faculty. Major-specific honors programs at the upper-division level and several Excellence in Research programs are also available.

Campus Life

The contemporary campus sits on 1,500 acres of coastal foothills in Orange County. UCI is just five miles from Newport Bay and the Pacific Ocean, and is centrally located to bike trails, hiking, desert camping and mountain resorts.

Aldrich Park is the centerpiece of the campus. Its unique circular design consists of sweeping lawns, native shrubs and large trees, and it is surrounded by the university's academic buildings.

With nearly 400 student clubs and organizations, students can readily find friends who share their interests. Multicultural festivals, concerts, films, lectures, plays and fine arts performances provide a broad range of social and leadership opportunities.

An NCAA Division I school, UCI has an athletics program featuring 23 sports (11 men's and 11 women's teams and a coed sailing program). The Anteaters have won 25 national championships in nine sports, and more than 2,000 students have been honored as Big West Conference Scholar-Athletes. UCI has also had over 400 All-Americans. Additionally, the campus boasts a complete state-of-the-art sports and fitness facility, the Anteater Recreation Center.

Student housing at UCI exists in a variety of community settings — residence halls, academic theme houses and Greek chapter houses. Furnished, on-campus apartments for sophomores, juniors and seniors are the newest housing alternative. Vista del Campo at UCI has been named Best Student Housing Apartment Community by the National Association of Home Builders.