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Academics

Western Carolina University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Western Carolina University?

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

16:1
Student to faculty ratio
27
Average class size

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.

Western Carolina has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
176
10-19
310
20-29
417
30-39
283
40-49
188
50-99
45
100+
7

Honors Programs

Western Carolina 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 Western Carolina'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 Western Carolina University:

79%
First-year retention rate
60%
6-year grad rate

Majors

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

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS
92
126.8
161.6
196.4
231.2
266

The Full List

Major Graduates
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 68
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 6
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 255
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 70
  • Finance, General 63
  • Marketing, Other 50
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 36
  • Management Information Systems, General 34
  • Accounting 30
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 16
  • Finance, General 15
  • Business Administration and Management, General 15
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 9
  • Accounting 3
  • Marketing, Other 2
  • Management Information Systems, General 1
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 48
  • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other 17
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 22
  • Computer Science 1
Education
  • Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching 82
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 40
  • Music Teacher Education 16
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 15
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 13
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 7
  • Social Studies Teacher Education 5
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 5
  • Art Teacher Education 5
  • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 4
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 3
Engineering
  • Engineering, General 37
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 16
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 53
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 42
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 42
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 42
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 10
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 41
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 10
  • Spanish Language and Literature 4
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 266
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 121
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 121
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 121
  • Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 91
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 27
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 19
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 14
  • Environmental Health 11
  • Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 3
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
History
  • History, General 30
  • History, General 3
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 139
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 19
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 5
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 3
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 14
  • Mathematics, General 3
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • International/Globalization Studies 8
  • International/Globalization Studies 4
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 26
  • Environmental Science 15
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 1
  • Environmental Science 1
Parks
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 35
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 31
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 9
  • Philosophy 2
Physical Sciences
  • Forensic Chemistry 40
  • Chemistry, General 20
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 11
  • Chemistry, General 9
  • Forensic Chemistry 5
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 150
  • Psychology, General 13
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Public Administration 105
  • Social Work 51
  • Public Administration 7
Social Sciences
  • Anthropology, General 32
  • Political Science and Government, General 23
  • Sociology, General 15
  • Sociology, General 12
  • Anthropology, General 8
  • Political Science and Government, General 4
  • Applied Economics 4
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Music Performance, General 35
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 33
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 31
  • Interior Design 22
  • Music, General 10
  • Art/Art Studies, General 10
  • Art/Art Studies, General 1
  • Music, General 1
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