Illinois State University: Founded in 1857, Illinois State is a coeducational, residential university that emphasizes undergraduate study. Its 34 academic departments in 6 colleges offer 63 undergraduate programs in more than 160 fields of study. The Graduate School coordinates 38 masters, 2 specialist, and 7 doctoral programs. Illinois State ranks 74th among the top 100 public universities in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report rankings of “Best National Universities” released in fall 2014. Bloomington-Normal Community: Illinois State University is located in the twin-city community of Bloomington-Normal, with a population of approximately 125,000 and is located within easy driving distance of the financial and business centers in Chicago and St. Louis. Expansion Management Magazine rated Bloomington-Normal as one of two metro areas with a five-star quality of life, giving the community high rankings in such areas as standard of living, quality of schools, and traffic and commute. In their most current rankings, Forbes ranked Bloomington-Normal as 20th in its list of the Smartest Cities in America. For more information, please visit our website at: http://ww...w.ilstu.edu/ Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran.