National Louis University

In 1886, National Louis University began as a radical idea for its time: a college to train women as kindergarten teachers. Our visionary founder, Elizabeth Harrison, believed that the future prosperity of a community began with the education of its youngest children. She also believed that teaching was a noble and difficult profession that demanded a college degree. As Chicago grew from a prairie outpost to an icon of American diversity and industry, NLU evolved from its beginnings as Miss Harrison’s Training School into a full university and one of the most respected “teacher of teachers” in the region.

Today, NLU is the outcome of and testament to the vision of our founders. It is a contemporary university committed to innovation and best practices in both undergraduate and graduate education. A university that excels in creating learning communities where theory complements practice, NLU sustains an 125-year tradition of access to higher education for first-generation and urban university students who want to make a lasting impact in their lives and in their communities.

Discover your career pathway

As a part of National Louis University (NLU), the McCormick Center provides options to take select professional learning opportunities for undergraduate or graduate college credits. Use this foundation to earn your degree in the variety of early childhood education programs through NLU’s National College of Education. Your pathway to comprehensive lifelong learning starts here.

Complete Your Degree for Less.

You may qualify for a 10% tuition scholarship if you have taken a McCormick Institute professional learning opportunity within the past calendar year. Contact an NLU Enrollment Specialist to find out if you qualify.