Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem State University, one of the 16 constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina, occupies a picturesque 117-acre campus overlooking the woodlands of Salem Lake in the heart of Winston-Salem. For eight consecutive years (2001-2008), Winston-Salem State University has been ranked among the “Top Public Comprehensive Colleges in the South” by U.S. News & World Report. With a student/faculty ratio of 16:1, the university enrolls nearly 6,000 students and offers 46 undergraduate programs (including one post-baccalaureate program in computer science) and nine graduate degree programs through the university’s School of Graduate Studies and Research. Undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees are approximately $4,000 for in-state students and under $13,000 for out-of-state students. In past years, Winston-Salem State University has awarded approximately $30 million in financial aid to qualified students.

Founded in 1892 as a leading academy for the education of African-Americans, the school grew to become the first historically black college in the nation to grant degrees for teaching in the elementary grades. In keeping with its illustrious past, Winston-Salem State University maintains its solid vision -- “To succeed as a premier comprehensive regional institution contributing significantly to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic development of the Piedmont Region and beyond” -- by offering a learning environment featuring state-of-the-art facilities and technologies, including wireless access and networking. WSSU offers degrees in areas of high job demand, such as Nursing, Computer Science, Information Management, and Biotechnology. The innovative clinical laboratory science program within the School of Health Sciences was one of the first undergraduate Internet-based degree programs of its kind in the nation. In partnership with community organizations, the university develops cutting-edge and unique initiatives such as the Center for Community Safety, which received presidential recognition and serves as a national model for research on neighborhood safety.

With its nurturing environment, its commitment to technology and the global community, and its affordability, Winston-Salem State University continues its leadership for education. In its interactions, partnerships, and philanthropic contributions, the university contributes to the quality of life of its students, their communities, the state and the world.

Winston-Salem, a city of approximately 220,000, was recently ranked as one of the top 50 cities worldwide in quality of life by Mercer Human Resources Consulting. The city is located halfway between Atlanta, Ga., and Washington, D.C., less than two hours from the Appalachians and a four-hour trip to the Atlantic beaches.