Western Michigan University, now nearly 100 years old, is a vibrant, nationally recognized student-centered research institution with an enrollment of nearly 29,000. WMU is focused on delivering high-quality undergraduate instruction, advancing its growing graduate division and fostering significant research activities. WMU is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as one of the nation's Doctoral/Research Universities-Extensive. It is one of only 102 public universities placed in that top category.

WMU also has been named one of the nation's top 100 public universities in U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of American colleges and universities. Undergraduates have 165 program offerings to choose from, while the Graduate College offers 65 master's, two specialist and 25 doctoral degree programs. A number of programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels have attained national recognition, and WMU enjoys an international reputation in such areas as medieval studies, graph theory, blind rehabilitation, and paper and printing science and engineering. The quality of campus life also is enhanced by the existence of more than 300 registered student organizations and a full array of Division I intercollegiate athletic teams.

WMU's commitment to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge and insight has resulted in initiatives that reward faculty and student research, scholarship and creative activity. Last year, University faculty and staff conducted more than $50 million in externally funded research on topics ranging from nuclear physics and mathematics education to developing technology that enables citizens with special need to realize their full potential. Instructional programs are designed to increase students' capacity for learning and service to society as well as meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.

The University attracts students from every state in the union and over 100 other countries. Its more than 1,000 faculty members have been trained at some of the world's finest institutions and they bring to the University a global perspective that enhances the learning environment.

WMU's main campus is located in Kalamazoo, covers more than 550 acres, and includes 125 buildings. A new engineering campus and a Business Technology and Research Park are located on 265 acres, three miles south of the main campus. That campus is due to open in 2003. The University also has campuses in six other Michigan cities, as well as two off-campus study sites, all of which provide primarily graduate and professional education to more than 3,200 students each semester. Those campuses and sites are located in Battle Creek, Benton Harbor-St. Joseph, Grand Rapids, Holland, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Traverse City.

Founded in 1903, WMU is about to celebrate its centennial anniversary and its growth from its beginnings as a regional teachers college to its current position as an internationally known institution of higher education. What was once Western Michigan College became Western Michigan University when the state designated it as Michigan's fourth public university. While the state's system has grown to include 15 public universities, WMU has maintained its position as Michigan's fourth largest research university.

For international admissions information, e-mail oiss.info@wmich.edu or visit http://www.wmich.edu/oiss/