U.S. News Rankings Show WWU as Top Public Master's-Granting School in Pacific Northwest
Contact: Paul Cocke, Director, Office of University Communications, (360) 650-3350
BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University is the highest-ranking public, master’s-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2012 U.S.
“Western’s reputation for offering top-flight undergraduate education is increasingly well known in our state, regionally and across the country. We continually reinvest in the quality of our academic programs to ensure high-quality learning for our students. The active minds of our alumni change the world for the better, as they become leaders in their fields and communities,” said Western President Bruce Shepard. “Our students realize their aspirations because of our inspiring, caring and dedicated faculty and staff.”
Western also is ranked third among top public master’s-granting universities in the West, a region stretching from Texas to the Pacific.
And Western was among the top universities in its category in the West as an “A-Plus School for B Students,” where students “have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving – where spirit and hard work could make all the difference…” This is in keeping with a strong focus at Western on being a collaborative campus community where students can achieve aspirations while developing interests and talents.
“My high school classes didn’t engage me the way my classes at WWU do. Because the classes I take align with my interests, I’m more motivated to work hard and develop relationships with my professors. I feel more connected to my education,” said Marie Schow, a senior at Western’s Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.
U.S.
The news magazine’s annual rankings are posted on its Web site, http://www.usnews.com. Rankings are based on a variety of criteria including academic reputation, student selectivity and retention, faculty resources, peer assessment and financial resources.