Overview
A Central Location Allows West Chester University Students Easy Access to Philadelphia and Other Metro Areas
The university is located in West Chester, the seat of Chester County government for more than two centuries, a town with a multitude of professional and civic opportunities, a thriving restaurant row, and unique shops to enhance student life.
The campus is just 25 miles west of Philadelphia and 17 miles north of Wilmington, Delaware, putting the libraries, museums, cultural resources, entertainment, and historical sites of both cities within easy reach. It is also only two hours from New York City and three hours from Washington, D.C.
West Chester Undergraduate Students Will Find an Abundance of Educational Options and Opportunities
While continuing its legacy of teacher education, West Chester University has adapted its programs and facilities to meet the needs of students and the region's businesses and industry and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Students choose majors from among the university's more than 100 graduate and undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences, business, the social sciences, visual and performing arts, and health sciences in addition to teacher education. Industry-specific programs include the innovative pharmaceutical product development program as well as pre-medicine and pre-law.
Paraprofessional studies are available in medicine as are early admission assurance programs with Drexel School of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Temple University School of Dentistry, and Arcadia University Physician Assistant Program.
In cooperation with Pennsylvania State University, West Chester University offers a 3-2 dual-degree program combining liberal arts, physics, and engineering. West Chester also offers special admission opportunities for scholarships to the Widener School of Law - Harrisburg Campus.
Interdisciplinary Studies and Service Learning are Integral to the West Chester University Experience
Interdisciplinary areas of study include a computer security certificate, ethnic studies, Honors College, Latin American studies, and Russian studies. Minors are available in most majors and in several interdisciplinary areas. The university also offers ROTC programs with cross-enrollment agreement with Widener University for Army ROTC and with St. Joseph's University for Air Force ROTC.
In the Merion Science Center, undergraduates gain hands-on experience on cutting-edge scientific instruments, often assisting faculty scientists in their lab research and attending/presenting at conferences. Students in a variety of majors also take part in practical learning by participating in internships and field experiences.
Self-designed majors, independent study, and credit-by-examination programs are also offered at WCU. Service learning is an integral component of many West Chester courses, and the keystone of the Honors College. In both academic and extracurricular pursuits, students annually give more than 200,000 hours of their time to volunteer activities.
West Chester University Offers a Broad Array of NCAA Division II Athletic Programs
The university sponsors the largest varsity program in NCAA Division II, and more than 50 percent of its student athletes are named to the school's academic honor roll each year. Men and women compete in 24 intercollegiate sports in NCAA Division II, ECAC, and PSAC.
Sports facilities in the health and physical education complex include a stadium, field house, a gymnasium for varsity sports, two pool areas, a diving well, dance studios, physical therapy and workout rooms, saunas, and a health resource center.
Numerous Student Groups and Organizations Foster Personal and Social Achievement
Among the 210 student organizations on campus are service organizations and honor societies that provide opportunities for students to network and participate in programs from intramural athletics or music to politics or foreign languages. There are 25 recognized fraternities and sororities; student media includes a weekly student newspaper, plus radio and TV stations as well as the yearbook and literary publication. Each year, West Chester University hosts more than 150 free concerts, lectures, and programs. In addition, renowned musicians, poets, authors, political figures, educators, and others visit campus for evening programs.
Financial Aid Packages are Readily Available for West Chester University Students
While the university attracts the majority of its students from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, it also enrolls students from other states and from more than 50 countries. The undergraduate enrollment includes 11,484 women and men; tuition, room, and board are affordable for a university in a major metropolitan area. Approximately 65 percent of the student population receives some form of financial aid.
Students who have followed a solid college preparatory program, rank in the top half of their graduating class, and who test well on the SATs will be given serious consideration for regular admission.
