West Chester , Pennsylvania , United States
Total Students
National Ranking
West Chester University (also known as West Chester, WCU, or WCUPA, and officially as West Chester University of Pennsylvania) is a public research university in and around West Chester, Pennsylvania. The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". With 17,719 undergraduate and graduate students as of 2019, WCU is the largest of the 10 state-owned universities belonging to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the sixth largest university in Pennsylvania. It also maintains a Center City Philadelphia satellite campus on Market Street.
The university traces its roots to the West Chester Academy, a private, state-aided school that existed from 1812 to 1869. As the state began to take increasing responsibility for public education, the academy was transformed into West Chester Normal School or West Chester State Normal School, still privately owned and state certified. The normal school admitted its first class, consisting of 160 students, on September 25, 1871. In 1913, West Chester became the first of the normal schools to be owned outright by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
West Chester became West Chester State Teachers College in 1927 when Pennsylvania initiated a four-year program of teacher education. In 1960, as the Commonwealth paved the way for liberal arts programs in its college system, West Chester was renamed West Chester State College, and two years later introduced the liberal arts program that turned the one-time academy into a comprehensive college.
The campus quad located on North Campus appears on the National Register of Historic Places, and is called the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District, featuring WCU's historic buildings. The buildings, with the exception of Anderson Hall and Philips Memorial Building (named after long-time principal George Morris Philips), were each built with local Chester County serpentine stone. They include Ruby Jones Hall, Recitation Hall and the Old Library.
With passage of the State System of Higher Education bill, West Chester became one of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on July 1, 1983. Along with its new name—West Chester University of Pennsylvania—the institution acquired a new system of governance and the opportunity to expand its degree programs.
West Chester is recognized for its formal poetry program. Its annual conference on form and narrative in poetry began in 1995 and is devoted to New Formalism. It has established a poetry center that sponsors readings and an annual book competition oriented toward formal poetry. Its Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards recognize undergraduate achievement in formal poetry.
Nineteen days before his death, Frederick Douglass gave his last public lecture, on February 1, 1895, at West Chester University. The university's Frederick Douglass Institute is named in his honor, and a statue of Douglass appears on its campus. It has been named a national historic landmark by the U.S. National Park Service.[13] The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom recognized the Frederick Douglass Institute for its work in understanding the history of the underground railroad.
The fourth largest university in the Philadelphia region.
The largest of the 14 universities in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education.
Organized into five Colleges and two Schools:
College of Arts and Humanities
College of Business and Public Management
College of Education and Social Work
College of Health Sciences
College of the Sciences and Mathematics
School of Music
School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies
More than 118 undergraduate, 91 master's degree programs, and 4 doctoral programs taught by 729 full-time and 247 part-time faculty.
Classes offered Fall and Spring semesters, accelerated Summer and Winter sessions, in Center City Philadelphia, and online.
Approximately 17,010 degree seeking students: 2,608 graduate and 14,402 undergraduate. (Fall 2016)
Students primarily come from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.
Students come from 36 different states and 74 different countries.
The undergraduate student body is 60% female, 40% male and 22% students of color.
In 2016-17, WCU students contributed more than 755,000 hours of volunteer and community service to 200+ non-profit and governmental agencies.
More than 288 student clubs and organizations.
WCU sponsors one of the largest varsity programs in NCAA Division II with 24 intercollegiate men's and women's sports.
23 registered sports clubs from bowling and fencing to ultimate Frisbee and water polo. Intramural sports are also offered, and include flag football and indoor volleyball.
13 undergraduate residence facilities located on North and South campus offer a choice of suite-style, apartments, and traditional-style living.
Approximately 93% of the University's first-year students live on campus.
406-acre campus.
Located 25 miles west of Philadelphia in West Chester, PA.
A 10-minute walk "uptown" is historic West Chester, offering small-town charm with cosmopolitan flair and unique shops, restaurants, and festivals.
The academic quad is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings included in this historic district are Philips Memorial Building, Ruby Jones Hall, Recitation Hall and the Old Library.
WCU South Campus
Located less than one mile from North Campus, South Campus includes the College of Health Sciences, athletic fields, tennis courts, Farrell Stadium, Graham Natatorium swimming pool, 100-acre Gordon Natural Area, an adventure course, and student residential facilities.
WCU Graduate Center
1160 McDermott Drive
West Chester, PA 19382
Located less than five miles from North Campus, the Graduate Center houses the MBA Program and several other West Chester University programs and initiatives:
Center for Community Solutions
Counselor Education
WCU Philadelphia Location
Philadelphia Multi-University Center Mellon Independence Center
701 Market Street, Concourse Level
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Since 2013, WCU has offered undergraduate and graduate programs at the Philadelphia location. Classes are mainly scheduled in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate working professionals.
THE Ranking::
600
QS Ranking::
N/A
Type of Accommodation::
On Campus
Annual Cost of living:
14000 USD /year
Average Annual UG Fee:
19290 USD
Average Annual PG Fee:
19290 USD
Application Fee:
N/A