The University of Missouri - Columbia, founded in 1839, is a comprehensive, public institution. Affectionately known as Mizzou, the university offers a general education core consisting of two nine-hour clusters of coursework outside the major. Freshmen Interest Groups (FIGS) and residence hall-based learning communities bring together students with similar interests. The university''s 1,377-acre campus is located in Columbia, 33 miles north of Jefferson City.