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Northwestern University
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Northwestern University - Academics - Academics - College ProwlerCollege Prowler5.00

Academics

A+
Where does this grade come from?View all Academics rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Academics Grades:

Quick Stats

Student-Faculty Ratio 7:1
Full-Time Student Population 16,737
Part-Time Student Population 3,822
Full-Time Instructional Faculty 1,310
Part-Time Instructional Faculty 184
Total FT Faculty 2,323
Faculty with Terminal Degree 100%
Average Faculty Salary $121,504
Full-Time Retention Rate 96%
Graduation Rate 94%
Programs/Majors Offered 174
Average Course Load 4 courses
Academic/Career Counseling? Yes
Remedial Services? No
Class Sizes
  • Fewer than 20 students: 73%
  • 20 to 49 students: 20%
  • 50 or more students: 7%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Academics at Northwestern are what you make of them. The key is to take advantage of the multitude of resources available to you. Northwestern is known to have top-rated professors who are experts in their fields. NU chemistry and economics professors are Nobel laureates, the theatre and film departments made up of actors and directors, and the journalism school boasts professors who have written for some of the most prominent publications in the country. No matter what you study, though, you will be learning from the best of the best. Most of the professors do research and teach, so you know that they are very invested in their subjects, and for the most part, in you, as well. Go to office hours and engage with your professors. They will be more than happy to help, and they usually make an effort to know your name, something that can make a 100-plus lecture class feel a bit more personal.

Don’t be fooled, though: Northwestern is an extremely fast-paced academic environment. Because the University operates on the quarter system, students have three sets of classes each year: fall quarter, which is from September to December, winter quarter from January to March, and spring quarter from March to June. Classes are only 10 weeks long, which means that midterms sometimes come around before you even know what the class is about! If you stay on top of your work, though, the quarter system opens up possibilities for you to take more classes each year and have more flexibility for study abroad or internships. And if you just hate a distro (distribution) class, it's over before you know it!

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Northwestern University Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Academics at Northwestern University

HelenW

Public Policy, Administration, and Social Work '13

4.2
A-

Reputation

I think that Northwestern has lived up to their excellent reputation. I am in the School of Continuing Studies program, and everyone has been nice and helpful. It is however the hardest course work that I have ever done, but I am constantly being challenged and pushing myself.

May 16, 2012

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Academics at Northwestern University

HelenW

Public Policy, Administration, and Social Work '13

4.2
A-

Professors Are Unique

Through Northwestern, I have been exposed to professors who are very talented and resourceful. What I like about them is that they are real people who I can relate too. They talk about the mistakes they have made in their careers and their successes. Their resources offer a lot of opportunities and advice.

May 16, 2012

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Academics at Northwestern University

WildCat1992

Performing Arts '15

4.6
A

Wonderful Theatre Program

The theatre program here is extremely well-known, and for a reason. Freshmen often complain because they cannot start the acting classes until sophomore year, but they are well worth the wait. What's great about the program is how balanced it is. You take theatre classes, are allowed to work on as many shows as you want, and can audition as well. But you also take classes outside of theatre, and non-performance classes related to theatre such as design or history. The theatre community is a very big part of campus here, and full of some of the most fun and friendly people. The proximity to Chicago makes the possibility of working in theatre in the area possible for graduating students or people looking for summer work. You'll walk out of here with a great education as well as wonderful theatre experience.

Mar 10, 2012

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Page 1 of 18
User rating for Northwestern University - Academics is 4.6 out of 5 based on 53 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate your school’s professors on the following topics

Rate your school’s academic environment on the following topics

Facts

Instructional Programs Occupational: No
Academic: Yes
Continuing Professional: No
Recreational/Avocational: No
Adult Basic Remedial: No
Secondary (High School): No
Special Credit Opportunities Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: Yes
Dual Credit: Yes
Life Experience Credits: No
AP Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 4 and higher
Undergraduate Schools/Divisions
  • Bienen School of Music
  • Kellogg School of Management
  • McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
  • Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
  • School of Communication
  • School of Continuing Studies
  • School of Education and Social Policy
  • Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Degrees Awarded
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Certificate
  • Doctorate - Professional practice
  • Doctorate - Research/scholarship
  • Master's degree
  • Post-master's certificate
Most Popular Majors
  • Business Administration and Management: 3%
  • Finance, General: 3%
  • Management Science: 3%
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 4%
Graduation Requirements
  • Arts/fine arts
  • English (including composition)
  • Foreign languages
  • Humanities
  • Mathematics
  • Sciences (biological or physical)
  • Social science
Special Study Options
  • Distance learning opportunities
  • Study abroad
  • Teacher certification (below the postsecondary level)
  • Weekend/evening college
Other Academic Offerings
  • Accelerated program
  • Cooperative education program
  • Double major
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Liberal arts/career combination
  • Student-designed major
Best Places to Study
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Deering Library
  • The Lakefill (when it’s nice out)
  • Norris University Center
  • University Library

Online Courses

Northwestern offers a few online master's programs through its School of Continuing Studies.

Did You Know?
  • Chemistry professor Chad Mirkin was named the most cited chemist in the world by "Science Watch" in 2009.
  • Professor Dale Mortensen won the Nobel Prize for economics in 2010.
  • "Primal Scream," where students all over campus scream their lungs out to relieve stress, occurs at 9 p.m., the Sunday of finals week each quarter. You don't know how crazy this is until your studying is interrupted by people bursting into shrieks all around you, whether you're in the library or in your dorm's lounge.

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Shayna Starr
Hometown
Houston, Texas
Major
Journalism
Grad Year
2014

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.