Western Connecticut State University (WCSU, WCSU) Academics and Admissions

Academics

Western Connecticut State University is located in Danbury, Connecticut. It is a four-year state university offering degrees ranging from associate degrees to the doctorate. It was founded in the city of Danbury in 1903. It is known for its security and law enforcement degree programs and enrolls about 6,200 students.

The campus of Western Connecticut State University is located on over three hundred and ninety acres of land. Nearly all of Western Connecticut State students are enrolled as full time students. There are four schools under Connecticut college accreditation. The four schools under Connecticut State include Ancell School of Business, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Professional Studies, and Division of Graduate Studies.

The most common degree programs at Western Connecticut State University are Education and Teaching, Business and Management, Liberal Arts, Security and Law Enforcement, Therapy and Counseling, Media, Nursing and Emergency Medicine, Family and Social Work, Art Studies, Nursing, Science, Medical Administration, Mathematics, Fine Arts, Computer Science Engineering, Drama and Performing Arts, Medical Support and Technology, and Medicine.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Information Summary

Ranks 23rd in Connecticut and 1839th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	66.5
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$27,481
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	19 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	74% / 41%
Enrollment Total (all students)	5,642

Admissions

Although Western Connecticut State University is a public institution, it does not offer an open admissions policy. Students wishing to attend Western Connecticut State University must meet minimum requirements as part of the admissions process. Students will need to supply their GPA, class rank status, high school records,TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores if applicable, and complete a College Prep Program. Students will also need to submit standardized test results for either the SAT or ACT. Nearly all students (98 percent ) submit SAT test score results. There is an admissions fee and the college admits roughly 58 percent of its applicants.

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Financial Aid

Financial aid programs make college tuition and fees more affordable to students. Financial aid eligibility is determined by the federal student aid programs. Western Connecticut State University participates in federal Title IV financial aid programs.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 3549th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Connecticut.

Students

Western Connecticut State University offers students a numerous amount of services to support students academically. There are a number of services, including an on-campus child care center, distance learning, career counseling, personal counseling and substance abuse counseling. The college also offers its students career services, student employment services, disability services, remedial services, part-time study options, options to study abroad, double major services, honors programs, campus housing and meal plans.

The university has two libraries. The Ruth A. Haas Library is located at the center of the Midtown Campus. It was built in 1969 and renovated in 2000. The 90,000-square foot building has six floors, and is open 82 hours per week.

The Robert S. Young Library is located in the Westside Classroom Building, which is home to the Ancell School of Business. Opened in October 1982, it serves as a memorial to Danbury businessman Robert S. Young, former President of Fairfield Processing. It is organized like a corporate library and supports the departments of accounting, finance, management, marketing, management information systems. The library is known as for its reference section, which has a number of business handbooks, almanacs, encyclopedias and directories. The library has set up its homepage on the college’s website to give users access to a number of internet and online sources.

The Ruth A. Haas Library also has federal government documents, education sources, and a liberal arts collection. The libraries share access to other Connecticut State University libraries.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

Western Connecticut State University is a member of the NCAA. There are a number of athletic programs students may choose to participate in. The athletics sports programs include baseball, basketball, track and field, football, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball. The football program is part of the Freedom Football Conference. The basketball, baseball and track and field programs are all part of the Little East Conference. The college’s nickname is the “Colonials.”

Local Community

The city of Danbury is in northern Fairfield County. According the the 2010 Census the population was 80,893. The city of Danbury is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the “Hat City” because of its production of hats around 1912. The National Hat Factory in Danbury, Connecticut produced more than 25 percent of all the hats in America.

The city of Danbury’s top employers include: Boehringer, Ingelheim, Danbury Hospital, Danbury Public School System, Cartus, Western Connecticut State University, the City of Danbury, Goddrich, Barden, Praxair, and Ethan Allen.

There are a number of private schools in the city of Danbury, including Aderson Montessori School, Colonial Hills Christian Academy, Hudson Country Montessori School, New England Country Day School, New Hope Chrisitan Academy, Maimonides Academy, Wooster School, and the Immanuel Lutheran School.

There are several hiking trails in Danbury Connecticut including the Bear Mountain Reservation, The Old Quarry Nature Center, which is a thirty-nine acre nature center with two seperate education trails. The Tarry Mansion and Park is the most popular park in Danbury. Danbury is the home to many other parks as well, inlcuding Danbury, Candlewood Park, Elmwood Park, Halters Community Park, Kenosia Park, Richter Park, Rogers Park, and Tarrywile Park.

The are also several museums in the small city of Danbury, Connecticut. There is the Danbury Museum and Historical Society, the Danbury Railway Museam, and the Military Museam of Southern England.

Additional School Information

Western Connecticut State University participates in the American Democracy Project, developed by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the New York Times. It is a multi-campus project that engages students, and helps them understand and participate in civic engagement on many different levels. The project aims to produce graduates who understand and are willing to actively participate in civic engagement programs and government.

The college opened an astronomy center in 1987. The Center for Galactic Astronomy was created with grant money from the National Science Foundation, along with other sources. It us used by the college and other agencies to carry on the study the evolution of the galaxy.

Western Connecticut State University also features two observatories. The Midtown Observatory is located in the Science Building of the Midtown campus, and is used for classes, research and public viewing of the stars. The Westside Observatory is located on the Westside campus. There are fewer public viewings there, and visitors are urged to call ahead.

Inside the Westside Observatory is the Planetarium, which seats 40 people. The room is used for educational purposes and science program presentations along with scout groups. The school posts a viewing schedule on its website.

Bibliography

Western Connecticut State University. Web. 26 August 2011.
City of Danbury. Web. 26 August 2011.

Western Connecticut State University