The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (also known as UW–Eau Claire, UWEC or simply Eau Claire) is a public liberal arts university located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and has an annual enrollment of more than 10,000 students. The university, which offers bachelor's and master's degrees along with other educational certificates, is categorized as a postbaccalaureate comprehensive institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The school is consistently ranked as a "tier 1" best Midwestern university by U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, the university has received high marks from the Princeton Review, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, and other leading publications. Due to its location on an "especially attractive portion" of the Chippewa River in the Chippewa Valley, it is often referred to as "Wisconsin's most beautiful campus". The campus consists of 28 major buildings spanning 333 acres (1.3 km²). The university owns an additional 168 acres of forested land that is used for environmental research.