uic personal statement reddit

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the University of Illinois at Chicago Essays 2023-2024

UIC has one required supplemental essay for all students, and two required essays for students applying to the honors college. The supplemental essay for all applicants asks about your interest in your intended major. The honors college prompts ask about your academic challenges and successes in high school, and how the honors college will help you grow personally and professionally.

To be competitive for admission at UIC, you should have strong essays that will stand out and convince admissions officers that you are a good fit for the university. In this post, we’ll discuss how you can write winning essays for UIC.

University of Illinois at Chicago Essay Prompts

All applicants, please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. what interests you the most about this major please be specific – those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. if undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college (50-500 words), honors college applicants.

Prompt 1: Please describe in detail ways that you have sought out academic challenges and personal growth opportunities while in high school. Examples can include activities both inside or outside of your school. (400-500 words)

Prompt 2: How will your engagement with the Honors College foster your academic, personal, and professional growth? (400-500 words)

Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) Applicants

By applying to the gppa programs, you are applying for a guaranteed seat in one of uic’s graduate or professional programs earlier than students who apply in a traditional manner. the gppa program seeks to understand why you have chosen your intended profession and a guaranteed path into it. what makes you an ideal candidate for guaranteed admission rather than following a traditional path to your intended profession how would a guaranteed seat contribute to your goals as an undergraduate (400-500 words).

This essay is a traditional “ Why this Major? ” prompt that invites you to share what about your background and experiences has drawn you to want to study a given subject. A key element that will differentiate a strong response from a weaker one is the ability to draw specific connections between your experiences and specific characteristics of the major in which you are interested. 

For example, a weak response would merely say that you are interested in UIC’s B.S. in Computer Science because you grew up playing retro computer games. But a strong response would draw a specific connection between noticing glitches in the gameplay of those retro games, constantly wondering how the game programmers’ logic inadvertently created those glitches, and wanting to pursue a career in software quality assurance. As you write your essay, keep in mind the importance of drawing the linkage between experience and interest.

If you’re undecided about your major, don’t worry. You can still produce a high-quality essay by highlighting 2-3 areas of study or intellectual interest that you are drawn to, even if there isn’t a clear favorite. It would be a mistake to say that you have no idea what you may want to study. Even if you are genuinely indifferent among many areas of study, consider reflecting on which high school classes you have had the most success or interest in; those will potentially be areas on which you can write convincingly.

We recommend beginning this essay with the anecdote that you will use to demonstrate how your interest in your major developed. This anecdote might be a personal, non-academic experience , or it may be related to coursework . Of course, a strong essay likely combines these two types of experience: perhaps your interest in computer science logic was strengthened by writing your own proofs for the first time in a geometry class.

Here are some tips on building this “Why this Major” essay around such an anecdote:

Personal experience: Consider choosing a story in which you initially are unfamiliar with the intellectual or technical foundations of something that impacts or influences you, and you realize that you want to develop related expertise. For example, perhaps one day your aunt told you about how she relies on a pacemaker to regulate her heart rhythm, and your first-hand insight into how medical technology can save people’s lives has drawn you to UIC’s bioengineering major. A mistake in writing that essay would be to not elaborate on specific problems or dynamics in the field of bioengineering that you are drawn to solving. For example, perhaps there are materials-science-related barriers to advanced implants that you want to help overcome. It is critical that you demonstrate that you have spent time thinking about not just the impact a given area of study has had on you, but also the impact that you want to make on that area of study.

Coursework: Stories based on coursework lend themselves to more straightforward connections to a given area of study. A strong essay based on an anecdote about an assignment you’ve completed or a discussion you’ve had in class should not just be about your having a natural talent for the subject. Instead, you should emphasize the growth you’ve undergone over the course of the class or classes. For example, if you’re interested in the English major within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you might talk about how the critical feedback you got on a creative writing assignment pushed you to be more deliberate about your writing technique and you eventually decided to participate in the National Novel Writing Month. By showing a growth mindset, you can more easily lead into your interest in advanced, college-level study in a topic.

Regardless of the type of anecdote you choose, be conscientious about the details that you choose to include. Mention parts of the story that show your reasoning and process of developing interest, but don’t linger on elements that don’t contribute to your narrative, since you only have 500 words.

Finally, make sure that you demonstrate your specific interest in the major at UIC and not just the major generally. For example, you might talk about how you envision yourself presenting at UIC’s new annual bioengineering research symposium or how being in the vibrant Chicago arts and writing scene provides a natural platform for you to hone your craft and learn from others.

Honors College Applicants, Prompt 1 

Please describe in detail ways that you have sought out academic challenges and personal growth opportunities while in high school. examples can include activities both inside or outside of your school. (400-500 words).

For this prompt, you’ll have to think about the ways in which high school has formed your personal and academic development. Since this essay is for the Honors College, you’ll also want to make sure that your essay adequately discusses your academic history and success. 

Brainstorming Essay Topics 

Before you begin writing, you’ll want to spend some time thinking about moments throughout your life that have impacted your personal and academic growth. This might be the hardest part of this essay, as finding a topic that is both meaningful and significant can be tricky. Below are some mistakes you’ll want to avoid when picking an essay topic.

Picking a Topic That Is Cliché

There are many essay topics that have become cliché by students because they are so overdone. This includes topics related to sports injuries, personal tragedies, or getting a bad grade. Remember, you’ll want to pick an example that highlights both academic and personal growth–not just one or the other.

Picking a Topic that Isn’t Significant Enough

Topics that aren’t meaningful enough may include group project failures or interpersonal conflict unrelated to your academic history. While these experiences are certainly important in your life, you should try to pick an experience that shaped your identity.

Picking an Extremely Personal Topic

Topics such as pet deaths and breakups should be avoided as they are too personal and do not highlight any types of academic engagement which should be included in this essay.

How to Approach the Essay

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about potential topics, it is important to understand how to actually write the essay. You can do this in three steps: 

1. Describe The Situation

Set the scene for the reader by discussing the academic or personal growth challenge that you’ve faced. You’ll want to be sure to add vivid details here so that the reader fully understands and can imagine the situation.

2. The Steps You Took to Overcome the Situation

What happened next in the story, and what role did you play in your own growth or challenges? 

3. Reflect on What You Learned

Last, you’ll want to reflect on what this experience taught you, and how you changed because of it. This part of the essay is especially important as admissions officers want to know how students have positively changed through their previous life experiences. 

Do you still need help flushing out the details of the essay? Below is a list of questions that can help you brainstorm the details within your essay.

• When you think of challenges that you’ve faced, which one has been important to you and why?
• Was there a situation that changed your perspective on a long-standing belief that you had?
• What was your immediate reaction to this situation, and how has that reaction changed over time?
• What steps did you take to manage the situation, and how did you do it?
• Were you surprised by your own growth? Did your growth impact people close to you as well?
• If you could’ve changed anything about your reaction to the situation, what would it be and why?

Although this has already been mentioned, you’ll want to make sure that you describe a challenge that is related to both your academic and personal life. While you could describe two separate situations, it may be best to just describe one that affected both your academic and personal life since you are limited by the word count.

A hypothetical example may be a student who writes about how she always strictly followed her parents religious beliefs, but was questioned by a classmate during a seminar about her religion. In turn, this made her question her own beliefs, and led her to creating a school club which explored various religious philosophies. If the student did significant reflecting on their experience and discussed how this has changed their viewpoints, this example would be perfect as it discusses religion as an academic discipline and also a personal belief system.

A not-so-strong example for this essay would be a student who writes about how they struggled to finish a group project at school and asked their teacher for extra help. This would not show how the student went above-and-beyond, or how this changed their learning experience or perspective. 

Mistakes to Avoid

Focusing Too Much on the Challenges/Growth and Not Enough on Personal Development

At the beginning of the essay you’ll want to “set the scene” and describe the academic and personal challenges and growth you faced in high school. However, the point of this essay is to discuss how you’ve overcome those challenges and how you’ve developed into the person you are today. Your focus should be on you, not on your circumstances. 

Telling Instead of Showing

Stories are always more engaging when a reader can imagine themselves in the narrator’s shoes. Instead of simply listing the lessons you’ve learned, instead use vivid examples to describe your challenges and growth.

Honors College Applicants, Prompt 2 

How will your engagement with the honors college foster your academic, personal, and professional growth (400-500 words).

The UIC Honors College is a prestigious program in which members of the college have special access to honors courses, additional research opportunities, and faculty mentorship, along with access to Honors College-only facilities in Burnham Hall. Honors College students spend their last year at UIC developing a capstone research project. Given all the advantages of being in the Honors College, admission is competitive, so a compelling essay is a key to being invited.

Before writing this essay, look through the Honors College website and identify a few programs or opportunities that you find the most attractive. Specificity is key in this essay : you need to show why access to the additional privileges of Honors College students can make a difference for you. Here are a few approaches you can take to answering this question:

Connect UIC Honors programs to past relevant experiences.

One way to illustrate why you think the Honors College is right for you is to draw connections with previous experiences that align with some of the Honors College opportunities. For example, if you have worked closely with a professor in the past on a research project or in another capacity, you can explain how you’ve become better at distilling insights from experts in a field and making meaningful contributions. As a result, you might be more confident that you would have very productive relationships with faculty mentors as a member of the Honors College.

If you go down this path, make sure that this essay is still ultimately about how you’ll take advantage of the given opportunities in the future . The value of discussing past experiences is to demonstrate that you have a solid foundation to take full advantage of UIC’s opportunities—not merely to show what you’ve done in the past.

Emphasize the closeness among students in the program

One of the big advantages of honors colleges is that it creates a natural, smaller community at a university. This is especially important at UIC, given the immense size of the undergraduate body. UIC Honors College students are able to live on-campus in special living-learning communities, such as Commons West. Students also participate in special student organizations. You could discuss how you learn best through the exchange of ideas with your peers, and how being in a close-knit community can facilitate that process. By showing that you recognize that learning happens not just between teachers and students, but also among students, you can demonstrate your personal maturity and openness to diverse viewpoints.

Discuss how a specific research project will help you grow academically and professionally

Given that the Honors College places a large emphasis on additional research opportunities and the capstone project, you can use this essay to discuss how those opportunities will help you pursue one or two projects about which you are very passionate. For example, you might need sustained engagement with a bioengineering professor to advance your ideas on improving pacemakers. Or maybe you see the Red Shoes Review literary magazine as a great opportunity to share your writing and receive critical feedback from your peers who are also skilled writers. These projects might also help you demonstrate your capabilities to employers after school.

The advantage of taking this approach to the Honors College essay is that it gives a lot of color to what exactly you hope to do as a member. By giving your essay reader a more vivid picture of the student you will be, you make it easier for them to give you the nod.

The GPPA initiative is an invaluable opportunity to lock in your admission to one of UIC’s professional or graduate schools. If you’re admitted, you might feel more freedom to explore various academic interests as an undergraduate at UIC. Note that for many UIC programs, you are required to be a member of the Honors College as well, so you will also have to fill out the Honors College essay and submit the required letters of recommendation. GPPA is ideal for applicants who know that they have a very strong interest in attending graduate school in one of the available areas of study . While you are not required to matriculate to the graduate program, it would still be helpful to show your specific interest in UIC’s graduate schools. While in undergrad, you will need to meet the conditions of acceptance for the relevant graduate school, which may include taking certain courses and examinations.

Explain why you prefer the guarantee to a traditional path to graduate school.

UIC is interested in knowing why you are eager to have the safety of admission to a master’s or professional program as you are starting out your undergraduate education. There are a number of good reasons this may be the case, including your ability to gain early exposure to the professional school. A key advantage of knowing which graduate school you will be attending four years before matriculating is that you can engage with professors, research centers, and other opportunities at that graduate school over a longer timeframe. This can be helpful if, for example, you are a potential public health student interested in longitudinal research that takes years to complete. Instead of only being in the MPH program for two years, you’ll be able to connect with researchers for up to six years, including your time as an undergraduate. Additionally, you’ll be able to meet more professors and professionals affiliated with the graduate program.

Think carefully about your reasons, and make sure they still convey your intellectual curiosity and academic seriousness. For example, don’t convey that you just want to slack off for four years before attending a master’s program.

Demonstrate fit with the profession.

A strong GPPA essay will discuss your interest in the dynamics of the profession that you would be entering after graduate school. For example, if you want to apply to UIC’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program, you can tell a story that shows how you thrive in environments where you have to decide between snap judgments and more diligent research. Or you can discuss how helping one person at a time with their health needs is the most tangible way you can imagine making an impact on the world. Demonstrate your readiness by making it evident that you’ve thought deeply about, and are comfortable with, the tensions and complexities of the profession. Make sure to also communicate that the traits and experiences driving you toward the given area of study and profession are integral to who you are. For example, you can offer an anecdote about how your strong judgment under high pressure or your relentless drive to find the right answer shows up in the rest of your life. 

Discuss a pivotal moment in your academic, personal, or extracurricular experience.

Maybe you’ve known for a long time now that you are interested in the profession for which you’re applying to GPPA. You can talk about an experience in which you realized that your interests require an unconventional path in which guaranteed admission is valuable. For example, say you are applying for pre-admission to the UIC law school because you eventually want to be a public defender. You can tell a story about how when you were volunteering for your local legal clinic, you were always taken aback by the hostile appearance and construction of the courthouse, and so now, before practicing law, you want to get a B.S. in Architecture and help design more humane civic buildings. Bring the reader into that moment, and explain how the interconnections among different areas of study compel you to apply for GPPA.

Where to Get Your UIC Edited for Free

Are you looking for guidance and feedback on how to make your UIC essays better? It’s always a good idea to get another set of eyes — or two or three — on your essays to ensure you’re representing yourself and your interest in the school to the best of your abilities. That’s why CollegeVine offers a free essay peer-review service , where you can get a critique of your essay and feedback to help you improve.

Just create a free  CollegeVine account , and you’ll be able to use this and other resources that will benefit you during the college admissions process.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• Official Communications
• Science Sparks
• Current Student Resources
• Faculty and Staff Resources
• Online Learning Resources and Support
• Photography/Video
• Social Media Account Request Form
• UIC Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices
• UIC in the news
• Communicating On Campus
• Sending Announcements / DDDH
• UIC Social Media Directory

I am UIC: How to personalize your personal statement

February 23, 2018

What are some of your strengths? What are you passionate about and how have you demonstrated commitments to those causes?

These are some of the questions you are meant to think about when developing a personal statement for graduate and professional school applications. Some thoughts may immediately come to mind, but when it comes to translating those thoughts to the written word, it’s easy to get stuck.

Personal statement workshops, such as those hosted by LAS Pre-Health Advising, provide students with guidance as they struggle to find words to fill a blank Word document. Here are some tips that I gathered at the latest of such workshops.

• Focus on describing how you have demonstrated the strengths you want the application committee to notice — don’t simply listing those skills.
• Identify key experiences that serve as highlights for your college career. Then extract concrete examples from those experiences that add to the story-like quality of your statement.
• It’s OK to write about your background, but make sure you use events that occurred prior to college to paint a picture of who you are today and what you’re doing now.
• You need to be comfortable speaking about everything in your essay at a potential interview. So, if you’re considering describing a very personal event, make sure it is one that you would be willing to answer questions about.
• Recognize that the personal statement is one component of your application and it’s unlikely that it will be the determining factor in your acceptance. However, it is still the only opportunity for you to introduce yourself on your terms and likely the component over which you have the most control. So, instead of viewing it as a burden, take advantage of it.

The next LAS Pre-Health Advising personal statement workshop will be held March 12 from 2 to 3 p.m. in 850 UH.

Hoda Fakhari is a senior studying biochemistry and English with a concentration in media, rhetoric and cultural studies. She is interested in making connections between subject areas that appear uncomplimentary in order to arrive at more diverse and relevant ways of understanding people and society.

Hoda Fakhari [email protected]

blog , graduate school , I am UIC , personal statement

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

Undergraduate Admissions

Deadline Update: We want to ensure anyone applying for federal financial aid has enough time to make an informed decision regarding their college choice! For this reason, we're extending our enrollment decision deadline to May 15.

Essay Questions for Transfer Applicants

You'll answer one to two essays as part of your application, depending on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Essays should be 300 to 400 words each.

If You're Applying to a Major :

Explain your interest in the major you selected. Describe how you have recently developed this interest, inside and/or outside of the classroom, and how this major relates to your professional goals.

If You're Applying to Our Undeclared Program :

Explain your academic interests and strengths or your future career goals. You may include any majors or areas of study you are currently considering.

If You've Selected a Second-Choice Major (Including Undeclared ):

You have selected a second-choice major. Please explain your interest in this major.

Tips for Writing Your Essay

Be memorable..

The essay portion of the application is important because it gives us further insight into who you are and who you want to be. Make us remember you!

Be prepared.

Take time to think about and brainstorm your message. Create an outline, write a good first draft, and edit multiple times.

Be yourself.

We want to know more about you, so be honest and let us into your world. Instead of making broad statements about what you want to do, provide specific examples from your current institution or extracurricular activities. And don’t be afraid to add your personal style and voice to your writing!

You only have a couple of paragraphs to tell us that you’re not only qualified to attend UIUC, but you're also ready for the challenge and will make the most of your experience. Choose your words wisely.

Be focused.

It's not necessary for you to repeat information that’s already elsewhere in your application. Stay focused on explaining how those credentials and qualifications will lead to a successful future here.

Be professional.

Submitting a sloppy-looking essay with spelling errors and glaring mistakes sends us the message that you’re not serious about UIUC. Proofread your essays and ask your counselor, a friend, or a parent to take a second look.

Want more info?

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

LAS Pre-Health

College of liberal arts and sciences, personal statement review.

A personal statement is a requirement for most professional schools. Professional schools are often looking for students to discuss their personal motivation to enter the desired field of study. It is never too early to think about your personal statement. Workshops are offered during the spring semester to assist students with the process of idea formulation and writing. We also have the Personal Statement workshop online  in webinar format.

We are currently experiencing higher than usual demand for personal statement reviews. This is great and pre-health advisors are excited to review your personal statement! Between April 15 - August 15, please expect it to take a minimum of two weeks and up to three weeks to receive a response to your personal statement.

Personal Statement Review Heading link Copy link

LAS Pre-Health advisors will review a final draft one time. To have your personal statement reviewed, submit the  Personal Statement Feedback and Review form .

The form will request a document be uploaded, it must:

• Be MS/Mac WORD format
• Include your name, UIN, and professional program aspiration on the document
• Be spelling and grammar checked
• Be proof-read by at least two other individuals
• Follow the word count limit for the professional program to which you are applying

Students can expect feedback in two weeks regarding content and a general assessment of the quality of writing. During peak application season (spring and summer), the response time for comments may be longer than two weeks. Feedback will come via email unless otherwise notified.

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

College of Medicine

Internal medicine.

Intro Heading link Copy link

This online repository houses relevant resources and contact information for students seeking career advice. We encourage you to review the career-related materials provided (e.g. Specialty Webinar, Interview Questions, Research, etc.) as you seek support in your journey through medical school.

If you have further questions that are not addressed on this page, please feel free to contact a Specialty Faculty Mentor for further guidance.

• View specialty webinars

Match Preparation and Charting Outcomes Heading link Copy link

You are more than your Step Scores! Use the NRMP page  to look at the qualifications of applicants who have successfully applied to your specialty.

Should applicants do away rotations? There are two reasons to do an away rotation:

• If the student is targeting a specific geographic rotation and therefore their match list will be smaller than recommended (recommendation depends on strength of application).
• The student is interested in a program that is highly competitive and they wish to impress the program by doing a rotation which will allow them to demonstrate their interpersonal skills and work ethic.

Research is desirable, even if was done as an undergraduate, but not essential. If research has been conducted, the student should be able to describe and discuss the content as well as their participation in any poster or manuscript production.

Recommendation

Number of letters recommended – 3

• Chair’s letter/SLOE/special letter required? In addition to the above a Department Chair letter is required.
• Number of letters from within specialty? At least 2 should be within the specialty. The 3rd, if not from Medicine, should be from another primary care experience (e.g. Pediatrics, Family Medicine).
• Number of letters from away rotations/institutions? None needed
• Do you require the MSPE before offering interviews? No, unless Step scores are near the minimum.

Students should obtain letters using the following hierarchy:

• The strongest letter possible. This will likely be from a faculty member who spontaneously offers to write a letter without being asked. If not, acquiring such a letter is facilitated by asking potential letter writers “Do you think you can write me a great letter?”.
• From an Internal Medicine rotation instead of another specialty
• From a primary care specialty if it is not from an Internal Medicine rotation.
• From a research mentor with whom the student has performed productive research (i.e. resulting in a poster or manuscript)
• If there are letters at the same level in the hierarchy, the faculty with the highest academic rank/experience should be used
• Faculty with whom you have not done clinical work or productive research
• Faculty from non-primary care specialties. An exception would be an extremely strong letter from a non-psychiatry clerkship faculty member

Personal Statements

The personal statement should assist Program Directors in learning about the applicant “as a person”. It should avoid reiterating information that is available in their CV or MSPE. There are several useful themes and the student should choose which one(s) are most applicable. They include:

1.What event(s) led to entering into the medical profession?

2.A challenging personal experience and how you overcame it.

3.Patient(s) that taught the student something about themselves (not about a disease).

4.A person or persons that is/are role models in their lives.

5.A personal medical issue (as long as it does not raise concern about the student’s ability to carry out their duties as a resident).

6.Personal passions related to service, community, social justice, promoting wellness.

Things to avoid:

1.Although leadership and community activity related to religion is wonderful and may certainly be included, the student should avoid comments that appear to promote one religion over another, or that may sound exclusionary.

2.Although activities related to advocacy may be included and may have a political component, overly enthusiastic support for controversial politics (or politicians) should be avoided.

3.If the student describes a challenge that occurred during medical school (e.g. exam failure, repeating a course/year, disciplinary action) the description should be factual and not be overly defensive or sound as if the student is making excuses for what transpired.

When do programs in your specialty generally begin reviewing applications? As soon as ERAS opens.

When do programs in your specialty begin offering interviews? Late September.

When does your program generally offer interviews? From mid-October through mid-January.

It does not matter at what date during the interview season the student interviews. All students are equally memorable.

Interview Advice

Once students have a realistic picture as to how competitive they are (this can be assisted by meeting with the UIC Program Director) the student should interview at least 12-14 programs, 2-3 of which are “safe” (the student is likely to match there) and 2-3 are “a stretch” (the student is less likely to match there).

Post-Interview Advice

It is not necessary to contact the program or the Program Director after the interview but if the student wishes to send a brief note or email that is certainly acceptable. It is important to make it brief (8-10 sentence max) inconsideration of the fact that the program staff receive hundreds of emails a week. Do not call the program. If you contact the program, avoid asking a question that was already answered during the interview day.If you are truly ranking the program number 1, you can let the program know. DO NOT say this to more than one program. Avoid telling a program that you are “ranking them in the top 3”. This will be interpreted that you are ranking them number 3.

For further guidance, contact our specialty faculty liaison:

Fred Zar, MD [email protected]

Should applicants do away rotations?

Away rotations for Internal Medicine are not required; however, they may be useful in the following circumstances:

1.If a student is interested in a program that is very competitive, they may go for an “audition rotation”. Be prepared to perform at your highest level; that means waking up early, staying late, reading around your patients, taking ownership over your patients, and answering clinical questions.

2.If a student is targeting a geographical location, it is good to show an interest in that location by doing away rotations in that area. Be aware that an away rotation that goes poorly can affect your application negatively at that institution.

Research is not a requirement for application/interview in our program. Research is desirable and regarded as a strength and should be listed on an application even if it was done as an undergraduate. Most importantly, if a student has participated in research, he/she should be able to describe and discuss the content as well as his/her participation in any poster or manuscript production.

Chair’s letter/SLOE/special letter required? A Department Chair letter is required for our program.

Number of letters from within specialty? 2 letters from within the specialty are ideal but not required. A well-written letter by someone who has worked with the student and can speak to their characteristics that make them a great applicant is the best letter.

Number of letters from away rotations/institutions? None required.

Do you require the MSPE before offering interviews? It is not required but our program generally extends interviews after the MSPE’s are available for review.

Students should obtain letters using the following level of importance:

1. Find someone who will write you the strongest letter. This will ideally be from a faculty member that knows you well and has worked with you in a professional context.(Examples of this would be a ward/clinic attending)Ask potential letter writers after your rotation with them: “Do you think you can write me a strong letter of recommendation?”The quality of letter trumps the academic rank or reputation of the writer.

2. A letter from an internal medicine faculty member instead of another specialty.

3. A letter from a faculty member in a primary care specialty.

4. A letter from a research mentor with whom the student has performed productive research (i.e. resulting in a poster or manuscript)

5. If all things are equal, opt to ask for a letter of recommendation from the faculty member with the highest academic rank, position, or experience.

Avoid letters from the following:

1.Faculty with whom you have not done clinical work or productive research

2. Faculty who are related to you in some way or purely know you personally.

3. Faculty who gave you a poor evaluation.

Personal Statements 1. Be personal. After reading this, we should be able to have an idea of how the applicant is motivated, what they choose to do with their time, why they chose internal medicine, and why they would be a good applicant for the program.

2. Have a few people give you feedback on your personal statement. Ask your advisor to help you with it. 3. Address any gaps, red flags, or low test scores in the personal statement and how you’ve addressed these. It is normal that human beings have a mishap at some time in our lives. We are interested in how you have grown from it and reflected upon it. 4. Try to restrict yourself to one page.

Application Timing

When do programs in your specialty generally begin reviewing applications? When ERAS opens

When do programs in your specialty begin offering interviews? After ERAS opens, but it varies between programs. Some programs start later than others.

When does your program generally offer interviews? October -January

Practice and get feedback from your advisors. Our campus participates in mock interviews. We highly recommend that.

In our program, we do not encourage post-interview communication to reduce stress and anxiety on applicants in an already busy interview season. For the most part, your placement on the rank list is determined immediately after the interview, after evaluating your application holistically. Please contact us if you have a specific question regarding the program, but further communication beyond that is not expected.Similarly, the program will only send a response to specific questions about the training program or location. The program does not send responses to thank you notes or general emails about the interview day.

Second looks are for you to help determine where that program falls on your rank list. A second look does not increase your odds of matching within our program.

Thank you cards are not expected after interviews.

Letters of intent similarly do not affect your odds of matching into our program. If you are passionate about a program and want to draft a letter or email expressing that, feel free to send one to the named contact, whether it is the program coordinator or program director. We would recommend that you have an advisor or close friend read it to ensure it would not be misinterpreted. Our program does not routinely respond to thank you notes or letters of intent but will respond to specific questions.

Peter Phan, MD, FACP [email protected]

Terry Lynch, MD, FAAP, FACP [email protected]

Janelle Mounce , Coordinator [email protected]

Helpful Resources Heading link Copy link

• The NRMP publishes a survey of Applicants each year. This report presents the results of selected items from the 2022 NRMP Applicant Survey. The report documents factors that applicants weigh in selecting programs (1) at which to interview and (2) to rank in the Main Residency Match. It can be found HERE .
• The NRMP Publishes a survey of Residency Program Directors. This report examines the factors program directors use to select applicants to interview and rank. Data are reported for 22 specialties and the transitional year in the Main Residency Match. It can be found  HERE .
• Looking for residency programs?  The AAMC interactive, Careers in Medicine Website is where you should be!  LINK
• Having difficulty deciphering this information?  Contact your Student Affairs Career Advisor on your campus!!!

Below you will find resources to help you get started when applying for residency.

• American Urological Association (AUA)
• FREIDA Residency and Fellowship Program Database
• The Road to Residency Made Simple
• AMA Residency match made simple: From M4 to PGY-1 in 6 steps
• AAMC/NRMP/NBME collaborative Residency Exploration Tool
• Apply Smart
• Careers in Medicine
• Doximity Residency Navigator
• Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)
• Medical Residency and Fellowship Map
• National Resident Matching Program (NRMP
• San Francisco Match (SF Match)
• Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO)

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Sap review and appeal, understanding satisfactory academic progress (sap): heading link copy link, ***sap appeal form and review request from and directions at the bottom of page in highlighted box.***.

Federal and State regulations require financial aid recipients (undergraduate, graduate, or professional) to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree or certificate in order to receive continued/uninterrupted financial aid funds.

As a UIC student, you must maintain compliance in three criteria to remain eligible for Federal Financial Aid:

• Rate of Progress = Classes successfully completed/Classes attempted
• Overall hours are calculated as Institutional Attempted Hours +Transfer Earned Hours)
• A student cannot take more than 150% of their required degree credits

*If you are uncertain how to calculate the above criteria, or determine where your eligibility stands, please contact your academic advisor, or utilize the SAP calculation resources located: HERE

What to do if you do not meet the above criteria and face SAP Cancellation: Heading link Copy link

If a student fails any of the three SAP measures (CROP, GPA, or Max Timeframe) at the end of the Spring Semester, their eligibility for future financial aid will be cancelled

• Students not meeting the SAP requirements will be notified via their UIC email address
• Once enrolled for a term a student accepts responsibility for any bill assessed regardless of their financial aid status
• Students may request a review or appeal their status

Please review the directions for both processes before accessing the form. You will need to have all materials prepared before accessing and submitting the form.

Read carefully to determine which process fits your situation:

Directions:.

• View your record to see if you meet the above SAP criteria: Sign in https://my.uic.edu ; Choose “Student” tab and then navigate to “Financial Aid Menu” to then view “Satisfactory Academic Progress”.
• Fill out form completely
• Select the appropriate reason for the request
• DO NOT use a Review Request if you have exceeded 180 credit hours – you would need to use a SAP Appeal for Max Time Frame

Please read the form and all directions completely….click here to access the *** Review Request Form ***

5 Steps for Successfully Submitting your SAP Appeal:

• Ensure that you have all documents ready before accessing the form: Personal statement, Advisor NetID, and any supporting documents
• What occurred; why did you fail to meet the SAP requirements?
• How have you resolved these circumstances so that they will not continue to affect you in the future?
• If you have exceeded the maximum time frame explain how/why the number of hours was accumulated.
• Your appeal requires a statement from your advisor speaking to your academic progress; for example, your primary designated college advisor or advisors and coaches in LARES, ACE, Honors, or Athletics….not a faculty advisor.
• You will need to enter your advisor’s exact NETID. To find their NETID, use iAdvise or look up their email (the NetID is the portion of the email address before the @ symbol) Example: [email protected]
• If you need help finding your advisor please access your Success Network via iAdvise *Look for Advisor under Success Network. We will send them a form to fill out on your behalf.
• Appeals without supporting documentation will be denied.
• If a professional is providing a letter to support your appeal, it must be signed, dated and on letterhead.
• All letters must include contact information (address and phone number) for the committee to contact if they determine follow-up is necessary.
• If interested in filing a SAP Appeal for Summer or Fall 2024, use this link ( Request for Future SAP Appeal Form ) to be notified when the form becomes available on May 13, 2024.
• ALERT: Please note the appeal deadline for Spring 2024 closes at 11:59pm on March 15, 2024. If you are accessing this form on March 16th or thereafter…..your appeal will be invalid and NOT processed. You will receive an email indicating your appeal is NOT being reviewed.

Please be advised this a multi-step application process. The process of application is not complete until it reaches step 5. Your appeal will follow the steps below:

• Student Initiate – you will receive email confirming receipt
• ) Financial Aid Review – you will receive an email that your appeal is either ready for committee review – or – THEY SEND BACK TO YOU FOR CORRECTIONS
• ) Corrections phase (if needed)
• Committee Review – You will receive an email when your appeal is in committee review – it can take 4-6 weeks for the committee to deliver a decision
• Final Decision – You will receive an email with the final decision

*** Important Note : Students in cancellation status may enroll in classes. However, if the appeal is denied the student remains responsible for any charges incurred at UIC. Financial Aid cannot be retroactively reinstated if an appeal is approved after a semester has ended or if an appeal is incomplete and the documents are submitted after a term ends.

*** Please Note : UIC staff are responsible employees who must report sexual misconduct violations to the university’s Title IX Coordinator. If a student discloses in an appeal that they are a victim of gender or sexual orientation-based discrimination, harassment, or misconduct, it will be reported in compliance with UIC’s Title IX policy. For more information, please visit Sexual Misconduct Policy | Sexual Misconduct | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu) .

If you need help filling out your review request or appeal, contact your advisor or someone in your success network. How to find my advisor: Click iAdvise

Please read the 5 steps for successfully submitting a SAP Appeal first. Once you are in the form, please read all directions completely….click here to access the *** SAP Appeal Form***

Need technical help heading link copy link.

If you encounter difficulties in accessing or understanding the forms, please email [email protected].

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Prospective, earn your degree with uic psychology heading link copy link.

Are you interested in earning a degree in Psychology? Well, you’ve come to the right place! The Department of Psychology at UIC integrates study of the brain, mind, person, group, and community in downtown Chicago – at one of the U.S.’s most diverse campuses! We are a nationally recognized academic department for excellence in research and teaching.

Learn more about our the application process for undergraduate and graduate study, funding, and admissions FAQ.

Apply for Admission Heading link Copy link

Discover more information about the Admissions process below.

Undergraduate Admission

As a department within a large diverse urban research institution, UIC Psychology reflects excellence in education, research, and practice. Our department offers two undergraduate psychology degrees, BS in Psychology and a BA in Applied Psychology. We invite students from other disciplines to add psychology as a minor in their educational pursuits. Our department partakes in cross-campus departmental collaborations with Educational Psychology , Neuroscience , Public Health , and Psychiatry to name a few.

Undergraduate courses are available in a number of psychology disciplines including clinical, cognitive, community, developmental, social, personality, and neuroscience. Several of our courses are cross-listed with African-American and Gender and Women’s studies. In addition, practice opportunities are available through courses in crisis counseling, interviewing, and an internship class. Psychology leads the campus in the number of undergraduate students involved in research. Small laboratory classes are offered providing students with hands-on research experience, along with ample opportunities to get involved in ongoing research projects conducted by UIC Psychology faculty. Lastly, undergraduate students can conduct directed research under faculty supervision.

Admission Deadlines: Early Action – Nov. 1, 2023 Regular Decision – Feb. 1, 2024 Transfer – Apr. 1, 2024 Spring 2024 ( January Start ):  First Year – October 2, 2023 | Transfer – October 16, 2023

*It is critical to submit your application in advance of these dates to avoid technical issues*

• Apply for Undergrad
• Tuition and Financial Aid
• UIC Scholarships and Awards Program (SnAP)
• UIC Job Board

Graduate Admission

There are many paths to graduate school and we recognize that qualified applicants excel in different ways. Different program areas in Psychology emphasize different methodologies as appropriate to the nature of the essential questions they seek to address. We use a holistic review to consider applicants’ academic history and look for relevant experiences and interests that fit the scholarship of the intended program. Our PhD program is a full-time, day, research-oriented program that begins once a year in the Fall.

Please Note:   We do NOT require the GRE for admission nor do we offer a terminal or standalone Master’s degree.  Students who are admitted into a PhD program will complete a research apprenticeship during their first-year and along with one year of coursework in statistics. After completion of the first-year, students work towards and submit a Master’s thesis by the end of their second year to prepare them for further research and the required qualifying examinations to advance to PhD candidacy by the end of the third year.

Program Code: 20FS0338PHD | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) PhD Application Deadline: December 1 st

*It is critical to submit your application in advance of the above date to avoid technical issues*

• List of Faculty Reviewing Applications (Fall 2024)
• Apply for Grad
• Domestic Requirements
• International Requirements
• Graduate Course Offerings

Graduate Application Process

In the UIC Psychology PhD program, students will

• develop expertise as research scientists using a variety of approaches in one of our four major research areas: Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Clinical, Community and Applied Developmental Psychology, and Social & Personality
• develop quantitative skills in our core statistics curriculum
• complete coursework in their major area of study, and can add breadth of expertise in a minor area study in Psychology, Statistics, Methods & Measurement, Diversity Science, or a self-designed curriculum
• publish their work in selective peer-reviewed journals
• present their research at local, national, and international conferences
• are competitive for a variety of research, teaching, and travel awards as well as external funding mechanisms for research
• gain experience teaching and mentoring one of the most diverse undergraduate populations in the country

Please Note:   We do NOT require the GRE for admission nor do we offer a terminal or standalone Master’s degree. We only admit students into our PhD program in Psychology. In the course of the program, students complete:

• a Master of Arts (MA) thesis to demonstrate research and writing competence, and
• a Preliminary Exam to demonstrate scholarship and mastery of the skills necessary to complete the PhD.

Please prepare the following required documents to apply.  All required materials are to be submitted electronically through the online application.  Hard copy materials of transcripts, exam scores, personal statements, or letters of recommendation are not accepted. Only applicants receiving offers of admission will need to submit official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records – AFTER receiving an offer.

Required Materials

• Personal statement:  This should include information about how you have prepared for graduate school in psychology, research questions and methodologies that you have experience with, research interests for graduate training, long-term goals, and faculty you would like as a research mentor.  There is no formatting requirement or page limit to your personal statement.
• Curriculum Vitae:  This should include such sections as Education, Employment, Awards & Honors, Skills, Research Experience, Presentations/Publications, Memberships, Extracurricular/Volunteer Activities.
• Transcripts : Upload electronic, unofficial copies for all undergraduate and graduate coursework through the online application system.  While a 3.0 and above GPA is ​favorable, it is not required to apply.  View previous applicant  data .
• Evidence of quantitative training:  The PhD in Psychology is a research-focused program, with a core curriculum in graduate-level statistics for all students. Please upload a document listing evidence of previous quantitative training. Examples include: Undergraduate  courses taken grades earned  (math, statistics, research design),  independent research projects with statistical analyses  (e.g. Capstone, honors thesis, publication), and/or  GRE quantitative scores . Students are placed in the appropriate level of coursework based on their incoming quantitative competence. See  this sample  for examples.
• Letter writers should be familiar with the applicant’s training and academic achievements and should be in position to comment on the applicant’s suitability for a graduate career involving research.
• Program:  Please indicate to which of our four programs you are applying. Only one program choice is permitted.
• Faculty mentors:  Please indicate up to three faculty mentors that you would like to work under.   Write their last name only. At least one faculty mentor is required to be listed in order for your application to be given full consideration. You can find out more information about our  ​ faculty members and their research interests . The list of faculty who will be reviewing applicants for fall 2024 can be found here .

Optional Materials

• Standardized Tests: We do NOT require the GRE for admission into our PhD program. If the applying student chooses to submit a test score, it will be evaluated as supporting evidence of academic preparation, but the absence of such test results will not be weighed against your application.
• Miscellaneous Academic Documents:  If you would like to share any publications, writing samples, additional transcripts, or other documents they can be uploaded here. Please note that this an optional area and  no documents are required to be uploaded here . Please disregard any emails you may receive about your application being incomplete due to missing Miscellaneous Academic Documents.

Additional Information

• Undocumented Students:  All of our faculty members are highly encouraged to disregard documented status as a criterion for admission. All students with DACA status are eligible for the same funding opportunities as the rest of our admitted students, and those students without DACA status are still eligible for funding, just a more limited range of funding. Please see our  Frequently Asked Questions  for more information.
• Applicants whose native language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the exam of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Click  here to know about the required scores.

Intercollege Transfer and Dual Degree Options

The psychology major is very popular and annually confers the most undergraduate degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students may choose to major in general or applied psychology. A wide range of career paths is available to our graduates both within psychology (clinical, counseling, industrial organizational, etc) and in related fields such as occupational therapy, police work, speech and language pathology, and many others. In addition, a psychology major can be excellent preparation for further professional training in law, medicine, and other fields.

• Intercollege Transfer Process
• Dual Degree

Admissions FAQ

Common queries about applying to uic psychology as a graduate student.

Below you will find answers to many common questions about applying for  graduate study in Psychology.

Not a graduate student? Check out UIC’s  undergraduate admissions FAQ . For questions regarding touring campus, click here .

Can I apply for a Master’s degree in Psychology at UIC? UIC Psychology does not offer a terminal Master’s program. Students admitted to the program and complete an MA Thesis as part of the PhD curriculum requirements.

Is there a part-time or online graduate program in Psychology? Our PhD program is focused on research, with coursework to provide a foundation of knowledge. The curriculum is designed as a full-time, in-person program, which typically takes 5-6 years to complete.

When do students select a dissertation lab? In our department,  students are admitted directly into their graduate advisor’s lab  and begin conducting research in that lab as soon they arrive.   Thus, admissions depend not only on the qualifications of a prospective student, but the fit with a lab that matches their research interests.  A strong personal statement will communicate how our PhD program will build on a student’s prior training to prepare them for their longer-term goals.

What happens after I submit my application?

• Review.  Faculty in each research area (Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive, Community and Applied Developmental Psychology, Social & Personality) will review the applications to their program to select prospective students to interview. It is important for prospective students to apply to the appropriate program with faculty that match their research interests. Due to the large number of applicants for a limited number of spaces in an incoming class (~12-17 students), we cannot provide feedback on individual applications.
• Interviews . We typically conduct interviews with selected prospective students in late January through mid-February. Interviews may be done remotely and/or in person. For in-person interviews, we try to bring applicants to visit in groups so they can also meet their potential cohort. Some students are nominated for fellowships at this time.
• Decisions . Decisions are typically made within a few weeks of interviews. Students are admitted directly into their advisor’s lab to begin research during their first semester. The offer letter will indicate the advisor accepting the student as well as provide information about stipend level (as a research- or teaching-assistant) for the first year. Interviews and admissions may continue through March, and once made, students have until April 15 to accept or decline their offer.
• Finances . Stipend levels and other benefits are determined by the contract negotiated by the UIC GEO. Our students are typically supported as a teaching- or research-assistant with a tuition waiver.
• Beginning grad school . Appointments for the school year begin on August 16. Incoming first-year students have a week of mandatory orientation before classes begin in the fall.

UIC Social & Personality PhD FAQs

Read the frequently asked questions for the Social & Personality PhD program here .

Next Steps for Newly Admitted Students Heading link Copy link

• Orientation (First-Year & Transfer) As a newly admitted student, you will be invited to a mandatory orientation where you will meet with an LAS Advisor and register for courses.
• Undergraduate Course Offerings Lean more the courses offered for students in our undergraduate degree programs.

Have Questions? Contact Us! Heading link Copy link

Application Process

• Graduate & Professional
• You are here

Did you know?

Before you apply

It's never too early to start planning..

Early preparation is the key to a smooth application and admission process.

Do your research.

You probably already know which program you intend to apply for, but we encourage you to take some time to look through the program’s website. Look into the college's achievements, their research, and any other resources they provide prospective students. Note the key contacts, such as the program coordinator, and contact information for your intended program. 

Keep track of all  deadlines  that apply to you.

• Don’t wait until the last minute to apply!
• Many programs have earlier deadlines , such as for PhD applications.
• In many cases materials may still be accepted after published application deadlines, but some programs have strict materials submission deadlines. Refer to the  program's website  to see if they have published materials submission deadlines.

Check your requirements.

Familiarize yourself with the Admissions requirements (application fee or waiver, academic credentials, English proficiency requirements).

And refer to the program’s website for Program-specific requirements (which may include items such as the GRE test, Personal Statements, Letters of Recommendation, etc.).

Prepare your documents for online submission.

• Our office will request official credentials from admitted students only. Hard-copy application materials received by our office will be discarded.
• Documents may be in PDF or Word (.doc, .docx.) format.
• "Portfolio" PDFs and secured PDFs which require a password to open are not compatible with our system. PDFs should not be set with an expiration date.
• Refer to the credential requirements for Domestic and International applicants for notes on acceptable transcripts and other necessary documentation.

Have your official test scores sent in advance.

Our ETS Institutional Code for TOEFL and GRE is 1851.

Think about funding.

See what funding options are available to you. The Graduate College has compiled a wide range of great information about funding opportunities and financial resources on  their website . Your intended program's website may also provide a list of funding opportunities specific to the program. Here are a few other resources:

• College of Education
• College of Nursing
• Social Work - MSW

Applying & Submitting Requirements

Ready to apply complete these steps., some programs have special application procedures or supplemental applications..

The Apply page will direct you to the program's website when there's a special application process in place for the program outside of the general graduate process.

Complete and submit the  application .

• Within the application you will be required to submit academic credentials as applicable for your applicant type .
• You will also be prompted to submit any materials required by the program (which could include personal statements, writing samples, etc.) and initiate online requests for letters of recommendation (if required).

After submitting the application itself, submit the application fee.

Applications with a fee due will remain in an incomplete status. If an application fee waiver was selected, Admissions will verify that the waiver applies.

Application Review Period

You've already applied and submitted requested materials. what's next how are applications reviewed, check your application status regularly..

You can  check your status online.  This is where you’ll find your checklist noting items that have been received and those that are still being requested.

Additional items may be added to your checklist if received items are incorrect or additional documentation is needed. Note that applications will switch from a complete to incomplete status if submitted documents are found to be insufficient and additional items are added.

Departmental Review

After all Admissions requirements are satisfied, application records are referred to the program for their review, though programs may have already begun their review by that time. Admissions and program staff are able to access application materials after they are submitted. Applications are typically reviewed in the order they are received.

The time that it takes for an application to go through the review process varies by program. After the program has completed their review of an application, they communicate their admission recommendations and denials to Admissions and we update the official record after a final quick review. Some programs communicate their decisions to Admissions continually throughout the cycle while others do so in bursts. Ultimately, it depends on the timeline and approach each program takes for their review.

Graduate College Review

In certain cases where minimum requirements are not met or additional approval is needed, applications recommended for admission by Graduate College programs may need to undergo an additional review by the Graduate College. The Graduate College may decide to uphold the program's admission recommendation or, in certain cases, deny the application.

This would not apply to professional level programs and graduate level programs that do not fall under the Graduate College.

After a Decision has been Made

What should you do next.

Once a final decision is entered by the Office of Admissions, the application portal will be updated to note the decision and an official decision letter will be mailed out.

If you've been admitted...

Congratulations! Access our  Admitted Student page  to follow up with next steps, including submission of official credentials, if needed.

International students who will need a student visa should submit OIS-requested documents for the Office of International Services.

If you need to defer admission…

Admission can be deferred once for up to one academic year (e.g., Fall admission can be deferred to the following Spring, Summer, or Fall terms).

Start by notifying the program that you’d like to defer admission. They must first approve deferrals. Program-approved deferrals are then forwarded to us for final approval and official updates to the student record.

If you’ve been denied…

Our office unfortunately does not often know the exact reasons why a program may have denied an applicant.

You may contact the program directly to inquire about the decision they made. In some cases, programs may be able to advise you on what you can do to improve your applicant profile or successfully apply for a future term.

Related Resources

• Catalog Listing of Graduate and Professional Programs

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home

Academic Catalog

Uic catalogs.

• Undergraduate Catalog
• Graduate and Professional Catalog
• Academic Skills Program (ASP)
• Accounting (ACTG)
• Anatomy and Cell Biology (ANAT)
• Anthropology (ANTH)
• Applied Health Sciences (AHS)
• Arabic (ARAB)
• Architecture (ARCH)
• Art History (AH)
• Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (BCMG)
• Biological Sciences (BIOS)
• Biomedical and Health Information Sciences (BHIS)
• Biomedical Engineering (BME)
• Biomedical Visualization (BVIS)
• Biopharmaceutical Sciences (BPS)
• Biostatistics (BSTT)
• Black Studies (BLST)
• Business Administration (BA)
• Campus Courses (CC)
• Catholic Studies (CST)
• Central and Eastern European Studies (CEES)
• Chemical Engineering (CHE)
• Chemistry (CHEM)
• Chinese (CHIN)
• City Design (CD)
• Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering (CME)
• Classics (CL)
• Clerkship -​ Medicine (CLER)
• Clerkship Electives -​ Chicago (CELE)
• Clerkship Electives -​ Peoria (PELE)
• Clerkship Electives -​ Rockford (RELE)
• Clinical Exercise Physiology (CEP)
• Communication (COMM)
• Community Health Sciences (CHSC)
• Computer Science (CS)
• Criminology, Law, and Justice (CLJ)
• Curriculum and Instruction (CI)
• Dental Administration (DADM)
• Dentistry -​ Applied Oral and Behavioral Sciences (DAOB)
• Dentistry -​ Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (DBCS)
• Dentistry -​ Community Learning Experience (DCLE)
• Dentistry -​ Oral/​Systemic Issues (DOSI)
• Dentistry -​ Oral/​Systemic Topics (DOST)
• Design (DES)
• Dialogue (DLG)
• Disability and Human Development (DHD)
• Doctor of Medicine—Chicago (MDC)
• Doctor of Medicine—Peoria (MDP)
• Doctor of Medicine—Rockford (MDR)
• Earth and Environmental Sciences (EAES)
• Economics (ECON)
• Education (ED)
• Educational Policy Studies (EDPS)
• Educational Psychology (EPSY)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
• Employee Benefits (EB)
• Endodontics (ENDO)
• Energy Engineering (ENER)
• Engineering (ENGR)
• English (ENGL)
• English Language and Support for Internationals (ELSI)
• Entrepreneurship (ENTR)
• Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (EOHS)
• Epidemiology (EPID)
• Estate Planning (EPL)

Finance (FIN)

• French (FR)
• Gender and Women's Studies (GWS)
• Geography (GEOG)
• Germanic Studies (GER)
• Global Asian Studies (GLAS)
• Graduate College (GC)
• Graduate Education in Medical Sciences (GEMS)
• Greek, Ancient (GKA)
• Greek, Modern (GKM)
• Guaranteed Admissions Medicine (GAMD)
• Health Information Management (HIM)
• Health Policy and Administration (HPA)
• Healthy Living Practitioner™ (HLP)
• Hebrew (HEB)
• Hindi-​Urdu (HNUR)
• Histology (HSTL)
• History (HIST)
• Honors College (HON)
• Human Nutrition (HN)
• Humanities (HUM)
• Industrial Engineering (IE)
• Information and Decision Sciences (IDS)
• Information Technology (IT)
• Intellectual Property (IP)
• Interdisciplinary Education in the Arts (IDEA)
• Interdisciplinary Public Health Sciences (IPHS)
• Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts (ISA)
• International Business and Trade (IBT)
• International Studies (INST)
• Italian (ITAL)
• Japanese (JPN)
• Jewish Studies (JST)
• Juris Doctor (JD)
• Kinesiology (KN)
• Korean (KOR)
• Latin (LAT)
• Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS)
• Learning Sciences (LRSC)
• Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
• Library and Information Science (LIB)
• Linguistics (LING)
• Literatures, Cultural Studies, and Linguistics (LCSL)
• Lithuanian (LITH)
• Management (MGMT)
• Marketing (MKTG)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Engineering (MENG)
• Master of Jurisprudence (MJ)
• Mathematical Computer Science (MCS)
• Mathematics (MATH)
• Mathematics Teaching (MTHT)
• Mechanical Engineering (ME)
• Medical Biotechnology (MBT)
• Medical Education (MHPE)
• Medical Humanities (MHUM)
• Medicinal Chemistry (MDCH)
• Microbiology and Immunology (MIM)
• Military Science (MILS)
• Moving Image Arts (MOVI)
• Museum and Exhibition Studies (MUSE)
• Music (MUS)
• Native American Studies (NAST)
• Natural Sciences (NATS)
• Naval Science (NS)
• Neuroscience (NEUS)
• Nursing Core (NURS)
• Nursing Elective (NUEL)
• Nursing Practicum (NUPR)
• Nursing Specialty (NUSP)
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OSUR)
• Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences (OMDS)
• Oral Sciences (OSCI)
• Orthodontics (ORTD)
• Pathology (PATH)
• Patient Safety Leadership (PSL)
• Pediatric Dentistry (PEDD)
• Periodontics (PERI)
• Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSCI)
• Pharmacognosy (PMPG)
• Pharmacology (PCOL)
• Pharmacy (PHAR)
• Pharmacy Practice (PMPR)
• Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes, and Policy (PSOP)
• Philosophy (PHIL)
• Physical Therapy (PT)
• Physics (PHYS)
• Physiology and Biophysics (PHYB)
• Polish (POL)
• Political Science (POLS)
• Portuguese (PORT)
• Preclinical Medicine (PRCL)
• Privacy and Technology Law (PTL)
• Prosthodontics (PROS)
• Psychology (PSCH)
• Public Administration (PA)
• Public Health (PUBH)
• Public Policy (PPOL)
• Public Policy Analysis (PPA)
• Real Estate (RE)
• Real Estate Studies (RES)
• Religious Studies (RELS)
• Restorative Dentistry (REST)
• Russian (RUSS)
• Slavic and Baltic Languages and Literatures (SLAV)
• Social Justice (SJ)
• Social Work (SOCW)
• Sociology (SOC)
• Spanish (SPAN)
• Special Education (SPED)
• Specialty Medicine (SPEC)
• Statistics (STAT)
• Study Abroad (SABR)
• Surgery (SURG)
• Taxation (TX)
• Theatre (THTR)
• Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution (TADR)
• Urban and Public Affairs (UPA)
• Urban Planning and Policy (UPP)
• Urban Studies (US)
• US Legal Studies (USL)
• All Course Descriptions /

FIN 250. Personal Finance. 3 hours.

Examines the interaction between individual and society in the framework of financial decision-making and in the context of the U.S. financial markets. Analyzes the impact of financial choices on the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): MATH 110 . Recommended background: Any 100-level MATH, ACTG, or FIN course. Individual and Society course .

FIN 300. Introduction to Finance. 3 hours.

Description of financial markets. Time value of money. Risk and return. Market valuation of securities. Capital budgeting, capital structure and dividend policy of firms. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 300 if the student has credit in FIN 301 or FIN 302 . Recommended background: ACTG 210 and ECON 120 .

FIN 301. Introduction to Managerial Finance. 3 hours.

Introduces students to managerial finance: the valuation of future cash flows, capital budgeting, capital structure, and banking. Current events and policy issues are discussed. Couse Information: Credit is not given for FIN 301 if the student has credit in FIN 300 .

FIN 302. Introduction to Investments. 3 hours.

Introduces students to investments: risk/return, models of risk, efficient markets, derivative securities, fixed income securities, international aspects. Current events and policy issues are discussed. Couse Information: Credit is not given for FIN 302 if the student has credit in FIN 300 .

FIN 310. Investments. 3 hours.

Organization of security markets. Legal and institutional environment, mechanics of trade, financial intermediation, security classification. General principles of asset valuation with application to specific securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 311. Introduction to Urban Real Estate. 3 hours.

Introductory survey of urban real estate; business, legal, economic and financial perspectives. Course Information: Same as ECON 311 . Previously listed as FIN 371. Prerequisite(s): ECON 120 .

FIN 320. Managerial Finance. 3 hours.

Short-term asset management, capital budgeting under certainty and uncertainty, capital structure and dividend policy, valuation and risk, capital asset prices, financial policy for firms. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 330. Quantitative Methods. 3 hours.

Introduces students to the quantitative methods needed for advanced finance coursework: point/interval estimation, hypothesis testing, regression, cross-section analysis, time series analysis, portfolio modeling, advanced topics. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): IDS 270 . Recommended background: FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 & FIN 302 .

FIN 340. International Financial Markets. 3 hours.

Evaluation of exchange rate regiments and international financial institutions; develop critical understanding of the asset approach to exchange rates and international financial markets. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 396. Independent Study. 1-3 hours.

Independent study, under the direction of a faculty member, must be arranged before the start of the semester. Course Information: May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor, and the Department Head.

FIN 411. Retirement and Estate Planning. 3 hours.

Provides tools for a financial planner to advise clients on issues of education, retirement, and estate planning, accounting for numerous tax implications. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 250 .

FIN 412. Portfolio Management. 3 hours.

Development of portfolio theory; establishment of portfolio objectives for individuals, corporations, banks, pension and mutual funds; evaluation of portfolio performance. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 .

FIN 414. Financial Plan Development. 3 or 4 hours.

Multifaceted task of financial plans, wealth accumulation, includes employee benefit programs, insurance policies, investments, estate planning, federal income tax, annuities, banking, borrowing. Students develop financial plans, orally and written. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 250 . Recommended background: FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 415. Fixed Income Securities. 3 hours.

Valuation of fixed income securities, term structure estimation and arbitrage trading with practical application using real data. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 .

FIN 416. Options and Futures Markets. 3 hours.

History and institutional structure of options and futures markets. Uses of futures and options for arbitrage, speculation and hedging by managers of domestic and multinational organizations. Analysis of factors which determine futures and options prices. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 .

FIN 418. Commodities, Energy, and Related Markets. 3 or 4 hours.

Covers markets; physicality; laws and regulations; market participants; fundamentals (ags, metals, petroleum, electricity, emissions, and shipping); spreads; options; and, risk management. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 ; and FIN 330 or IDS 270 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). Recommended background: IDS 371 (undergraduate students); IDS 570 (graduate students).

FIN 419. Behavioral Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Provides an understanding of the individuals' behavioral biases and their effects on financial markets. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Graduate students are expected to complete a term project to meet the additional credit hour requirement. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 ; or consent of the instructor.

FIN 421. Advanced Corporate Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Uses the case method to provide an in-depth treatment of corporate financial decisions pertaining to investment and financing choices, corporate policies, and valuation of businesses. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 320 . Recommended background: Understanding financial statements, time value of money, rates of return, market efficiency, and basic concepts of risk, and discount rates. This class cannot serve as an introductory level course for unprepared students. For students who lack confidence in their mastery of the prerequisite material, self-study review of chapters 1–12 of Essentials of Corporate Finance by Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan, the required text for FIN 320 , is strongly recommended.

FIN 422. Alternative Investments: Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Hedge Funds. 3 hours.

Aims to help students understand the investment opportunities available in venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds, both from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, using a combination of lectures and case discussions. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 422 if the student has credit in FIN 445 . Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 . Recommended background: FIN 310 and FIN 320 .

FIN 423. Financial Modeling, Analysis, and Decision Making. 3 hours.

Teaches financial modeling and firm valuation skills using a set of case studies. Using financial data from real firms, students compute and forecast cash flows to evaluation day-to-day business decisions. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 424. Financial Communication. 3 hours.

This learn-by-doing course concentrates on developing strong communication skills with topics based on economic and financial scenarios. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 or FIN 301 . Recommended background: Basic Excel and PowerPoint skills.

FIN 425. Energy Finance. 3 hours.

Addresses finance topics in the context of the energy industry, including valuation, lending, trading, and risk management. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 . Recommended background: FIN 310 and FIN 320 .

FIN 430. Introduction to Money and Banking. 3 hours.

Payment and banking systems; credit and market risk management; The Federal Reserve System; globalization of monetary, banking, and regulatory systems. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 431. Management in the Financial Services Industry. 3 hours.

The principles of management of corporations in the financial services industry, emphasizing commercial bank management and risk. Methodology includes computerized bank management simulation or case studies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 .

FIN 442. International Corporate Financial Management. 3 hours.

Financial management within an international context. International monetary system and financial markets, management of foreign investments, working capital management, exchange risks, taxation and earnings reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 445. Financing Entrepreneurship. 3 hours.

Helps students understand the opportunities and challenges faced by entrepreneurs seeking to finance high-potential ventures by raising venture capital or other forms of private equity or debt. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 445 if the student has credit in FIN 422 or ENTR 444 . Recommended background: FIN 300 ; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 .

FIN 449. Applied Equity Investment Management. 3 hours.

Puts financial theory to practice by giving students real life, hands-on experience in managing an equity investment process, from stock selection to portfolio management. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 . Recommended background: A keen interest/ passion for the markets in general and the equity markets in particular.

FIN 455. Asset Management. 1-4 hours.

Applied course in Investments. The emphasis is on modern quantitative techniques for asset management. Course Information: Students will use real data, and learn to create their own spreadsheet optimization programs in MS excel. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). Recommended Background: Students must be comfortable with linear regressions matrix algebra, basic calculus. Spreadsheet proficiency is essential.

FIN 456. Advanced Investment Management. 3 hours.

This fund is a one-of-a-kind educational opportunity that prepares students for success in the investment industry by managing real money in a highly unstructured setting using the best research and research tools. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): The class is by application only. Admission into the class has the following criteria that are used to evaluate the candidate. Ultimately it is based on the consent of the professor based on these criteria: Have taken and received an A or B in at least one from the following: FIN 449 , FIN 412 , FIN 480 , FIN 421 , IDS 410 or graduate equivalent; Is a member of the Portfolio Management Team (PMT) student organization; A 200-word personal statement on why you should be selected for the class (required); Real life investment experience, e.g., personal account, internship; A passion for and demonstrated experience in investments, trading, markets and/or finance; A recommendation from professors, work bosses, broker, other relationships; 15 minute interview (required); Ability to commit 10 hours a week to class and managing portfolio. This class is open to junior/senior undergraduates. Finance students are given first priority to the spots in the class. Students from outside the finance major are also eligible to apply as long as they have a passion for and demonstrated experience in investments, trading, markets and/or finance.

FIN 460. Corporate Valuation. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines corporate valuation with tools and techniques such as valuation multiples, discounted cash flows, cost of capital, and the adjusted present value method. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 320 or FIN 520 . Recommended background: Basic understanding of accounting and statistics.

FIN 472. Real Estate Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Finance principles applied to real estate; financing of residential and income-producing real estate; real estate development finance; secondary mortgage market; taxation and real estate finance. Course Information: Same as RES 472 . 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May not be used to satisfy the economics credit requirement for the MA in Economics and PhD in Economics. Only elective credit will be applied toward these degrees. Graduate students will complete a term project to meet the additional credit hour requirement. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 .

FIN 473. Risk Management and Insurance. 3 hours.

Introduction to risk management. Loan and credit management; credit scoring. Risk measurements and reserves; banking and insurance capital requirements, the BASEL accord, tail events and catastrophic event insurance. Financial contracts and hedging. Course Information: Same as IDS 473 . Prerequisite(s): IDS 270 and FIN 300 .

FIN 479. Enterprise Risk Management. 3 or 4 hours.

Overview of enterprise-wide risk management strategies and techniques: strategies that firms employ to enhance value and minimize exposure; techniques used to identify, measure, reduce, and transfer risk. Course Information: Same as IDS 479 . 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 ; or consent of the instructor. Recommended background: IDS 473 or FIN 473 .

FIN 480. Securities Markets and High-Frequency Trading. 3 hours.

How securities are traded in modern financial markets; design, operation, and regulation of trading processes; real-time algorithmic trading exercises and high-frequency trading strategies. Course Information: Recommended background: FIN 310 .

FIN 494. Special Topics in Finance. 1-4 hours.

An intensive study of a selected topic in finance. Topics vary by sections and by term. Course Information: 1 to 3 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register for more than one section per term. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours for undergraduates; may be repeated to a maximum of 8 hourse for graduate students. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 495. Competitive Strategy. 4 hours.

Multidisciplinary analysis of organization strategy and policy using case method and/or business simulation. Assignments involve extensive library research as well as oral and written reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Senior standing in the College of Business Administration and completion of all other CBA core courses, or consent of the instructor.

FIN 499. Research Experience. 1-3 hours.

Research experience under the supervision of a faculty member. The faculty member and student will determine the research project. Each student must submit a written report and each student must participate at a research event on campus. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and department head.

FIN 500. Introduction to Corporate Finance. 4 hours.

Theory of corporate finance: goal of the firm, time value of money, investment decisions (under certainty and uncertainty), net present value, capital markets, and corporate financing decisions. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in ACTG 500 .

FIN 510. Investments. 4 hours.

Theory and practice of investment analysis. Topics included are the institutional organization of security markets, and fundamental principles of asset valuation with application to specific securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 512. Portfolio Analysis. 4 hours.

Development of portfolio theory; establishment of portfolio objectives; evaluation of portfolio performance; investment objectives for individuals, corporations banks, pension and mutual funds, and their interrelation with economic environment. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510 .

FIN 515. Fixed Income Securities. 4 hours.

Valuation of fixed income securities, term structure estimation, financial engineering of fixed income securities, securities lending and valuation of bonds with embedded options. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510 .

FIN 516. Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets. 4 hours.

History and institutional structure of options and futures markets. Uses of futures and options for arbitrage, speculation and hedging by financial and portfolio managers of domestic and multinational organizations. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510 .

FIN 520. Corporate Finance. 4 hours.

Advanced topics in corporate finance including capital structure, dividend policy, financial restructuring, bankruptcy, and leasing. Emphasis on recent developments in corporate finance and financial economics. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 522. Alternative Investments: Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Hedge Funds. 4 hours.

Helps students understand the investment opportunities available in venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds, both from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, using a combination of lectures and case discussions. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 522 if the student has credit in FIN 545 or ENTR 444 . Recommended background: FIN 500 .

FIN 523. Financial Modeling. 4 hours.

Teaches financial modeling and firm valuation skills using a set of case studies. Using financial data from real firms, students compute and forecast cash flows to evaluate day-to-day business decisions. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 . Recommended background: FIN 510 and FIN 520 .

FIN 524. Financial Communication. 4 hours.

This learn-by-doing course concentrates on developing strong communication skills, with topics based on economic and financial scenarios. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 . Recommended background: Basic Excel and PowerPoint skills.

FIN 525. Energy Finance. 4 hours.

Addresses finance topics in the context of the energy industry, including valuation, lending, trading, risk management, and sustainability. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 . Recommended background: Basic Excel skills.

FIN 530. Money and Banking. 4 hours.

The functions of money; monetary standards; development and operation of commercial banking and the Federal Reserve System. Theories of the supply and demand for money; effects of monetary changes on economic activity, interest rates, and income. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 531. Capital Markets. 4 hours.

Capital markets in the private economy. Flow of funds in financial markets and financial intermediaries. Pricing of securities. Short-term money markets and the Federal Reserve System. Market for long-term securities. Financial markets and the stability and progress of the economy. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 542. International Finance. 4 hours.

Financial management within an international context. International monetary system, exchange rates, foreign investments, working capital management, financing trade, taxation and earnings reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 544. Entrepreneurial and New Venture Financing. 4 hours.

The financing of new business. Estimating cash needs and then determining sources to finance them. This course is designed for those wanting to start their own business. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 .

FIN 545. Financing Entrepreneurship. 4 hours.

Helps students understand the opportunities and challenges faced by entrepreneurs seeking to finance high-potential ventures by raising venture capital or other forms of private equity or debt. Course Information: Credit Restrictions: Credit is not given for FIN 545 if the student has credit in FIN 522 or ENTR 444 . Recommended background: FIN 500 .

FIN 549. Applied Equity Investment Management. 4 hours.

Places financial theory to practice by giving students real life, hands-on experience in managing an equity investment process, from stock selection to portfolio management. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510 . Recommended background: To have a keen interest/ passion for the markets in general and the equity markets in particular.

FIN 550. Personal Finance. 4 hours.

Creating a personalized financial plan for each student. Analysis of financial planning, wealth accumulation and management to assist individuals/students and households/families in taking control of their financial future.

FIN 551. Financial Decision Making I. 4 hours.

First foundation course for the study of modern financial economics. Two-period individual consumption and portfolio decisions under uncertainty and their implications for the valuation of securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 556. Advanced Investment Management. 4 hours.

Students will deal with unprocessed info, learn to ask difficult questions, step out of their comfort zone to seek unconventional info sources, pull together knowledge from multiple areas of study, work in diverse teams. Course Information: Recommended background: FIN 500 .

FIN 570. Quantitative Methods in Finance. 4 hours.

Statistical and optimization techniques for portfolio management, risk management, proprietary trading, securities regulation and market making. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 571. Empirical Issues in Finance. 4 hours.

The methodology used in analyses of market efficiency, asset pricing and capital allocation. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 and consent of the instructor.

FIN 573. Risk Management. 4 hours.

Introduction to risk management. Risk measurements and reserves; banking and insurance capital requirements, the BASEL accord, tail events, catastrophic event insurance, reinsurance. Financial contracts and hedging. Course Information: Same as IDS 573 . Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in IDS 570 and FIN 500 .

FIN 580. Securities Markets and High-Frequency Trading. 4 hours.

How securities are traded in modern financial markets; design, operation, and regulation of trading processes; real-time algorithmic trading exercises and high-frequency trading strategies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510 . Recommended background: Basic Excel and PowerPoint skills.

FIN 594. Special Topics in Finance. 1-4 hours.

Develops the tools for evaluating and quantifying the value of fixed-income securities. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 596. Independent Study in Finance. 1-4 hours.

Independent study under the direction of a faculty member. Must be arranged before the start of the semester. Course Information: May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of department head or instructor.

FIN 599. Ph.D. Thesis Research. 0-16 hours.

Independent research on topic approved for doctoral dissertation under supervision of faculty advisor. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

Apply Online | Contact Admissions | Privacy Statement Having problems accessing this site? Contact the Webmaster . © 2023-2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

An official website of the United States Government

• Kreyòl ayisyen
• Search Toggle search Search Include Historical Content - Any - No Include Historical Content - Any - No Search
• Menu Toggle menu
• INFORMATION FOR…
• Individuals
• Business & Self Employed
• Charities and Nonprofits
• International Taxpayers
• Federal State and Local Governments
• Indian Tribal Governments
• Tax Exempt Bonds
• FILING FOR INDIVIDUALS
• How to File
• When to File
• Where to File
• Update Your Information
• Get Your Tax Record
• Apply for an Employer ID Number (EIN)
• Check Your Amended Return Status
• Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
• File Your Taxes for Free
• Bank Account (Direct Pay)
• Payment Plan (Installment Agreement)
• Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)
• Your Online Account
• Tax Withholding Estimator
• Estimated Taxes
• Where's My Refund
• What to Expect
• Direct Deposit
• Reduced Refunds
• Amend Return

Credits & Deductions

• INFORMATION FOR...
• Businesses & Self-Employed
• Earned Income Credit (EITC)
• Child Tax Credit
• Clean Energy and Vehicle Credits
• Standard Deduction
• Retirement Plans

Forms & Instructions

• POPULAR FORMS & INSTRUCTIONS
• Form 1040 Instructions
• Form 4506-T
• POPULAR FOR TAX PROS
• Form 1040-X
• Circular 230

Deductions for individuals: The difference between standard and itemized deductions, and what they mean

More in news.

• Topics in the News
• News Releases
• Multimedia Center
• Tax Relief in Disaster Situations
• Inflation Reduction Act
• Taxpayer First Act
• Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts
• The Tax Gap
• Fact Sheets for Frequently Asked Questions
• IRS Tax Tips
• e-News Subscriptions
• IRS Guidance
• Media Contacts
• IRS Statements and Announcements

FS-2024-11, April 2024

A deduction reduces the amount of a taxpayer's income that's subject to tax, generally reducing the amount of tax the individual may have to pay. Most taxpayers now qualify for the standard deduction, but there are some important details involving itemized deductions that people should keep in mind.

Standard deduction

The standard deduction is a specific dollar amount that reduces the amount of taxable income. The standard deduction consists of the sum of the basic standard deduction and any additional standard deduction amounts for age and/or blindness.

In general, the IRS adjusts the standard deduction each year for inflation. It varies by filing status, whether the taxpayer is 65 or older and/or blind and whether another taxpayer can claim them as a dependent.

Taxpayers cannot take the standard deduction if they itemize their deductions. Taxpayers can refer to Topic no. 501, Should I itemize?  for more information.

Itemized deductions

Some taxpayers choose to itemize their deductions if their allowable itemized deductions total is greater than their standard deduction. Other taxpayers must itemize deductions because they aren't entitled to use the standard deduction.

Taxpayers who must itemize deductions include:

• A married individual filing as married filing separately whose spouse itemizes deductions.
• An individual who was a nonresident alien or dual status alien during the year (some exceptions apply).
• An individual who files a return for a period of less than 12 months due to a change in his or her annual accounting period.
• An estate or trust, common trust fund or partnership.

Schedule A (Form 1040) for itemized deductions

Taxpayers use Schedule A ( Form 1040, Itemized Deductions or 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors ) to figure their itemized deductions. In most cases, their federal income tax owed will be less if they take the larger of their itemized deductions or standard deduction.

Taxpayers can review the instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040), Itemized Deductions, to calculate their itemized deductions, such as certain medical and dental expenses, and amounts paid for certain taxes, interest, contributions and other expenses. Taxpayers may also deduct certain casualty and theft losses on Schedule A.

Interactive Tax Assistant can help with deduction questions

The Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) provides answers to tax law questions based on a taxpayer's individual circumstances. It can help a taxpayer determine the answer to common questions, such as if they:

• Must file a tax return.
• Have the correct filing status.
• Can claim a dependent.
• Have taxable income.
• Are eligible to claim a credit.
• Can deduct expenses.

The ITA can help taxpayers with these deduction-related questions:

• How much is my standard deduction?
• Can I claim a deduction for student loan interest?
• Can I deduct my moving expenses?
• How do I claim my gambling winnings and/or losses?
• Can I deduct my medical and dental expenses?
• Can I deduct my mortgage-related expenses?
• Can I deduct my charitable contributions?
• Can I claim my expenses as miscellaneous itemized deductions on Schedule A?
• Can I deduct personal taxes that I pay as an itemized deduction on Schedule A?
• Are my work-related education expenses deductible?
•  Facebook
•  Twitter
•  Linkedin