Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, stands alongside the Arkansas River right in the heart of the state. This centralized location allows college students easy access to tons of outdoor recreation opportunities, including Pinnacle Mountain and the Big Dam Bridge. However, the city itself — Arkansas' largest — boasts plenty of options for dining and shopping that are perfect for students with a wide range of budgets.
Students heading to colleges or universities in Little Rock have a number of institutions from which to choose, depending on their desired career path.
The main trade school in Little Rock proper is Remington College, though Pulaski Technical College is based right across the river in North Little Rock. Remington College's most popular areas of study trend toward law enforcement and business, and the two-year institution even offers one bachelor's degree program due to the strong interest in criminal justice.
Students who want to pursue a career in cosmetology can choose from several beauty colleges in Little Rock, such as Arkansas Beauty School, Arkansas College of Barbering and Hair Design, and Washington Barber College.
The largest of the universities in Little Rock, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock was founded in 1927 with just eight instructors and 100 students. Current students at this institution can focus their studies on the fields of health professions and business. UA Little Rock also hosts a number of initiatives that support the educational success of several minority groups, including African Americans, Latinos and females, with the hopes of increasing retention and graduation rates.
Private colleges in Little Rock include Arkansas Baptist College and Philander Smith College, were both founded to create higher education opportunities to freedmen — former African American slaves. Philander Smith College was founded in 1877, while Arkansas Baptist College was founded in 1884. The business and social services degree programs at both schools are their most popular ones.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers a varied selection of master's and doctoral degree programs from which post-graduate students can choose. The many fields of study include — but are not limited to — business, education, information technology, art and design and various sciences.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has master's and doctoral programs in fields such as bioinformatics, nursing, clinical nutrition, and pharmaceutical sciences.
To learn more about higher education options in Arkansas, view our list of Arkansas colleges.
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