History
In May 27, 1903 WMU was established by an act of the Michigan Legislature as a preparatory school for teachers and named Western State Normal School.
Education
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Aviation
- Haworth College of Business
- College of Education and Human Development
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Health and Human Services
- Lee Honors College
- Graduate College
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School
- Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine
Research
- Established in 2003 by the Michigan Legislature, the Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center (BRCC) is located at Western Michigan University and is perfectly positioned to access the wealth of scientific talent and pharmaceutical commercialization expertise that is part of Kalamazoo’s heritage.
- The BRCC provides startup and gap funding to promising Michigan-based life sciences and medical device ventures entering the commercialization phase of development. Customers include entrepreneurs, scientists, University Technology Transfer offices and corporations. Explore the BRCC website to learn more about the research portfolio and how to partner.
Career
Career and student employment services supports students by empowering them to develop the skills necessary for reaching their career goals. Through career advising, and learning about career pathways, WMU students get ready for the world of work or service after graduating.
Student services
- The Graduate Student Association is an authorized student government representing graduate and professional students on campus. The GSA's mission is to improve and advance graduate education through partnership, advocacy, leadership and networking building to ensure success of all graduate students.
- The Western Student Association is the student government representing the voice of WMU students. There are many ways for students to get involved, express student concerns, and to represent the student body of WMU.
Housing services
Residence halls support nearly 5,000 students who enjoy the friendships, living/learning focus and diversity of campus life. Residents can take advantage of hall activities, leadership opportunities, staff available 24 hours, dining centers and many additional conveniences.
- Spindler Hall
- WMU apartments - Arcadia Flats, Goldsworth Valley, Stadium Drive, Western View
Library services
The Western Michigan University Libraries
- Physical books (titles): 1,286,421
- Electronic books: 670,724
- Physical subscriptions (includes titles that are no longer active): 140,442
- Electronic subscriptions: 74,345
- Online databases: 662
- Physical media titles (audio/visual): 151,712
- Digital media titles: 207,885
- Items uploaded to WMU’s institutional repository: 6,838
ICT services
Technology Help Desk
- Departmental shared drives
- Local printer/printer driver
- Computer hardware
- Creating, uploading and maintaining web pages
- Installation, set up of software not licensed or owned by the University
- Navigation assistance for any software or application not supported by the University or IT managed.
- File backup, recovery or restoration
- Computer re-imaging
Medical services
The Sindecuse Health Center is dedicated to providing a variety of high quality professional health services to the Western Michigan University community.
- Clinic and nursing services
- Full service pharmacy
- Lab and radiology
- Sports medicine and physical therapy
Campus life
The Western Michigan University campus is comprised of a variety of housing and dining options. Each living area has distinctive features with a combination of residence halls, apartments, dining facilities, academic services and cultural resources. A variety of dining options are conveniently accessible at different locations throughout campus.
Sports facilities
Western Michigan University's Student Recreation Center is a 240,000-square-foot facility that includes:
- Aerobic room
- Eight full basketball courts
- 45-foot indoor climbing wall
- Indoor cycling studio
- Fitness testing lab
- F45 Functional Training studio
- Two 4,500-square-foot multipurpose courts
- Six racquetball courts
- Squash court
- Swirl pool
- Three indoor tennis courts
- 8,000-square-foot weight room
Other University Recreation-related facilities:
- Intramural Sports Field Complex
- Intramural Sports Soccer Fields
- Lawson Ice Arena and Gabel Pool
- Sorensen Tennis Courts
Student clubs
- Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
- Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity
- Alpha Xi Delta
- Omega Delta Phi Fraternity Inc.
- Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
- Upsilon Gamma Chapter
- Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc
- Phi Gamma Delta
- Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc
Accreditation
Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business is accredited by the AACSB International.
Western Michigan University Overview
Western Michigan University Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 19.9% United States
Top 14.3% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
1201
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 1201 | 1201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
1545
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 86 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1327 | 1459 | 1545 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2026 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Western Michigan University Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
United States Country
Kalamazoo City
Western Michigan University Student Reviews & Awards
4
Based on 11 reviews
- 5 Star 5 Reviews
- 4 Star 3 Reviews
- 3 Star 2 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 1 Review
Appling for masters.
i allways wanted to be a busines person. So i have being studing management in business sciences here in paksitan. But For master i wanted to study abroad so that i learn new ways for doing business. So that i can start something new back here in pakistan.
Good school
Overall a good school! I would recommend if you are going into anything business related Western is a great choice. Campus safety is a bit of a concern i would recommend living off campus if possible.
WMU is fine
Fine university. It has its quirks, but all universities do. I would suggest getting involved with the campus community and reaching out to faculty. Faculty can be helpful, but in my experience, you have to reach out first. As with all universities, your experience is what you make it.
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