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A GUIDE for INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
INTRODUCTION
West Virginia University welcomes your interests and invites you to learn more about the academic opportunities offered at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. We hope that this brochure will answer many of the questions you may have and will encourage you to apply to WVU to begin your studies with us.
West Virginia University
Office of Admissions and Records
P.O. Box 6009
Morgantown, WV 26506
USA
Web page: http://www.wvu.edu
COMMUNITY AND CAMPUS
The University
Founded in 1867, West Virginia University is one of only 43 public universities in the United States dedicated a Level-one Research University by the Carnegie Foundation. WVU offers students the opportunity to pursue studies in agriculture, forestry, and consumer science, business and economics, the creative arts, education, engineering and mineral resources, the humanities, journalism, law, medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, the natural and social sciences, physical education, and social work. The multidisciplinary environment nurtured by this diversity provides an exciting climate for study.
West Virginia University offers undergraduate programs leading to 66 bachelor's degrees, and graduate programs leading to 77 master's, 29 doctoral, and four first-professional degrees. Within these degree programs are hundreds of specializations.
WVU is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the University has 70 academic programs which are accredited by 37 specialized external accrediting agencies.
The array of academic programs, the high quality of faculty and students, the commitment to excellence, the research efforts, and the facilities at WVU offer students many exciting opportunities for discovery and achievement.
The Environment
West Virginia University's main campus is located in Morgantown, a city of 29,000 in the Appalachian Mountains on West Virginia's northern border. While the state is rural and the community quiet, Morgantown is within easy traveling distance on modern interstate highway systems of the metropolitan areas of Pittsburgh, which is 75 miles (115 kilometers) north, and Baltimore and Washington, both of which are 200 miles (325 kilometers) east. Two major four-lane highways, Interstate 79 and Interstate 68, pass near Morgantown in the north-south and east-west directions. U.S. 19 and U.S. 119 pass through Morgantown in the north-south direction.
First-time visitors are impressed with Morgantown's friendly, casual atmosphere. The downtown shopping area borders the campus, and nearby shopping centers are easily accessible by city bus or car. The Greyhound Bus Company operates a line out of Morgantown, and U.S. Airways Express operates flights to and from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. The University occupies two campuses about a mile and a half (three kilometers) apart. The downtown campus contains the oldest buildings on campus, dating from 1870, whose interiors have been renovated while their classic exteriors have been preserved. Several buildings are part of the National Register of Historic Places. Facilities for the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business and Economics are located on the downtown campus. The personal rapid Transit (PRT) System connects the downtown campus to the newer Evansdale campus, home to the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of WVU, the WVU Law Center, the Colleges of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, Creative Arts, Engineering and Mineral resources, Human Resources and Education, and the School of Physical Education. Completed in 1979, the PRT was built by the U.S. Department of transportation as a national research and demonstration project.
The Climate
West Virginia abounds with spectacular vistas, clear mountain streams, and dense forests, and has been compared to a national park. The climate is mild, but provides four distinct seasons: summer (June to September), fall (September to December), winter (December to March), and spring (March to June). Temperatures extremes can range from below zero degrees Fahrenheit (about –20° C) in winter to as much as 100° Fahrenheit (about 38° C) in the summer.
With days warm and sunny and nights brisk, autumn is a display of magnificent colors. In winter, the lakes and ponds become frozen, and the countryside whitens with periodic snowfalls. Spring is the rainy season with its rewards of lush green foliage and forests dotted with dogwood, redbud, rhododendron, and mountain laurel. Summer temperatures, ranging from 70° to 80° Fahrenheit (from 21° to 27° C), make hiking, swimming, and white-water rafting popular activities. Unlike some areas of the world, the weather can be very unpredictable. Most people seek daily weather forecasts to help then anticipate the day's weather.
The People
Of all the elements that shape a university, people are the most important. West Virginia University is rich in human resources. More than 23,000 students and approximately 5,000 full-time faculty and staff have come to WVU to share their diverse talents and interests in a collegial atmosphere. No one is a stranger in the university community for long. The student body is composed of individuals from every county in the state, nearly all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 96 nations around the world. The average age of the students is 23 years. Four percent of the overall student population is international students. Over the years, 25 students have received Rhodes Scholarships, 13 have received Truman Scholarships, one has received the British Marshall Scholarship , and 18 are Goldwater Scholars. Among others, WVU also has Fulbright, Latin American Scholarship Program of American Universities (LASPAU), and African Training for Leadership and Advanced Skills (ATLAS) scholars.
WVU has 1,380 full-time instructional faculty. The faculty members are involved in both teaching and research. Almost all general education classes are taught by faculty members. In the sciences, graduate assistants supervise lab sections; however, all lectures are given by faculty. In English, mathematics, and foreign languages, some of the beginning classes are taught by graduate teaching assistants; however, all classes are supervised by full-time professors. About 85% of the full-time instructional faculty hold doctorates or the highest degree offered in their field. The undergraduate student faculty ratio is approximately 18:1.
The graduate faculty teach, advise, and supervise research for more than 7,000 graduate and professional students. Graduates students are junior colleagues of these faculty members, and together they form an impressive source of talent, intellect, and creativity. WVU faculty conduct over $71 million of funded research per year with support from federal, state, and private resources.
Academic Calendar
The West Virginia University academic year is divided into two semesters of about 17 weeks each and two summer sessions of six weeks each. The fall semester begins in late August and ends in December, and the spring semester begins in January and ends in early May. Summer Session One begins in the beginning of May and ends in late June. Summer Session Two begins in early July and ends the second week of August. Summer sessions are highly concentrated terms, and work performances expected from students is the same as for the regular semesters.
Vacation periods during the academic year include Thanksgiving Recess (one week in late November), Holiday Recess (three weeks from mid-December through early January), and Spring Recess of one week, usually in March. Classes are not usually held on Saturdays or Sundays throughout the year.
Learning Resources
The University library system consists of ten facilities containing 1.7 million books and 2 million microforms and microfilms. Over, 9,000 periodicals are received. The collections are especially strong in the biological sciences, chemistry, engineering, economics, Africana, the Southern Appalachians, and West Virginia history.
Computers are available in individual departments and throughout campus. WVU is a member institution of the West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing (WVNET). WVNET provides a wide variety of mainframe-based computer hardware and software packages and serves as a pathway to worldwide computer resources. The Office of Academic Computing provides support for academic and research computing activities throughout the University.
A Way of Life
Life for West Virginia University students is a constant learning process, but is not all work. Cultural and educational events, special interests groups and clubs, as well as a wide variety of sports are available to WVU's students.
The performing arts and numerous cultural and educational events provide diversion for leisure hours. The Creative Arts Center with its 1,000-seat theatre is the scene of theatrical, musical, and dance productions by WVU groups as well as visiting performers. Academic units sponsor conferences and guest speakers throughout the year, including national and international figures. Nearby, Pittsburgh offers a variety of cultural opportunities and sports activities, including the world-renowned Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Carnegie Museum, the Pittsburgh Ballet, the Pittsburgh Opera, touring theatre companies, and national sports teams.
The Core Arboretum is known for its spectacular seasonal displays of native wild flowers, trees, and shrubs. The 50-acre arboretum is designed for use as an outdoor classroom for courses in botany, zoology, and ornithology. The Tomchin Planetarium offer two shows each month during the academic year. The observatory is open on clear nights in conjunction with these shows. The Center for Black Culture and Research serves for a focal point for black social and cultural activity at WVU. The Center for Women's Studies coordinates the Women's Studies Program as well as sponsors workshops and special lectures for the University and the community. WWVU-FM (91.7), popularly known as "U-92," is the University's volunteer student-operated 24-hour FM radio station. It offers the University and surrounding community an alternative listening blend of music ranging from roots reggae and fresh urban sounds to classical, jazz, and big band.
You may choose to become active in one or more special interest groups or clubs; WVU has more than 250 student organizations. Among these are professional societies in the various disciplines, campus religious groups, service clubs, the Nontraditional Students Association, and the International Student Association. The Graduate and Professional Student Association is eager to have students participate in its activities.
The Office of International Students and Scholars and the International Student Association offer numerous events throughout the year which give students the opportunity to share the customs and culture of their home country with the campus and local Morgantown community. Some of these events included the International Dinner and the International Festival which showcases local international talent.
For the sports enthusiasts, WVU provides tennis and racquetball courts, a natatorium, weight-lifting and fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor tracks, an extensive intramural sports program, and classes which include dancing, scuba diving, hot air ballooning, and much more.
You can enjoy some of the best remaining wilderness in the eastern United States without leaving the state. The numerous state parks and forests offer snow skiing, swimming, tennis, golf, fishing, and hiking trails. White-water rafting, canoeing, and water skiing on West Virginia's lakes and rivers are also popular activities. If your sport interests tend to be more sedentary, WVU has a major intercollegiate athletic program with Division I, Big East football, basketball, and rifle teams, as well as numerous other sports teams such as soccer and gymnastics.
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