Pennsylvania Western University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Pennsylvania Western University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

17:1
Student to faculty ratio
40%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

PennWest has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Honors Programs

Pennsylvania Western University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on PennWest's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Pennsylvania Western University:

70%
First-year retention rate
40%
4-year grad rate
53%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Pennsylvania Western University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Business Administration and Management, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
68.4
96.72
125.04
153.36
181.68
210

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 57
  • Molecular Biology 10
  • Environmental Biology 5
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 105
  • Accounting 43
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 28
  • Finance, General 15
  • Labor and Industrial Relations 7
  • Business/Commerce, General 6
  • Operations Management and Supervision 5
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 4
  • Business/Managerial Economics 3
  • Real Estate 2
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 0
Communication
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 26
  • Journalism 12
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 12
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 12
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 11
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 43
  • Computer Science 12
  • Information Science/Studies 3
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 106
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 15
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 13
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 10
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 10
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness 7
  • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 5
  • Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching 4
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education Programs 0
Engineering
  • Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering 23
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other 12
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 8
  • Computer Engineering Technology/Technician 5
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 2
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 43
Foreign Languages
  • Arabic Language and Literature 43
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 210
  • Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 58
  • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist 46
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 44
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 44
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 44
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 17
  • Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other 14
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 2
  • Health and Wellness, General 0
  • Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist 0
  • Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist 0
  • Art Therapy/Therapist 0
  • Music Therapy/Therapist 0
History
  • History, General 14
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 92
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 24
Legal Professions And Studies
  • American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence 12
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 3
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 147
Library Science
  • Library and Information Science 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 20
  • Statistics, Other 1
  • Statistics, General 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Systems Science and Theory 14
  • Biological and Physical Sciences 10
  • Gerontology 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management 16
  • Environmental Studies 8
  • Environmental Science 1
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 70
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 49
  • Physical Fitness Technician 15
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other 10
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 4
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 1
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 15
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 13
  • Physics, General 7
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 74
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 43
  • Social Psychology 8
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 33
Science Technologies/Technicians
  • Biology/Biotechnology Technology/Technician 0
Social Sciences
  • Social Sciences, General 53
  • Political Science and Government, General 15
  • Social Sciences, Other 13
  • Geography 10
  • Sociology, General 10
  • Economics, General 8
  • Anthropology, General 6
  • Geographic Information Science and Cartography 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 74
  • Art/Art Studies, General 16
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 15
  • Graphic Design 10
  • Commercial and Advertising Art 8
  • Music Technology 4
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 0
  • Music, General 0

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