Address: 101 Jessup Hall, 52242 Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Creative Writing, Health Sciences, Speech and Hearing Sciences
The University of Iowa was founded in 1847 and sits beside the Iowa River in Iowa City. The university calls itself the oldest institution of higher education in the state, and Britannica describes it as the oldest public institution of higher learning in Iowa. It is a public research university, and both sources say it was the first public university in the United States to admit men and women on an equal basis.
The university enrolls more than 31,000 students. Its colleges include medicine, law, public health, pharmacy, nursing, education and engineering, among others. The Carver College of Medicine works with the university’s teaching hospital, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which is part of University of Iowa Health Care. Iowa belongs to the Big Ten Conference and to the Association of American Universities.
Creative writing gives the university much of its public reputation. The Iowa Writers’ Workshop became an official program in 1936 and is a graduate-level programme leading to the Master of Fine Arts. Britannica notes that Iowa was the first institution in the nation to award advanced degrees in creative writing, theatre and music, and the university’s own profile cites recognized leadership in the study and craft of writing.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Signal Processing, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Home to the world-renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Major academic medical center (University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics). Member of Big Ten Academic Alliance and AAU.
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in health sciences (genetics, neuroscience, public health), writing, speech and hearing sciences, and engineering (hydraulics, simulation).
Famous Alumnis:
Tennessee Williams (attended), Flannery O’Connor, Kurt Vonnegut (taught), Gene Wilder, Tom Brokaw
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8000
Current students***:
32000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
280000
Pros
World-class writing programs, excellent health sciences and medical center, vibrant arts scene, located in a highly ranked college town (Iowa City).
Cons
Located in a smaller Midwestern city, some programs less prominent than top-tier research universities, state funding can be a challenge.
Best For
Students interested in creative writing, health sciences, or a strong liberal arts education, often valuing a classic college town atmosphere and a rich arts and cultural environment.
University of Missouri-Columbia is a public university in Columbia that lists journalism, agriculture and health sciences, so its health and communication strengths parallel Iowa's.
Public and research-focused, University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis pairs health sciences with engineering and agriculture.
University of Kansas in Lawrence is a public university with pharmacy, special education and public administration, fields close to Iowa's health and speech sciences.
Indiana University Bloomington is a public university where music, business and public affairs schools match Iowa's mix of arts and professional programmes.
University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom is a public university with arts, divinity, medicine and science, a humanities-and-health profile comparable to Iowa's.
University of Melbourne in Australia is a public university covering medicine, engineering, science, arts, law, business and music.
University of Canterbury in New Zealand is a public university with arts, business, education, engineering, health, law and science.
Western University in Canada is a public university listed for health sciences, engineering and the Ivey Business School.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was the University of Iowa established?
It was founded in 1847, and the university calls itself the oldest institution of higher education in Iowa, and Britannica describes it as the oldest public institution of higher learning in the state. Its home is Iowa City, beside the Iowa River.
Did Iowa pioneer coeducation among public universities?
The university and Britannica both state that it was the first public university in the United States to admit men and women on an equal basis. This is one of the points the university highlights in its history.
How many students attend?
Enrollment is above 31,000, with the large majority at undergraduate level. Current figures are published by the university each term.
Which colleges make up the university?
They include medicine, law, public health, pharmacy, nursing, education and engineering, among others. Each college publishes its own programme list on the official site.
What is the Iowa Writers' Workshop?
It is a graduate program in creative writing that became official in 1936 and leads to a Master of Fine Arts. Britannica describes it as internationally known.
Which associations does the university belong to?
It is a member of the Big Ten Conference in athletics and of the Association of American Universities. Both memberships are listed on the university profile.
Where is the university's medical centre?
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is on the university's campus in Iowa City and is part of University of Iowa Health Care. It serves as a teaching partner for the Carver College of Medicine.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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