Wichita State University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a large city.

Overview

Wichita State University, or WSU, is an American state-supported university located in the city of Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. It was founded as Fairmount College, a private Congregational school, in 1886. It gained university status in 1926. After 38 years as a municipal university, WSU was finally renamed to Wichita State University. The campus covers 330 acres.

WSU offers over 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study. The Graduate School provides an extensive program including over 40 master degrees in more than 100 areas, and a Specialist in Education degree. The university is organized into the following academic divisions:

• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Fine Arts
• College of Health Professions
• Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• W. Frank Barton School of Business

WSU is home to several student clubs and organizations. Notable alumni are Samuel Ramey, Opera star; Nicole Stockdale, newspaper copy editor, blogger; and Paul Wight, professional wrestler known as "The Big Show".

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in music, nutrition and exercise therapy, and engineering.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Large number of students.
• Affordable tuition & fees.
• Many mature (40+ year old) students.
• Numerous part-time students.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• High faculty salary.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Doctoral/Research Universities, Intensive.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students have meal (board) plans.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Part-time classes are available.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Tuition and Financial Aid (2009-2010)

Financial Aid

Wichita State participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

In 2009-2010, 81% of students received financial aid of some sort.

(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 Wichita State University:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 14,405 in 2009-2010 (11,356 full-time equivalent).

About 48% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 52% of the class.

Undergrads are 65% of enrolled students and graduate students are 35%.

Students under 25 years old represent 61% of the student body. About 9% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 92% are full-time and 8% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

Wichita State provides on-campus housing for 1,266 of its 11,356 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010). The school requires freshmen to live on campus.

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 19 meals weekly.

Athletics

The school is in the Missouri Valley Conference for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 110 male students received the aid (men were 49% of those receiving aid) and 113 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 51% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

Wichita State offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship & Professional Practice).

Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Doctoral, Humanities/Social Sciences Dominant.

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (36 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies
• Visual and Performing Arts

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (445 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
• Finance
• Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (45 awarded)

• Computer Engineering
• Computer and Information Sciences

CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (9 awarded)

• Natural Resources Management and Policy

DESIGN (18 awarded)

• Graphic Design

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (5 awarded)

• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
• Visual and Performing Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (265 awarded)

• Art Teacher Education
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Music Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Secondary Education and Teaching
• Special Education and Teaching

ENGINEERING (295 awarded)

• Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Engineering/Industrial Management
• Industrial Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN (0 awarded)

• Industrial Technology/Technician

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (142 awarded)

• Public Administration
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (1 awarded)

• Art History, Criticism and Conservation

LIBERAL ARTS (386 awarded)

• Anthropology
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies
• Foreign Languages and Literatures
• General Studies
• History
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Spanish Language and Literature
• Women's Studies

MATHEMATICS (15 awarded)

• Mathematics

MEDIA (89 awarded)

• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
• Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (15 awarded)

• Health/Health Care Administration/Management

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (85 awarded)

• Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
• Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
• Physician Assistant

MEDICINE (10 awarded)

• Gerontology
• Public Health, General (MPH, DPH)

MUSIC (41 awarded)

• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (152 awarded)

• Nursing Science (MS, PhD)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (120 awarded)

• Athletic Training/Trainer
• Health and Physical Education
• Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (0 awarded)

• Commercial and Advertising Art

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (3 awarded)

• Philosophy

SCIENCE (65 awarded)

• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Geology/Earth Science
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (89 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
• Forensic Science and Technology

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (190 awarded)

• Communication Disorders
• Educational Psychology
• Physical Therapy/Therapist
• Psychology
• School Psychology