Higher Education

Higher education in West Virginia offers students valuable opportunities to gain a quality education, practical skills, and rewarding career paths while enjoying the state’s supportive and affordable learning environment. Home to respected institutions like West Virginia University (WVU), Marshall University (MU), and a network of private and community colleges, the state offers diverse programs in fields such as healthcare, engineering, business, and the arts. West Virginia’s colleges and universities emphasize small class sizes, hands-on learning, and community engagement, helping students build strong connections with faculty and local employers. Affordable tuition, scholarships, and beautiful campus settings nestled in the scenic Appalachian Mountains make higher education in West Virginia an excellent choice for students seeking personal growth, academic success, and a bright future.

Peak fall color in West Virginia: Bridge Day

WVU researcher explores ways to modernize road maintenance

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Motivated by extreme weather events, one West Virginia University researcher is looking to emerging technologies to reimagine how state and city agencies might maintain roads and other transportation networks.Kakan Dey’s expansive research will delve into a variety of ways a data-driven approach can enhance roadway maintenance operations — from modernizing maintenance vehicle fleets … Read more

Students are finding West Virginia colleges and universities ideal when outdoor recreation is a concern.

Concord University promoting proximity to state, national parks

ATHENS, W.Va. — Three of West Virginia’s best-loved state and national parks are a drive of fewer than 15 minutes from Concord University, which is maximizing that advantage to the benefit of students.Officials are working with nearby Pipestem Resort State Park to provide students discounted opportunities for zip-lining, water recreation, and other outdoor adventures, though … Read more

McMurran Hall at Shepherd University fronts East German Street in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Shepherd University awarded nearly $3 million from Congress

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Four Shepherd University programs will benefit from $2,708,000 in congressionally directed spending that the university is receiving from the $1.7 billion omnibus bill signed by President Joe Biden on December 23, 2022.Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who serve on the Appropriations Committee, requested the money to support … Read more

WVU scientists and citizen assistants are examining blotchy bass taken across West Virginia.

WVU and citizen scientists fish for answers on blotchy bass

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—Using data collected by citizens through a mobile app, researchers at West Virginia University are working to understand why some bass are becoming “blotchy.”Brent Murry, assistant professor of aquatic ecology in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center, hope to uncover information on … Read more

Even the pronunciation of the word "Appalachia" is subject to debate.

WVU researchers want respect for Appalachian speech

Language has partly defined the way people in Appalachia are perceived in other regions of the U.S., according to two researchers at West Virginia University. Yet many natives stand their ground and continue to use vowel sounds that give away their linguistic roots.Kirk Hazen, director of the West Virginia Dialect Project and professor of linguistics … Read more

WVU announces $40M partnership to expand economics education

A leadership gift to West Virginia University from longtime supporters Ken and Randy Kendrick will allow the John Chambers College of Business and Economics to transform economics education through innovative programs for high-schoolers and educators statewide via the new Kendrick Center for an Ethical Economy.The $40 million partnership with the Kendricks complements broader efforts to … Read more