University of Virginia's College at Wise

The University of Virginia 's College at Wise ( colloquially often UVa Wise, until 1999, Clinch Valley College of the University of Virginia ) is a university founded in 1954 (College ) in Wise ( near Norton ) in Wise County in the southwest of the U.S. state of Virginia. As a liberal arts college, the college offers four -year programs that lead to an emphasis on a comprehensive general education for bachelor's degree.

The college is now the only branch college of the University of Virginia and is the westernmost state university of Virginia.

History

In the mid-20th century there were in the far west of Virginia's efforts to establish a regional university, as there were no universities in Virginia so far west of Radford and an academic education for many people " out of reach " was. The new institution should therefore enable the young people in this area to study locally. The population of Wise collected then $ 6,000, and the place Wise presented two buildings. To help to the development of the School was also the State University of Virginia asked, which then contributed in 5000 U.S. dollars and declared himself willing to pay in the coming year once again the same contribution, provided that the College still exists.

In September 1954, the College was opened, initially with 100 students. The university offered initially only two -year degree programs; wanted students to do a longer study, they had to change to other universities. Soon, however, the demand arose after four years of study, after which the College in 1970, the first Bachelor of Arts degrees and in 1973 the first Bachelor of Science degrees awarded. To date (as of 2007 ), about 6,000 students have earned a bachelor's degree at the University.

To emphasize strengthening the advertising pregnant conjunction with the renowned University of Virginia, aimed at the Clinch Valley College to change its name. In 1999, then took to its present name University of Virginia 's College at Wise.

Study conditions

The college has about 2,000 students, who are taught by about 140 lecturers and professors. The university offers more than 25 different majors and as many minor subjects; to get licenses, require the expectant teachers in the United States for their teaching license.

Today, the College at Wise has a very good for a state liberal arts college reputation, but can - do not include the comparison with the best private - like the other state liberal arts colleges in the USA. In the controversial rankings by U.S. News & World Report, it was listed by its own account as one of the top ten public liberal arts colleges, but the ranking lists not a single state in the top 50 liberal arts colleges, and the University of Virginia 's College at Wise, for example, 2007 was not counted among the top 100 liberal arts colleges.

The college has collaboration agreements ( sister institutions ) including exchange to several prestigious universities. The first was 1998, the agreement with the University of Istanbul in Turkey, followed by the Dumlupinar University in the Turkish Kutahya (1999) and the University of Seville in Spain ( 2000).