Graduate Catalog < West Virginia University

Graduate Catalog < West Virginia University
WVU Morgantown
Graduate Catalog
General Information - West Virginia University
West Virginia University
(WVU) was founded in 1867 as a result of the 1862 Land-Grant Act, otherwise known as the Morrill Act. As the state’s flagship, land-grant university, WVU’s mission reflects its dedication to serving the state and citizens of West Virginia through access to higher education, research and scholarship, and comprehensive health sciences. The WVU system includes the flagship campus in Morgantown, WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley, WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and several other locations across the state serving health science programs. The
West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center
has five schools serving undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at four locations in Morgantown, Charleston, Bridgeport and Martinsburg.
West Virginia University is accredited by the
Higher Learning Commission
. Many WVU programs hold specialized accreditation.
WVU Morgantown provides programs of instruction through 11 colleges and schools and offers over 300 majors at the baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and professional levels, as well as numerous certificate programs, both in-person and online.
WVU Morgantown facilities are built on more than 1,000 acres and include several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
WVU Potomac State College
, situated in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle in Keyser, offers associate and baccalaureate degree programs and serves both residential and commuting students.
WVU Institute of Technology
is located in Beckley, and serves the region and the state by offering technology-intensive baccalaureate degree programs.
The
WVU Extension Service
has offices in all of West Virginia’s 55 counties, staffed by county agents. WVU operates experimental farms and forests throughout the state, as well as WVU Jackson's Mill, near Weston, WV, home of West Virginia 4-H camping and the West Virginia Fire Academy.
Visit
About WVU
for updated WVU facts and achievements.
In this section:
WVU Mission
WVU Vision
WVU Values
Commitment to Campus Engagement and Compliance
West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Office of Student Accommodations
WVU Mission
As a land-grant institution, the faculty, staff and students at West Virginia University commit to creating a diverse and inclusive culture that advances education, healthcare and prosperity for all by providing access and opportunity; by advancing high-impact research; and by leading transformation in West Virginia and the world through local, state and global engagement.
WVU Vision
As One West Virginia University, we are purposeful in our studies and our work so that we can partner with our communities-both near and far-to bring needed and valued solutions to real-life problems within the pillars of education, healthcare and prosperity.
WVU Values
Service: We seek opportunities to serve others and are committed to providing the highest quality of service.
Curiosity: We ask questions, seek new opportunities, and change through innovation.
Respect: We are respectful, transparent and inclusive with each other.
Accountability: We perform at our very best every day to create a University that is responsive, efficient and effective.
Appreciation: We support and value each other’s contributions as we build a community that is One WVU.
Research and Scholarship
As West Virginia’s flagship research institution, WVU undertakes scholarly activity to improve the lives of West Virginians and others across the globe. WVU is classified as a Doctoral University-Highest Research Activity (R1) in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Service
West Virginia University’s land-grant mission underscores its obligation to serve the public and the state of West Virginia by promoting economic development, enhancing the well-being and the quality of life of the people of West Virginia, and increasing opportunities for the citizens of the state through workforce education, lifelong learning, and outreach to every county.
West Virginia University is the only institution in West Virginia to earn the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching “Community Engagement Classification.”
WVU’s dedication to its service mission is manifested through its instructional programs, educational outreach, and initiatives and centers that engage external constituencies and support public service.
WVU Extension Service
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created a Cooperative Extension Service for each land-grant institution. The purpose of the Extension Service was to disseminate the findings of the universities’ agricultural stations and provide training and programs on home economics and other practical subjects. WVU has sustained its commitment to the state by supporting an Extension Service office with a presence in all of West Virginia’s 55 counties, staffed by county agents.
The educational programs and initiatives of the
WVU Extension Service
focus on service to the state and exemplify West Virginia University’s commitment to the public good by connecting the knowledge and research of WVU with citizen and community needs. The Extension Service’s programs are driven by four major initiatives: (1) 4-H youth development; (2) family and health; (3) agriculture and natural resource education; and (4) community, workforce, and economic development.
Commitment to Campus Engagement and Compliance
West Virginia University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, marital or family status, pregnancy, veteran status, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or gender expression in the administration of any of its educational programs, activities, or with respect to admission or employment.
In keeping with this commitment, members of the academic community are expected to demonstrate civility and mutual respect for all persons as well as understanding and appreciation for all persons, to express that perspective in every dimension of the institution’s life and mission, and to work cooperatively, representing not only the interests of their own groups but also those of the wider community.
Individuals believing they may have been illegally discriminated against by any member of the university community at West Virginia University may file a complaint with the
Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance
Center for Excellence in Disabilities
The
WVU CED
is available for students, staff, and faculty. The federally funded center supports a 80+ team of specialists who provide
services
for individuals with disabilities of all ages. Clinics and community programming is available throughout the state to address needs related to all disabilities - acute, acquired, or chronic in nature. The center is also the home of the
WV assistive technology (AT) program
Country Roads program
, and
family support program (F2F)
. These and other services provide support for the classroom, community living, and the workplace. Additional
training opportunities
are available for students. Students of all disciplines can work in multidisciplinary groups to provide clinical and community services at the center and throughout the state. Trainings and innovative research initiatives also incorporate disability services and awareness and support the Department of Disability Services undergraduate minor and graduate certificate courses (DISB) and
micro-credentials/badges
WVU CED is recognized, and trusted, as a leader and innovative agent in a statewide network of individual and community supports that promote respect, inclusiveness, interdependence, and access for everyone.
Office of Student Accommodations
The
Office of Student Accommodations
(OSA) is dedicated to
enhancing educational opportunities and providing equal access for students with permanent and temporary disabilities at West Virginia University and
all of
its campuses. We provide a range of services and assist in the implementation of accommodations that  lead to academic and personal achievement.
Commitment to Assessment
West Virginia University conducts comprehensive and systematic assessment of student learning across all locations and delivery methods. Continuous improvement of student learning is faculty-driven (authentic and embedded), conducted at the course, program, and institutional levels, and grounded in the work of the colleges and individual academic programs, the Provost's Office, the Undergraduate Council, and the Graduate Council.
The Provost's Office collaborates with the Faculty Senate's Curriculum Committee to ensure quality and rigor of academic programs and courses, the Teaching and Assessment Committee to ensure quality and rigor across sections of courses regardless of modality of delivery or location, and the General Education Foundations Committee to oversee all aspects of the general education program. The Provost's Office works to strengthen the effectiveness of assessment across all programs by:
Overseeing, reviewing, and approving program creation and review policies, process and governance.
Serving as an institutional-level resource for curricular design, program evaluation, and assessment of learning best practices.
Facilitating faculty professional development in curricular design, program evaluation, and assessment of learning.
Providing consulting to departments to enhance their program improvement based upon assessment planning and reporting.
Compiling supporting documentation and evidence of the assessment work at WVU in support of institutional accreditation.
In this section:
Governor of West Virginia
West Virginia University Board of Governors
West Virginia University Administration
Deans
Governor of West Virginia
Patrick James Morrisey,
Governor
West Virginia University Board of Governors
Robert R. “Rusty” Hutson, Jr.,
Chair, Birmingham, AL
Robert L. Reynolds
, Vice-Chair, Concord, MA
Paul A. Mattox, Jr.
, Secretary, Nitro, WV
Charles L. Capito, Jr.,
Charleston, WV
Albert Bray Cary, Jr.,
Charleston, WV
Elmer F. Coppoolse,
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Kevin J. Craig,
Huntington, WV
Michael D'Annunzio,
Bridgeport, WV
Terry Hauser
, Eglon, WV
Dr. Patrice Harris,
Brookhaven, GA
Susan Lavenski,
Hurricane, WV
Oliver Luck,
Dillon, CO
James R. J. Martin, II,
Clarksburg, WV
Steven Ruby,
Charleston, WV
Charles Wilfong,
Dunmore, WV
Dr. Lesley Cottrell,
Faculty Representative, Morgantown, WV
R. Scott Crichlow,
Faculty Representative, Chairperson of the Faculty Senate, Morgantown, WV
Dianne Stewart,
Classified Staff Representative
Morgantown, WV
Coilin Street
, Student Representative, Morgantown, WV
Committee list is effective through July 1, 2026
The West Virginia University Board of Governors (the "Board") was created by the West Virginia Legislature as the governing body of the West Virginia University System, including West Virginia University, West Virginia University Potomac State College, and West Virginia University Institute of Technology (collectively the "University"). The Board has the mission of general supervision and control over the academic and business affairs of the University.
West Virginia University Administration
Michael T. Benson,
President
Paul Kreider,
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Deans
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
, Pedro J. Magro
College of Applied Human Sciences
, Autumn Tooms Cyprés
College of Business and Economics
, Joshua Hall
College of Creative Arts and Media
, H. Keith Jackson
College of Law
, Amelia Smith Rinehart
Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
, Jorge H. Atiles
Dean of Students
, G. Corey Farris
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
, R. Gregory Dunaway
Extension Service,
Jorge H. Atiles
Honors College
, Kenneth P. Blemings
School of Dentistry
, Stephen Pachuta
School of Medicine
, Clay Marsh
School of Nursing
, Tara Hulsey
School of Pharmacy
, William P. Petros
School of Public Health
, Sarah Woodrum (Interim)
University Libraries
, Karen Diaz
Distinguished Professors
Kashy Aminian,  Charles T. Holland Professor in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
James Anderson, Davis Michael Professor of Forestry and Natural Resources
Vinay Badhwar, Gordon F. Murray Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Karl Barth, Samples Professorship of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Robert M. Bastress, John W. Fisher II Professor of Law
Debangsu Bhattacharyya, GE Plastics Professor in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Robert E. Blobaum, Eberly Family Distinguished Professor of History
Forest J. Bowman, Jackson Kelly Professor of Law, Emeritus
Gregory W. Bowman, William J. Maier, Jr. Dean
Naomi Boyd, Fred T. Tattershell Chair in Finance
Laura Brady, Eberly Family Professor of Outstanding Teaching
John F. Brick, JF Brick Endowed Chair in Neurology
William I. Brustein, Eberly Family Distinguished Professor of History
Vincent P. Cardi, Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love Professor of Law
Timothy Carr, Marshall S. Miller Energy Professor of Geology
Linda M. Carson, Ware Distinguished Professor, Emerita
Judie F. Charlton, Judie F. Charlton Chair for Glaucoma Outreach
Shawn A. Chillag, Patricia T. Ayash Distinguished Professorship
Nigel N. Clark, George B. Berry Chair of Engineering
Roger Congleton, BB&T Chair of Economics
Patrick W. Conner, Eberly Centennial Professor in English, Emeritus
Jody L. Crosno, Joseph E. Antonini Chair in Marketing
Annie Peng Cui, Kmart Chair in Marketing
Reagan P. Curtis, Chester E. and Helen B. Derrick Teacher College of Education and Human Services Endowed Professor
Robert Dailey, Davis Michael Professor of Animal and Nutritional Sciences
Lisa DeFrank-Cole, Harriet E. Lyon Professorship in Women's and Gender Studies
Walter Dekeseredy, Anne Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences
A. Courtney DeVries, John T. and June R. Chambers Chair of Oncology Research
Lisa DiBartolomeo, Armand E. and Mary W. Singer Professor in the Humanities
Robert DiClerico, Eberly Family Professor Outstanding Teaching, Emeritus
Charles R. DiSalvo, Woodrow A. Potesta Professor of Law
Gregory Dudley, Eberly Family Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
Richard Dull, GoMart Professor in Accounting Information Systems
Barry A. Edelstein, Eberly Family Professor of Psychology
Emma Morton Eggleston, Quad/Graphics Chair in Internal Medicine
James R. Elkins, Arthur S. Dayton Professor Law
Eloise Elliott, The Ware Family Distinguished Professorship
Judith Feinberg, Dr. Edmund B. Flink Chair of Internal Medicine #1
John W. Fisher, II, William J. Maier Jr. Dean, Emeritus and Robert M. Steptoe and James D. Steptoe Professor of Property Law, Emeritus
Paula F. Fitzgerald, Nathan Haddad Professor of Business Administration
Kenneth Fones-Wolf, Stuart and Joyce Robbins Chair in History
Stephanie Foote, Jackson and Nichols Chair of English
Mathis P. Frick, O. F. Gabriele Chair of Radiology
James J. Friedberg, Hale J. and Roscoe P. Posten Professor of Law
Hota S. GangaRao, Wadsworth Professorship
Laura Gibson, Alexander B. Osborn Distinguished Professor in Hematological Malignancies Research
Richard M. Goldberg, Lawrence S. and Jean DeLynn Chair of Oncology
Alan Goodboy, Peggy Rardin McConnell Chair in Communication Studies
Rakesh K. Gupta, Berry Chair of Chemical Engineering
Michael Gutensohn, Ray Marsh and Arthur Pingree Dye Professor
Joseph D. Hagan, Barnette Professor of Political Science
Trevor M. Harris, Eberly Family Professor of Geography
Hannah W. Hazard-Jenkins, Jean and Laurence DeLynn Chair of Oncology
Erik Herron, Eberly Family Professor of Political Science
John Hu, Statler Chair in Engineering for Natural Gas Utilization
Tara Hulsey, E. Jane Martin Professor of Nursing
James Iovino, Ogden Newspapers Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Innovation
Glen P. Jackson, Ming Hsieh Teaching Professor of Forensic and Investigative Science
H. Keith Jackson, Philip J. Faini/Falbo Family Dean of the College of Creative Arts
Thomas Kammer, Eberly College Centennial Professor, Emeritus
Vlad Kecojevic, Murray Chair of Mining Engineering
Peter E. Konrad, JW Ruby Chair for the Study of Neurosciences and Neurosurgery
Alexander Kurov, Fred T. Tattersall Chair in Finance
Kennon A. Lattal, Eberly College Centennial Professor of Psychology
Nathan Lerfald, Anthony G. DiBartolomeo Professorship in Medicine
Lian Li, Robert L. Carroll Chair of Physics
Xingbo Liu, Statler Endowed Chair of Engineering
Paul Lockman, Douglas D. Glover Endowed Chair of the Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences
Anne Marie Lofaso, Arthur B. Hodges Professor of Law
Yi Luo, Charles E. Lawall Endowed Chair for Energy and the Environment in Mining Engineering
Joseph Lupo, J. Bernard Schultz Endowed Professor of Art
J. Wallis Marsh, The Bernard Zimmerman, MD Chair in Surgery
Diana Martinelli, Widmeyer Professorship in Public Relations
Thomas Mauger, Jane McDermott Shott Chair of Ophthalmology
Marjorie A. McDiarmid, Steptoe and Johnson Professor of Law and Technology
Patrick C. McGinley, Charles H. Haden, Jr. Professor of Law
James McGraw, Eberly Family Professor of Biology
Maura McLaughlin, Eberly Family Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Daniel McNeil, Eberly Family Professor for Outstanding Public Service
Mark D. Miller, Dana L. & Peggy M. Farnsworth Chair in Educational Psychiatry
Brijes Mishra, Syd and Felicia Peng Professor of Mining Engineering
Keith Morris, Ming Hsieh Distinguished Professor of Forensic and Investigative Science
Tracy Morris, Eberly Family Professorship for Outstanding Teaching
Charles J. Mullett, Margaret T. & Larry K. Pickering Chair in Pediatrics
Scott Myers, Peggy Rardin McConnell Chair of Communication Studies
R. Osvaldo Navia, Grace Kinney Mead Chair of Geriatrics
Randy J. Nelson, Hazel Ruby McQuain Chair for Neurological Research
Steven Neuenschwander, Mabel DeVries Tanner Endowed Professor of Theatre
Peter Ngan, Branson-Maddrell Endowed Professorship in Orthodontics
Timothy Nurkiewicz, E. J. Van Liere Medicine Professorship
Daniel Panaccione, Davis Michael Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences
Syd S. Peng, Charles E. Lawall Chair in Mining Engineering, Emeritus
William P. Petros, Gates E. Wigner Endowed Deanship
Jason Phillips, Eberly Family Professor of Civil War Studies
Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, WVUH Evidence Based Research Endowed Professorship
L. Christopher Plein, Eberly Family Professor for Outstanding Public Service
Joseph Prudomme, Christopher Cline Chair in Orthopedic Surgery
Hassan H. Ramadan, Stephen and Patricia Wetmore Chair in Otolaryngology
Ronald Reed, Arthur I. Jacknowitz Chair for Clinical Pharmacy
Hayne W. Reese, Centennial Professor of Psychology, Emeritus
Ali Rezai, John D. Rockefeller IV Chair in Neuroscience
Larry A. Rhodes, James H. Walker, MD Chair of Pediatric Cardiology
Patricia Rice, Eberly Family Professor for Outstanding Teaching, Emerita
Bryan Richmond, William J. Maier, Jr. Chair of Research
Richard A. Riley, Louis F. Tanner Distinguished Professor of Public Accounting
Terry L. Rose, Ernest L. Hogan Chair of Life Insurance
J. Michael Ruppert, Jo and Ben Statler Eminent Scholar and Chair, Breast Cancer Research
Kathleen “Katy” O’Hearn Ryan, Eberly Family Professorship for Outstanding Teaching
John P. Saldanha, Sears Chair in Global Supply Chain Management
Arif R. Sarwari, Dr. Edmund B. Flink Chair of Internal Medicine
R. Charles Scatterday, Shott Teaching Assistant Professor
Ludwig Christian Schaupp, David W. and Nancy F. Hamstead Professor of Accounting
Earl Scime, Oleg D. Jefimenko Professor of Physics
Mohindar Seehra, Eberly Professor in Physics, Emeritus
Partho P. Sengupta, Abnash C. Jain Chair in Cardiology
Sunil Sharma, N. Leroy Lapp Endowed Professorship
Kenneth Showalter, C. Eugene Bennett Distinguished Chair in Chemistry
James Simpkins, Barbara B. Highland Chair in Stroke
Gordon Smith, Stuart and Joyce Robbins Distinguished Professor in Epidemiology
Xueyan Song, George B. Berry Chair of Engineering
Samuel F. Stack, Chester E. and Helen B. Derrick Teacher Education Endowed Professor
Gay Stewart, Eberly Professor of STEM Education
Michael Strager, Davis Michael Professor of Resources Economics Management
Donley Studlar, Eberly Family Professor of Political Science, Emeritus
Timothy Sweet, Eberly Professor of American Literature
John Taylor, Jackson Kelly Professor of Law
Angel Tuninetti, Armand E. and Mary W. Singer Professor in the Humanities
Richard Turton, Russell and Ruth Bolton WVU Professorship for Outstanding Teaching
Stephen Valentine, Eberly Family Professor of Chemistry
Kung Wang, Eberly Family Professorship of Chemistry
Bryan Weaver, Dr. Edward C. Armbrecht Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Professorship
Jessica Wilkerson, Stuart and Joyce Robbins Chair in History
Alison Wilson, Skewes Family Chair for Trauma
Charles Yuill, Davis Michael Professor of Design and Community Development
John Zaniewski, Asphalt Technology Professorship
C. Q. Zhang, Eberly Family Professorship of Mathematics
Sam Zizzi, Dr. Pat Fehl Endowed Professor
WVU Morgantown
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