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About DePaul and Chicago

​DePaul at a Glance

DePaul University is a private institution founded in 1898 by the Vincentians. ​DePaul is located in the great city of Chicago.  There are over 300 degree programs across various majors  including, business, sciences & health, computer science, music, communications - allowing students to thrive with a strong liberal arts education at its core.

Academic Calendar - Quarter System

DePaul operates on a quarter system.  Unlike semesters, quarters are 10 weeks in length, occurring in the fall, winter, spring and summer. The University's Academic Calendar includes official start and end dates of quarter terms. A typical schedule of academic terms can be found below:

Fall Quarter - September to November
(Note: There is four week "December Intercession" break between Fall and Winter Quarters.)
Winter Quarter - January to March
Spring Quarter - March to June
Summer Quarter - June to August

There are several advantages to a quarter system including students taking internships or travel home during December Intercession, flexibility to add a 2nd major or minor, and getting involved in service projects.

Location: Chicago, Illinois

DePaul is set in the heart of Chicago - the 3rd largest city and one of the most vibrant and exciting in the U.S.  In Chicago, there are hundreds of corporations - including headquarters for 30 Fortune 500 companies such as Walgreens, McDonald's, Boeing, and United Airlines.  It is also home to 50 museums, 200 art galleries including the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago, 7,300 restaurants and seven professional sports teams.  DePaul, rooted in Chicago, has connections to nearly every industry.  This allows our students to gain access to internships during the academic school year and in summer quarters. 

Two Campuses in One Great City 

At DePaul, the "college town" is the entire city of Chicago.  We are unique in that we have two campuses, Loop and Lincoln Park, in the city of Chicago. DePaul students receive a "U-Pass" at orientation, which gives them unlimited rides on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and trains throughout the entire city while classes are in session.

  • Loop Campus
    • The Loop is the city's largest business district. It’s called "the Loop" because of the elevated train tracks that circle the area, allowing for easy access not only to classrooms but all that downtown has to offer.
  • Lincoln Park Campus
    • Lincoln Park is a residential and retail center, bordered by Lake Michigan and a huge park (think the size of 900 football fields, 14 Portillo's restaurants and an Intelligentsia coffee shop). This is an eclectic and lively neighborhood.

Our virtual campus tour explores both the Loop and Lincoln Park campuses and showcases transportation stops, restaurants, residency halls, academic buildings and many more places relevant to students. An aerial tour is also available online.

Rankings

While rankings do not tell the whole story, they do point to important aspects of who we are and what makes DePaul unique.

  • Ranked #151 out of 1,800 National Universities, U.S. News & World Report (2024)
  • #59 in Best Value Schools, U.S. News & World Report (2024)
  • Ranked in the Top 25 American Film Schools, The Hollywood Reporter (2023)
  • #10 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program in the Nation, The Princeton Review (2024)
  • #14 MBA Entrepreneurship Program, The Princeton Review (2024)
  • #11 Game Design Program in the Nation, Animation Career Review (2024)
  • Named #1 Outstanding PR Education Program of the Year, PRWeek Awards (2022)