Westminster College Degree Programs
Westminster College appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the Northeast.
Westminster College provides students with 42 majors and 45 minors in addition to 15 pre-professional programs. Students who cannot find a major they want are allowed to design their own as long as they have faculty approval. Examples include a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Ecology or a Bachelor of Arts in Science Fiction Writing. Even these personalized degrees comprise the standard 120-credit slate of courses.
The graduate offerings are not nearly as diverse, and Westminster University only offers three master’s degrees:
- Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Education
The graduate study also includes several certificates for qualifications as teachers in each subject. To accommodate the learning needs and study-life balance of graduate students in the 21st century. Westminster University provides the graduate courses online or in a hybrid format. The following two degrees, one undergraduate and one graduate are representative of what is offered.
The Bachelor of Music in Music Performance for instrumentalists includes not only the study of applied music but also music theory, conducting, and piano skills. Students also study music history and literature. The focus, though, is on the private study of the student’s primary instrument, which must be done every semester. Students must also play in eight credit hours’ worth of large ensembles and assorted secondary groups like the flute choir, woodwind ensemble, or one of the small jazz groups.
The Master of Education includes four subfields:
- School Counselor
- School Principal
- School Superintendent
- Special Education
The Letter of Eligibility regarding the study to become a school superintendent reinforces the concepts learned while earning the Master of Education. The base degree is 30 credits, and the school superintendent letter cannot be issued unless the student passes the Praxis School Superintendent Assessment, has five years’ experience as a principal or other school leader, and holds a valid K-12 administrator certification.
About Westminster College
Westminster College was founded in 1852 in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. At that time, it was one of the first coeducational colleges in the United States. The campus covers 300 acres, and about 1,200 students study there. Since its pre-Civil War founding, the university has expanded programs to their present level. Its focus is on inspiring students to think for themselves rather than to parrot back memorized information. The university offers its students chances to study overseas.
Currently, Westminster University ranks No. 114 on U.S. News and World Report‘s list of National Liberal Arts Universities. Westminster University is selective and chooses only two in three students to admit. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11-to-1, and about two-thirds of classes at the university contain fewer than 20 students.
Westminster College Accreditation Details
Westminster College has regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It also holds academic accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music.
Westminster College Application Requirements
Students must complete either the SAT or the ACT at their preference and have the applicable company send the official results. Students must also submit all high-school transcripts from every high school they have attended over the previous four years prior to applying.
Undergraduate students must also provide two letters of recommendation. They are not required to have an on-campus interview. Nevertheless, such an interview is strongly recommended.
Graduate school applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or a similar degree from a foreign institution that has received its home country’s version of regional accreditation. Transcripts are also required. When it comes to letters of recommendation, resumes, or other such application documents, each of the three chief fields of graduate study at Westminster University has its own requirements. Students are encouraged to check the website to find out their specific requirements.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition comes to $36,700 annually. Room and board cost between $9,000 and $15,000. Fees come to about another $2,000. Music students pay $310 per week if they take extra lessons. Graduate tuition is charged by the credit hour. Depending on the course of study, it could be anywhere from $480 to $1,000 per credit.
When it comes to financial aid, all students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is also known as the FAFSA. On this form, students include information about both their own personal assets and earnings and those of their parents if they’re still dependents. Once the university has this information, it works with the government to determine the amount of financial aid to which the student is entitled.
Such aid comes in three forms, usually: subsidized loans, grants, and scholarships. A subsidized loan is one where the student is not responsible for any interest during enrollment. Grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid. Work-study programs are classified as grants, and students who qualify may work on campus. International students who wish to apply for work-study programs must settle all work visas and other immigration paperwork before applying so that they do not unnecessarily delay their application either for school or for financial aid.
Students may also choose to apply for private aid. Private aid is usually merit-based and not need-based. Private loans are unsubsidized, which means that students who get such loans have to pay interest while they are enrolled. The interest accrued generates interest on itself as well. Students should also bear in mind that any private aid they receive will count as an asset when filling out the FAFSA and might affect the amount of need-based aid the students receive. Still, each student is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, so students should ask enough questions to find out what they need to know. Students who have those extra questions should contact the Office of Financial Aid at Westminster University.
Westminster College provides students with a fully customizable college experience and is expanding the opportunities it gives its students all the time.