If Your Academic College Was a Coffee, This Is What It’d Be
Choosing an academic college at Iowa isn’t just about a major. It’s about how you learn, how you think, and what your day-to-day academic life looks like. If those differences were coffee orders you’d pick up around Iowa City, here’s how each college would order.
Tippie College of Business- Cold Brew
Cold brew isn’t the loudest thing on the menu, but it’s one of the most intentional. It takes time to develop and delivers steady, lasting energy, which mirrors Tippie’s academic approach. While business can be studied anywhere, Tippie focuses on building skills that hold up over time through collaborative coursework, hands-on projects, internships, student organizations, and real-world problem solving. Flexible pathways let you explore majors, double up, or follow your passions. Like cold brew, Tippie isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about preparation that lasts.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences- Latte
A latte can be hot or iced, sweet or simple, vanilla or caramel, just like a CLAS education—you get to mix and match your majors, explore your interests, and discover what inspires you. With more than 70 majors and endless ways to combine them, students can experiment across disciplines, dive into hands-on projects, labs, studios, and study abroad opportunities, while building communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that prepare them for any path. Like a latte, CLAS is flexible, customizable, and full of possibilities, crafted to match your curiosity and fuel your next steps.
College of Engineering- Cortado
A cortado blends espresso and milk in perfect balance, just like at the College of Engineering—half technical mastery, half creative problem-solving. With eight undergraduate degrees, students dive into hands-on learning through research, internships, co-ops, and study abroad, gaining real-world experience from the start. The small-college environment fosters collaboration, strong bonds, and a welcoming community. Cutting-edge work in medical imaging, sustainability, and biotechnology prepares students for innovative careers, while communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills help them thrive.
College of Education- Mocha with Whipped Cream
A mocha is warm, a little sweet, and makes you feel cared for, the perfect pick-me-up for anyone ready to help others succeed. That is College of Education energy: supportive, encouraging, and full of collaboration. Students brainstorm lesson plans one minute, coach peers the next, and tackle big challenges in classrooms, counseling centers, or research labs. With over 80 programs to explore, there is room to mix, match, and add your own flair, like drizzling caramel over your mocha. It is nurturing, energizing, and leaves you ready to make an impact, one thoughtful sip at a time.
College of Nursing- Artisan Drip
Drip coffee isn’t instant—it takes time, care, and precision to brew the perfect cup. That is the College of Nursing. With nationally recognized programs and world-renowned faculty, students are trained for real clinical settings from the start. Whether pursuing the pre-licensure BSN or advancing through the RN-BSN pathway, nursing students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for the realities of patient care. It is focused, hands-on, and deeply impactful.
College of Public Health- Macchiato
A macchiato is small but bold, layered with purpose, and not messing around. That fits the College of Public Health. As a top-ranked public institution and the only accredited school of public health in Iowa, this college focuses on impact over flash. Students get hands-on experience locally and globally, tackling real public health challenges that affect communities every day. Whether preparing for careers in public health practice or future paths in medicine, law, or research, students leave with a strong foundation and a clear sense of direction. Like a macchiato, it is concentrated, intentional, and powerful in every sip.
College of Pharmacy- Quad Espresso
A quad espresso is intense, focused, and chosen by people who know exactly what they are signing up for. That fits the College of Pharmacy. It is a close-knit Pharmily with the resources of a major research university, where hands-on, experience-based learning begins on day one. Ranked among the top PharmD programs in the nation, students learn in a state-of-the-art facility, collaborate across health sciences, and gain experience through preceptors in the U.S. and abroad. The result is a program that values leadership, service, and carving your own path.
