Western Washington University
Location and Contact Information
516 High StBellingham, WA 98225-9008
USA
Main Tel: (360) 650-3000
Web Site
The campus is in a small city.
Overview
Western Washington University, also referred to as WWU or Western, is a coeducational, state-funded, public university located in Bellingham, Washington, United States. It was established on February 24, 1893, as New Whatcom Normal School. The Institution underwent several name changes since its inception and received its curent name and University status in 1977. The University, along with its associated buildings, occupies more than 200 acres of suburban land.
The University has the following colleges and schools:
- College of Business and Economics
- College of Fine and Performing Arts
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Sciences and Technology
- Fairhaven College
- Graduate School
- Huxley College of the Environment
- Woodring College of Education
WWU's sports teams are called the Vikings. The official mascot is Victor E. Viking. The University sponsors cross country, soccer, volleyball, football, golf, basketball, softball, track & field, and rowing. A variety of club sports are also sponsored by the University.
Notable alumni include Pamela Reed, actress; Richard M. Barlow, former CIA officer and nuclear weapons expert; and Douglas Massey, sociologist in Princeton University.
Highlights (vs. Other Schools)
- Many students concentrating in conservation and resource management, liberal arts, drama and performing arts, design, nutrition and exercise therapy, and mathematics.
- Large number of programs of study offered.
- Large number of students.
- Affordable tuition & fees.
- Number of dorm rooms for students.
School characteristics:
- The school is public.
- Academic calender: Quarter.
- Carnegie classification: Masters Colleges and Universities I.
Features of note:
- The school offers a faculty tenure system.
- There are one or more libraries on-campus.
- Campus housing is available.
- Students may study abroad.
- Distance learning is available.
- Part-time classes are available.
- Athlete financial aid is awarded.
Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| State Tuition and fees | $ 6,159 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 17,190 |
| Room | $ 5,248 |
| Board | $ 2,848 |
| Books and supplies | $ 1,020 |
| Other | $ 3,177 |
Financial Aid
Western Washington University participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.
In 2009-2010, 68% of students received financial aid of some sort.
| Grants | % of Students | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Any Grant | 43% | $4,965 |
| Institutional Grant | 38% | $2,596 |
| Federal Grant | 15% | $4,080 |
| Pell Grant | 14% | $3,195 |
| Other Federal Grant | 13% | $1,140 |
| State or Local Grant | 15% | $3,662 |
| Loans | % of Students | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Student Loan | 41% | $4,496 |
| Federal Loan | 41% | $4,062 |
| Other Loan | 2% | $9,433 |
(Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.)
Similar Schools
Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to Western Washington University:
Click a column header to sort.
| School | Location | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Montana | Missoula, MT | 14,207 |
| 2 | Montana State University | Bozeman, MT | 11,976 |
| 3 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD | 11,995 |
| 4 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh, NY | 6,358 |
| 5 | Michigan Technological University | Houghton, MI | 7,009 |
| 6 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, MS | 17,824 |
| 7 | Stephen F Austin State University | Nacogdoches, TX | 12,000 |
| 8 | Texas State University-San Marcos | San Marcos, TX | 29,105 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina-Wilmington | Wilmington, NC | 12,643 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Duluth | Duluth, MN | 11,366 |
Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)
| Degree | Total Earned | Different Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor | 3,099 | 116 |
| Master | 350 | 37 |
Faculty
Tenure (2009-2010):
| Full-Time Faculty | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| With tenure | 335 | |
| Without tenure; working toward tenure | 130 | |
| Without tenure; tenure not available | 48 |
Students
Student enrollment was 14,620 in 2009-2010 (13,715 full-time equivalent).
About 43% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 57% of the class.
Undergrads are 90% of enrolled students and graduate students are 10%.
Students under 25 years old represent 86% of the student body. About 3% of the school is at least 40 years of age.
Admissions Summary (2009-2010)
Applicants Admitted Men 69% Women 75% All 73%
SAT Test Scores:
SAT Middle 50% Verbal 500-620 Math 510-610 Writing 490-590
Room and Board
Western Washington University provides on-campus housing for 4,040 of its 13,715 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010).
Athletics
The school is in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for major sports.
The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 95 male students received the aid (men were 52% of those receiving aid) and 86 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 48% of students receiving such aid) .
International Study
About 0% of freshmen are from countries other than the US.
International applicants are required to take the TOEFL exam.
Graduate School Focus
Western Washington University offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Master.
Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Postbaccalaureate Comprehensive.
Programs of Study
(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)
ART STUDIES
- Art/Art Studies
- Visual and Performing Arts
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
- Accounting
- Accounting and Computer Science
- Business Administration and Management
- Finance
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration
- International Business/Trade/Commerce
- Management Information Systems
- Marketing/Marketing Management
- Operations Management and Supervision
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
- Computer and Information Sciences
CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Studies
DESIGN
- Design and Applied Arts
- Design and Visual Communications
- Graphic Design
- Industrial Design
DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
- Dance
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
EDUCATION AND TEACHING
- Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
- Art Teacher Education
- Biology Teacher Education
- Chemistry Teacher Education
- College Student Counseling and Personnel Services
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Drama and Dance Teacher Education
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching
- Educational Leadership and Administration
- Elementary Education and Teaching
- Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education
- German Language Teacher Education
- History Teacher Education
- Mathematics Teacher Education
- Music Teacher Education
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- Secondary Education and Teaching
- Secondary School Administration/Principalship
- Social Science Teacher Education
- Social Studies Teacher Education
- Spanish Language Teacher Education
- Special Education and Teaching
- Speech Teacher Education
- Teacher Education/Profess Development, Subject Areas
- Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education
- Trade and Industrial Teacher Education
ENGINEERING
- Archeology
ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN
- Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician
- Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engr Technology/Technician
- Industrial Technology/Technician
- Manufacturing Technology/Technician
- Plastics Engineering Technology/Technician
FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
- Child Development
- Human Services
FINE ARTS
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation
- Ceramic Arts and Ceramics
- Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts
- Painting
- Sculpture
LIBERAL ARTS
- American/United States Studies/Civilization
- Anthropology
- Canadian Studies
- Creative Writing
- East Asian Studies
- Economics
- English Language and Literature
- Foreign Languages and Literatures
- French Language and Literature
- General Studies
- Geography
- German Language and Literature
- History
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies
- Japanese Language and Literature
- Linguistics
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Political Science and Government
- Public/Applied History and Archival Administration
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Social Sciences
- Sociology
- Spanish Language and Literature
MATHEMATICS
- Applied Mathematics
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Mathematics
MEDIA
- Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- Journalism
MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY
- Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
- Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
MEDICINE
- Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
- Neuroscience
MUSIC
- Music History, Literature, and Theory
- Music Performance
- Music Theory and Composition
- Music
NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY
- Health and Physical Education
- Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor
PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART
- Drawing
- Intermedia/Multimedia
- Photography
- Printmaking
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
- Philosophy
SCIENCE
- Biochemistry
- Biological and Physical Sciences
- Biology/Biological Sciences
- Botany/Plant Biology
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Chemistry
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
- Geology/Earth Science
- Geophysics and Seismology
- Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
- Physics
- Zoology/Animal Biology
THERAPY AND COUNSELING
- Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
- Counseling Psychology
- Developmental and Child Psychology
- Physiological Psychology/Psychobiology
- Psychology