Judson University (Private/Four-Year)
1151 N. State St., Elgin, Ill., and
1055 Featherstone Road, Rockford, Ill.
www.JudsonU.edu
Judson University is an evangelical Christian university offering a liberal arts education through a variety of undergraduate and “practitioner-based” graduate programs.
Two campuses provide the Judson experience – the main campus along the Fox River, in Elgin, and an extension campus in Rockford.
Founded in 1913 as the Northern Theological Seminary, Judson was formed out of that school’s move to the Chicago suburbs. The school is named after Adoniram Judson, the first American Protestant missionary sent abroad.
Students can find more than 60 undergraduate majors, minors and pre-professional programs. The adult undergraduate program offers six majors, including the newly-formed communications management major, while graduate programs cover architecture, education and organizational leadership.
Classes are small, and fully 81 percent have fewer than 20 students. Fewer than 1 percent of classes have 50 or more students.
The 90-acre riverside campus includes four residence halls, a campus apartment building, fine arts center, fitness center, student center and 700-seat chapel. Judson leads the way in innovative design, with the new Weber Academic Center which is rated LEED Gold – one of the highest honors in green design. It’s the perfect home for the only evangelical Christian school that offers a fully-accredited graduate program in architecture. This program is gaining recognition for its innovations, including a one-year preceptorship and its context in an evangelical Christian institution.
Nearly 30 student organizations and a variety of sports teams offer students a chance to be involved on campus.
Some students also choose to partipate in one of the many study-abroad options. England, Japan, Russia, Egypt, Uganda, Australia and Costa Rica are among the 20 options available. Many students also work with internship programs in Chicago and Los Angeles, where they get involved in inner-city schools, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, film studies and much more.
In 1994, Judson opened its Center for Adult Professional Studies, which offers quality accelerated education for non-traditional students. This new program offers opportunities for adults to earn their degree or certificate on a schedule that works for them. Classes are available during evenings and online, with professors whose professional experience and advanced degrees make them experts in their fields of interest. ❚