Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University Admissions and School Information

Western Carolina University is a 4-year, public university in Cullowhee, NC, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in many areas. Some of the majors students can choose from are psychology, business administration, construction management and English.

About Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University's campus is located in a valley nestled between the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains and has a total student population of 9,050. The university is the fifth-oldest in the University of North Carolina system, and began in 1889 as a small community school.

In addition to Western Carolina's five colleges, the university houses a number of centers and institutes where students can research areas such as business development, rural education practices, economics and fine arts. Western Carolina's alumni include Emmy, National Endowment for the Arts and O. Henry award winners.

Admissions and Enrollment Information

Admissions procedures differ depending on the type of student enrolling at Western Carolina University. Undergraduate students should complete online applications, pay application fees and submit copies of either ACT or SAT scores and high school transcripts. The procedure for transfer students is the same; however, instead of high school transcripts, transfer students should have transcripts from all of the colleges and universities they've attended.

International students must complete international applications, pay non-refundable application fees, send copies of transcripts from any secondary and post-secondary schools attended and submit ACT, SAT or TOEFL scores.

Western Carolina University Colleges

College of Arts & Sciences

The departments comprising the College of Arts and Sciences include philosophy and religion, biology, English, communication, mathematics and computer science. One unique feature of the college is its interdisciplinary program in arts and sciences. The three majors in the program, which include comprehensive science, forensic science and environmental science, were crafted to include elements from multiple disciplines. Students in the interdisciplinary program select a minor in the social sciences.

College of Business

The College of Business offers degree programs in areas such as project management, entrepreneurship, information systems and accounting. The project management and entrepreneurship programs are offered entirely online. In 2008, the Princeton Review ranked WCU's College of Business as one of the the top 296 business schools in the United States. The college houses specialized centers, including the Center for Information Technology and Assurance.

College of Education & Allied Professionals

The College of Education & Allied Professionals is made up of five departments. Some of these departments include educational leadership and foundations, human services, psychology and elementary and middle grades education. The college offers 35 graduate and undergraduate areas of study and has accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The college offers a certification program to working professionals who wish to become teachers.

College of Fine & Performing Arts

The College of Fine & Performing Arts is made up of one department, the Department of Stage and Screen, and two schools, the School of Music and the School of Art and Design. The Department of Stage and Screen grants undergraduate degrees, while both schools offer undergraduate and graduate study. A recent addition to the college is the Fine and Performing Arts Center, which includes the Niggli Theatre, digital television recording studios, an academic wing and a fine art museum.

College of Health & Human Sciences

The College of Health & Human Sciences offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs in nursing, criminal justice, physical therapy and communication sciences. The college goal is to graduate students who excel in community service, research and critical thinking. The criminal justice program Western Carolina University's largest programs, and offers students the option of completing an undergraduate degree entirely online. Some programs are offered at a secondary campus located in Ashville, NC.

Contact Information

  • Address: Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723
  • Phone: (828) 227-7211