About the Undergraduate College
At National Louis University (NLU), nontraditional is our tradition—from our revolutionary inception to our innovative undergraduate college. For generations, that’s how we’ve enabled students to write their personal and professional success stories.
NLU annually serves over approximately 4,000 first-time college students and transfer students of all ages at the undergraduate level. Led by Jamal Scott, Ed.D., Vice President, Undergraduate Education & Dean, UGC, our Undergraduate College offers a uniquely affordable, rigorous, supportive, and professionally-focused education to students across a variety of major options, such as business, education, computer science and information systems, and social and behavioral sciences.
Our commitment is to provide equity of access to higher education for students of all backgrounds, and to prepare our students with the knowledge and skills to succeed as professionals and engaged citizens. We empower our graduates to achieve positive outcomes for themselves, their families, and communities. In 2019, College Factual rated NLU in the top 5% of schools in the nation for serving non-traditional students, and in 2022, Washington Monthly rated NLU #4 nationally in driving students' social mobility.
NLU’s innovative student-focused approach to undergraduate education has several distinctive features:
- Affordable tuition—among the best values in our region for pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
- A personalized instructional approach with small classes and an active, technology-enabled classroom model. You get to know your professors, apply what you learn in a hands-on environment, and never get lost in the crowd.
- Flexible, convenient, and predictable course schedule options tailored to student needs—with day-time, evening, weekend, campus-based, community-based, and online offerings.
- Success/career coaches provide one-stop personal, academic, and career guidance. NLU also provides comprehensive wrap-around services such as counseling and a food pantry on-campus.
- Career preparation integrated across the academic experience, including multiple career-readiness courses, an assigned career coach, embedded field experience in your desired career path, and access to many employer partners – so that you walk across the NLU graduation stage with a great job offer in hand.
NLU’s goal is that students graduate on-time, with minimal debt, and with the knowledge and skills to succeed as professionals and engaged citizens in the 21st century. We know that success is defined not only by your graduation from college, but also by you achieving your professional and life goals following graduation – and we are committed to preparing you to succeed on the path of your choosing.
NLU's innovative approach to undergraduate education includes the Pathways program for first-time undergraduates, our Direct to Success (D2S) program for community college transfer students, and our strong legacy in serving adult degree completers. Read more about the Undergraduate College’s history here:
- "NLU's Pathways program key to record jump in applications" - Chicago Sun-Times
- "National Louis program gives low-income students their chance at college" - Daily Herald
- Case Study: Pathways NLU U Chicago Case Study (pdf file)
- Case Study: How to Close the Degree Attainment Gap? Data, Dedication, and Collaboration (pdf file)
- Case Study: Data-Informed Teaching Excellence – College Classes That Work for Underrepresented students (pdf file)
- National Louis University launches new transfer-friendly program, Direct to Success!
