University of California, Irvine

uc irvine accreditation

Popular Degrees at the University of California Irvine

The Georgia Institute of Technology appears in our ranking of 30 Great Colleges With An Increasing Student Population.

Students who are interested in attending the University of California Irvine, or UCI, have a wide variety of degrees they can choose from. Students have options from degrees in the arts, biological sciences, education, engineering, medicine, nursing science, social ecology, and many other focuses.

Some of the most popular programs offered at UCI are the biological sciences and business-related courses. Students can take part in undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. level classes at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Another competitive branch of the University of California Irvine is the medical school. Several thousands of students strive to get accepted, as the clinical experiences and hands-on learning style of the school is unparalleled. Of the thousands who apply, only 108 students are accepted.

There are also several courses that are offered online. Nearly 8 percent of the student population at UCI takes some form of an online course. These courses can range from single classes to complete degrees. Students are offered online Master’s programs in the fields of forensic psychology and criminology. The Master’s degree program of Advanced Study in Criminology, Law, and Society offers a deeper look for students in the theoretical and practical applications of law and social policy, all through the convenience of online education. Similarly, the Master’s program of Legal and Forensic Psychology focuses on psychological principals and how they play a role in the legal process. These are just a few of the many popular and important online degree programs offered at the University of California Irvine.

About the University of California Irvine

All of these prestigious programs start at UCI, but how did UCI start? The story of the University of California Irvine began not too long ago. The school was founded in 1965 with Daniel Aldrich as the founding chancellor. Compared to other universities and colleges, UCI is considered still very new and young. A little over 50-years old, UCI has already excelled in its biological and economic impact. When the university first opened its doors, only 1,000 students were enrolled, and the first graduating class consisted of just 14 students.

The focus of the school during its first few years was biological sciences, which is why its medical school is so prestigious and renowned. In 1996, the University of California, Irvine became the youngest university to be accepted into the respected Association of American Universities. Due to the hard work and lasting impressions of UCI professors and faculty in the fields of academics and research, the university gained entrance fairly quickly into the organization.

The good news for UCI doesn’t stop there. A UCI physiology and biophysics professor, Irwin Rose, received a Nobel Prize for his discoveries in 2004 about ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. Also in 2004, former president Barack Obama spoke at a commencement ceremony and praised the university for being “ahead of the curve.” In fact, UCI was ranked as the #3 best college in the US by Money magazine and also brought home the prize for being the #7 best university in the US by US News & World Report . For this reason, the number of students is also very high. There were over 35,000 students enrolled in UCI in 2018, with 29,736 undergraduates and over 7,000 in graduate programs.

University of California Irvine Accreditation Details

UCI is accredited by the Senior Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Aside from that, there are also several specific programs and degrees that have been awarded accreditation. The undergraduate degree program for chemistry has been accredited by the American Chemical Society, while the undergraduate majors in Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and several others are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

The well-known law, medical, and business programs at UCI are also properly accredited. The School of Law at UCI is fully accredited by the American Bar Association, the M.D. program of the School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, and the Paul Merage School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

University of California Irvine Application Requirements

Just like any other university, UCI has specific requirements that students need before filling out an application for admission. While every student’s application is slightly different depending on which program and field they’re applying for, here is what a student must have for a general application.

  •  Fulfill application fee of $80 per UC campus
  •  Complete transcripts from previous schools and colleges
  •  List of schools attended after 9th grade, regardless of whether credits are transferable or not
  •  Test scores for college board exams, including the SAT and ACT or other acceptable exams
  •  Proof of annual income
  •  Proof of citizenship

These are the basic requirements that every student, whether they’re applying for undergraduate, graduate or online courses, must supply on their application. Specific questions and requests for students become available after the application has been reviewed and accepted.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition at UCI is designed to be affordable and provide a comfortable living experience for students. Here are the latest tuition amounts for UCI students, both residents of California and beyond.

Cost of Attendance for Non-California Residents: (Tuition and fees) $42,900 + (Books and supplies) $1,200 + (Health insurance allowance/fee) $2,400 + (Room and board) $15,800 + (Personal/transportation) $2,000 = Total: $64,300

Cost of Attendance for California Residents: (Tuition and fees) $13,900 + (Books and supplies) $1,200 + (Health insurance allowance/fee) $2,400 + (Room and board) $15,800 + (Personal/transportation) $2,000 = Total: $35,300

The financial aid system set up at the University of California Irvine provides a good amount of assistance to students. In fact, more than half of the undergraduate students at UCI don’t pay tuition at all; it’s completely covered by grants and scholarships. There are a variety of scholarships, federal aid, and work-study opportunities, as well as loans available to the student population at the University of California, Irvine.