Westfield State College is a small, liberal arts college located in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was established in 1838 as a normal school. The college offers a wide variety of degrees and programs in diverse areas of study. WSC is acclaimed for its Criminal Justice and Education Programs.
WSC fields both men’s and women’s sports teams, which participate in the NCAA Division III. WSC's official mascot is the owl and its teams are nicknamed the Owls. There are several clubs and organizations on campus as well.
Westfield State College is found in Westfield, MA. Westfield is a large suburb. The school is a public institution. Students can earn degrees up to and including the Post-Master's certificate at Westfield State College.
The school is known for its programs in media, art studies, and security and law enforcement.
Admission to Westfield State College is not automatic; not everyone who applies gets in. Three quarters of students in 2007-2008 had SAT verbal scores of at least 450. Half of math SAT scores of accepted students fell between 470 and 560.
Westfield State College has a tenure system for senior faculty.
Students numbered 5,392 in 2007-2008 at the school.
Full-time students are the norm at Westfield State College. The school offers dorm rooms to a higher percentage of its students than do most colleges. Westfield State College offers students meal plans. The school values student athletics, and belongs to the Massachusetts State College Athletic Association and New England Football Conference.
More complete details are provided below.
Westfield State College
577 Western Ave
Westfield, MA 01086-1630
General Phone: (413) 572-5300
http://www.wsc.ma.edu/
| General Category | Degrees | Most Common Majors [see all] |
|---|---|---|
| Education and Teaching | 233 | elementary school teaching, special ed, elementary/middle school admin, kindergarten/preschool teaching, educational administration, physical education teaching, math teaching, reading teaching, ... |
| Security and Law Enforcement | 197 | criminal justice and safety |
| Liberal Arts | 159 | liberal arts and sciences, English, history, political science, economics, sociology, liberal arts and humanities |
| Business and Management | 142 | business, accounting |
| Therapy and Counseling | 105 | psychology, psychology courses |
| Media | 76 | communication studies |
| Nutrition and Exercise Therapy | 34 | health and physical education |
| Family and Social Work | 25 | social work, public administration |
| Art Studies | 24 | art studies |
| Science | 21 | biology, physical sciences |
| Music | 18 | music |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 16 | information science, computer science |
| Mathematics | 11 | mathematics |
| Architecture and Planning | 9 | urban planning |
| Conservation and Resource Management | 8 | environmental science |
| Drama and Performing Arts | 4 | drama |
Number of programs and degrees for Westfield State College in 2008-2009:
| Degree Level | Total Awarded | Number of Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 919 | 27 |
| Master's degree | 131 | 28 |
| Postbaccalaureate certificate | 21 | 14 |
| Post-master's certificate | 11 | 4 |
In 2007-2008, Westfield State College had a total enrollment of 5,392 students (4,791 full-time equivalent).
Students in the Freshman Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Men | 50% |
| Women | 50% |
| Full-Time | 100% |
| Part-Time | 0% |
Students By Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 82% |
| Graduate | 18% |
| Race | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 82% |
| Black | 3% |
| Hispanic | 3% |
| Asian | 1% |
| American Indian | 0% |
| Unknown | 11% |
| (Foreign Students) | 0% |
Students by Age:
| Age | Percent |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 0% |
| 18-19 | 30% |
| 20-21 | 33% |
| 22-24 | 17% |
| 25-29 | 7% |
| 30-34 | 3% |
| 35-39 | 3% |
| 40-49 | 4% |
| 50-64 | 2% |
| 65+ | 0% |
Incoming (Freshman) Students by Place of Residence:
(From available data sampling)
| Residence | Percent |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 93% |
| Connecticut | 4% |
| New York | 1% |
| New Hampshire | 1% |
| Maine | 1% |
Retention Rates (2007):
| Group | Returning From Previous Year |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 76 % |
| Part-Time | 100 % |
Westfield State College offers campus housing for 2,600 of its 4,791 (full-time) students.
(Please refer to our profile of Westfield, Massachusetts for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other Massachusetts Colleges).
The school offers students a meal plan with 19 meals per week.
Acceptances:
| Group | Applicants | Accepted | Percent Accepted | Enrolled | Percent of Accepted Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 5,188 | 3,204 | 62% | 1,128 | 35% |
| Men | 2,465 | 1,398 | 57% | 560 | 40% |
| Women | 2,723 | 1,806 | 66% | 568 | 31% |
Standardized Test Scores:
| Test | 25th Percentile | 75th Percetile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Verbal | 450 | 540 |
| SAT Math | 470 | 560 |
| ACT Composite | 18 | 23 |
Application Requirements:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| GPA | required |
| Class Rank | not required |
| High School Record | required |
| College Prep Program | required |
| Recommendations | recommended |
| Formal Demonstration of Competence | required |
| Standardized Tests (SAT and/or ACT) | required |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting SAT | 93% |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting ACT | 7% |
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | required |
| Other Standardized Tests | required |
Expenses and Financial Aid:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $ 6,515 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 12,595 |
| Room and board | $ 8,065 |
| Room charge | $ 5,215 |
| Board (meal plan) charge | $ 2,850 |
| Books and supplies | $ 950 |
| Other expenses | $ 1,750 |
Financial Aid:
Westfield State College participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 218900)
Westfield State College has a tenure system for faculty.
Salaries for full-time faculty:
Full-Time Faculty (2008-2009):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | academic year | 46 | $79,487 | 29 | $75,938 |
| Associate professor | academic year | 20 | $62,654 | 23 | $64,912 |
| Assistant professor | academic year | 35 | $55,552 | 36 | $51,982 |
| Instructor | academic year | 5 | $50,531 | 3 | $43,700 |
| All faculty total | academic year | 106 | $67,042 | 91 | $62,611 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
Athletic Conferences:
| Sport | Conference |
|---|---|
| Football | New England Football Conference |
| Basketball | Massachusetts State College Athletic Association |
| Baseball | Massachusetts State College Athletic Association |
| Track | Massachusetts State College Athletic Association |
ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
ART STUDIES
Art/Art Studies, General
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Accounting
Business/Commerce, General
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Computer Science
Information Science/Studies
CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Science
DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
EDUCATION AND TEACHING
Administration of Special Education
Art Teacher Education
Biology Teacher Education
Business Teacher Education
Education/Teaching of Individuals with Multiple Disabilities
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
Elementary Education and Teaching
Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship
English/Language Arts Teacher Education
History Teacher Education
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching
Mathematics Teacher Education
Music Teacher Education
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
Reading Teacher Education
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
Secondary Education and Teaching
Secondary School Administration/Principalship
Special Education and Teaching, General
Teacher Education/Profess Development, Levels & Methods, Other
Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education
FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
Public Administration
Social Work
LIBERAL ARTS
Economics, General
English Language and Literature, General
History, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Political Science and Government, General
Sociology
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics, General
MEDIA
Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY
Health and Physical Education, General
SCIENCE
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Physical Sciences
(Details are provided further down on this page.)
What Sets Westfield State College Apart:
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| % of degrees in security and law enforcement (vs. all colleges) | Top 6% | ![]() |
| Dorm rooms per full-time student (vs. all colleges) | Top 11% | ![]() |
| Number of degree programs (vs. all colleges) | Top 13% | ![]() |
| Number of students (vs. all colleges) | Top 14% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in media (vs. all colleges) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in therapy and counseling (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 18% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in art studies (vs. colleges with similar degree levels) | Top 19% | ![]() |
Notable:
Accepts some high school credits
Grants credits for AP courses
Offers distance learning
Offers weekend classes
Career counseling
Career services
Student employment services
Remedial classes for students
Option to study abroad
Offers part-time study
On-campus library
Offers campus housing
Offers a board (meal) plan
Tenure system for quality teaching
Has ROTC (army)
NCAA athletic conference member
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