Colleges in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is the largest city in the state of Minnesota and half of the Twin City metropolitan area, which is the 16th-largest in the nation. A global city, Minneapolis is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle, and is known for its performing arts, music, and having one of the largest LGBT populations relative to proportion. It’s also home to one of the largest campuses in the US and a variety of other higher education institutions.
The University of Minnesota serves more than 45,000 students on its 2,730-acre campus, the main of which resides in Minneapolis. Offering more than 400 majors for undergraduate students and more than 200 for graduate students through its 19 colleges, the 4-campus UM system is the 4th largest 4-year institution based on enrollment. UM is also the only Big 10 institution located in a major city.
Several private institutions call Minneapolis home, too, including Augsburg University, a liberal arts institution, and North Center University, one of the 17 institutions affiliated with the Assemblies of God. There are two private schools that focus in the arts, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the Art Institutes International Minnesota. MCAD, one of the few colleges to feature comic art, offers Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in 12 areas of study.
For career training, the Minneapolis Community and Technical College and Dunwoody College of Technology are both located in the City of Lakes. MCTC serves more than 11,000 students with its offering of 2-year programs which confer associates, certificates, and diplomas, while Dunwoody offers three types of baccalaureates: Science, Architecture, and Applied Science. Rounding out the city’s offerings are the Metropolitan State University and the University of St. Thomas.
One of the most bikeable cities in the nation as well as one of the most walkable, more than half of Minneapolis’ residents use something other than single-driver autos to commute to work. The city maintains light rails and commuter rails, as well as the Minneapolis Skyway System, which is seven miles of enclosed pedestrian walkways. The city is served by the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.