Eastern Illinois University

What is the history of Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University is a public university in Charleston, Illinois, with roots in teacher preparation. Founded in 1895 as Eastern Illinois State Normal School, it opened to students in 1899 to train teachers for the region's schools.

The institution later became Eastern Illinois State Teachers College, then Eastern Illinois State College, before adopting the Eastern Illinois University name in 1957. Those changes reflect its expansion beyond teacher education into the wider range of undergraduate and graduate fields offered today. Teacher preparation remains part of its academic identity, but prospective students will also find programs in business, the sciences, health-related fields, the arts and other disciplines.

What are the faculties and departments at Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University organizes its academic programs across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Health and Human Services, and Lumpkin College of Business and Technology. The Graduate School oversees graduate study across academic areas.

That structure gives applicants a useful starting point for exploring majors: prospective teachers can examine education programs, while students interested in accounting, finance or technology can look within Lumpkin College. Other offerings include biology, English, music, psychology, nursing and communication-related fields. EIU offers bachelor's and graduate credentials, but admission to the university does not necessarily mean admission to a selective major. Applicants considering fields with clinical placements, licensure requirements, portfolios or other prerequisites should check the requirements of the specific program as well as the university's general admissions rules.

What is the location of Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University's main campus is in Charleston, a small city in east-central Illinois. Its setting is different from that of an urban university: campus facilities and the surrounding community play a larger role in everyday student life, while trips farther afield generally require planning.

Charleston and nearby Mattoon provide shopping, services and regional transportation connections. Students comparing housing or internships should consider whether they will have access to a car; first-year students are permitted to register or park one on campus, subject to university parking rules. The University of Illinois Willard Airport near Champaign is a regional air-travel option, but students should check routes and ground transportation rather than assume a convenient direct connection to Charleston.

What is the mission and vision of Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University describes its purpose as providing accessible undergraduate and graduate education through teaching, scholarship and service. Its public-university mission also emphasizes student learning and engagement with the communities it serves.

That stated mission helps explain why EIU combines liberal arts study with professional programs such as education, business and health-related fields. It is an institutional statement of priorities, not a measure of whether every student will have the same experience. Applicants can evaluate how those priorities appear in a particular major by reviewing its curriculum, faculty, advising arrangements and opportunities for applied work.