Grad Profiles - Central Washington University

Overview
CWU is one of six state-assisted universities in the state. It was founded in 1890 as the Washington State Normal School and became a comprehensive university in 1977. Graduate programs were first offered in fall 1947. Fully accredited, CWU provides graduate programming at its instructional centers in Lynnwood, Moses Lake, Pierce County, SeaTac, Wenatchee, and Yakima, as well as Ellensburg. The campus is a mixture of traditional and modern architecture stretching across 380 acres of shaded lawns framed by evergreens and landscaped walkways. A nationally renowned Japanese garden in the center of the grounds offers a serene place to think, reflect, and relax. CWU is four blocks from historic downtown Ellensburg. Most shops and restaurants are within walking distance. The city and campus are accessible by wheelchairs, bicycles, and strollers. Other points of interest include an arts complex housing the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery, musical performance halls, a theater, and Nicholson Athletic Pavilion.

As of the fall quarter 2005, there were 782 graduate students at CWU enrolled in twenty-seven programs across nineteen departments; they make up almost 8 percent of the University's 9,781 students. Graduate classes are small and there are regular opportunities to work closely with professors and fellow students. The largest graduate programs are in education, psychology, and resource management. Other departments average between 12 and 30 enrolled graduate students.

The Location and Community
CWU's main campus is in Ellensburg, Washington. The community prides itself on quality living, and students experience a friendly and safe small-town atmosphere. This is complemented by diverse cultural and social fare offered by the University's proximity to the Cascade Mountains, Seattle, Puget Sound, Yakima, the Yakima River Valley, Spokane, and the Columbia River recreational areas. The Kittitas Valley boasts four distinct seasons and abundant sunshine.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
Central Washington University (CWU) offers programs that lead to the following degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Arts for Teachers, Master of Education, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, Master of Professional Accountancy, and Master of Science. Master of Arts programs include art (M.A. and M.F.A.), English (literature, TESL), history, and theater production (summers only). Master of Science degree programs are available in biological sciences; chemistry; counseling psychology; engineering technology; experimental psychology; family and consumer sciences; geology; health, human performance, and recreation; organization development (weekends only); and resource management. There is a Master of Professional Accountancy in accounting program. A Master of Arts for Teachers of mathematics is available, in the summer only. Master of Education programs include education administration, instructional leadership, master teacher, reading specialist, school counseling, school psychology, and special education.

A minimum of 45 quarter credits is needed for a master's degree, though some programs require more credits. As the capstone project, programs may require a thesis, a project, or a comprehensive examination in lieu of the thesis. A final oral examination is standard for most programs.

CWU encourages collaborative research among graduate students and faculty members. It is committed to ensuring that graduate students gain as much hands-on experience as possible in their programs. A measure of CWU's success is that one of its graduate students recently won the prestigious Western Association of Graduate Schools' Distinguished Thesis Award and others have won awards for art. Music students have performed with nationally recognized orchestras and at the Metropolitan Opera. Graduate students regularly give conference presentations, exhibitions, and performances. They typically conduct research as part of federally sponsored grants in such areas as biological sciences, geographic information systems, geology, and resource management.

Facilities & Resources
In addition to its library, CWU's massive science facility and the completely renovated education building augment CWU's instructional and research facilities. The Psychology Research facility houses the Chimpanzee and Human Communications Institute. The Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, Applied Social Data Center, and Community Psychology Services Clinic provide students with exceptional research opportunities. Computing services include access to the Internet, an online public catalog, and online bibliographic retrieval services. A state archives facility makes CWU the largest repository of state documents in central Washington.

Expenses and Aid
Graduate tuition is $2440 per quarter for full-time (10-18 quarter credit hours) Washington State residents and $4467 per quarter for nonresidents.

Financial Aid:
Graduate assistantships are available in each of CWU's departments offering graduate degrees. Approximately 40 percent of all full-time enrolled graduate students receive appointments. About two thirds of the graduate assistants teach; the remainder serve as research assistants and a few perform service functions.

Housing/Living Expenses:
University Housing Services offers a variety of apartments starting at $455 per month for a studio and running up to $600 for a three-bedroom apartment. Rents off-campus range between $275 and $600 per month depending upon size and extras. The University also makes available rooms in residence halls for graduate students. Assistance with locating off-campus housing is available as well. Dining Services offers reasonably priced, quarterly contracts in its four dining halls. Meals vary at each location, and there are several meal plan options from which to choose.

How to Apply / Application
Application materials may be obtained from the address below. The application fee is $35. Applicants should have earned at least a 3.0 GPA over the last 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of graded course work. Some programs require scores on the General Test of the GRE. Students whose native language is not English must score at least 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) on the TOEFL. Students should contact the relevant department as they may need to supply other materials when submitting the application. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by April 1 for fall quarter admissions. Assistantship applications should be submitted by February 15 for the following summer and academic year. Financial aid applications should be made directly to the Office of Financial Aid by March 1.

Who to Contact
Graduate Studies and Research
Central Washington University
400 East University Way
Ellensburg, Washington 98926-7510

509-963-3103
Fax: 509-963-1799

E-mail: masters@cwu.edu

http://www.cwu.edu

Gradaute Programs and Contacts

All phone numbers are 509 area code

• Accounting (M.P.A.): Professional accountancy. Ronald Tidd, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Minnesota. (telephone: 963-3340; fax: 963-2466; e-mail: mpa@cwu.edu)

• Art (M.A., M.F.A.): Ceramics, computer art, drawing, jewelry and metal-smithing, painting, photography, sculpture, wood design. Michael Chinn, Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator; M.F.A., California State, Long Beach. (telephone: 963-2665; fax: 963-1918; e-mail: chinnm@cwu.edu)

• Biological Sciences (M.S.): Botany, stream ecology and fisheries, microbiology-parasitology, terrestrial ecology. Paul James, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Oklahoma State. (telephone: 963-2731; fax: 963-2730; e-mail: jamesp@cwu.edu)

• Chemistry (M.S.): Analytical, biological, inorganic, medicinal, organic, physical. Anthony Diaz, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Oregon State. (telephone: 963-2811; fax: 963-1050; e-mail: diaza@cwu.edu)

• English (M.A.): Literature, TESL/TEFL. Christopher Schedler, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., California, Santa Barbara. (telephone: 963-1546; fax: 963-1561; e-mail: schedlerc@cwu.edu)

• Family and Consumer Sciences (M.S.): Family studies, nutrition studies, family and consumer sciences education. Jan Bowers, Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Kansas State. (telephone: 963-2766; fax: 963-2787; e-mail: bowersj@cwu.edu)

• Geological Sciences (M.S.): Tectonics, neotectonics, geomorphology, climate change. Jeffrey Lee, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Stanford. (telephone: 963-2702; fax: 963-2821; e-mail: jeff@geology.cwu.edu)

• Health, Human Performance, and Recreation (M.S.): Exercise science, physical education teaching. Leo D'Aquisto, Graduate Coordinator; Ed.D., Northern Colorado. (telephone: 963-1911; fax: 963-1848; e-mail: acquisto@cwu.edu)

• History (M.A.): Colonial America, Western America, American women's history, modern Europe, Russia, modern Japan, Latin America, East Africa. Daniel Herman, Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Berkeley. (telephone: 963-1655; fax: 963-1654; e-mail: hermand@cwu.edu)

• Mathematics (M.A.T.): Teaching mathematics (summer only). Mark Oursland, Graduate Coordinator; Ed.D., Montana State. (telephone: 963-2103; fax: 963-3226; e-mail: oursland@cwu.edu)

• Music (M.M.): Composition, conducting, performance, performance pedagogy, music education. Peter Gries, Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator; D.M., Oregon. (telephone: 963-1216; fax: 963-1239; e-mail: griesp@cwu.edu)

• Psychology (M.S., M.Ed.): Counseling psychology, experimental psychology, organizational psychology (M.S.), school counseling, school psychology (M.Ed.). Warren Street, Department Chair and Graduate Coordinator; Ph.D., Claremont. (telephone: 963-2381; fax: 963-2307; e-mail: warren@cwu.edu)

• Resource Management (M.S.): Stream flow, water quality and riparian management, natural resources policy, wildlife and fisheries economics, resource systems, cultural resource management, geographic information systems, linkages between cultural and natural resource management. Steven Hackenberger, Program Co-Director; Ph.D., Washington State (telephone: 963-3201; fax: 963-2315; e-mail: hackenbe@cwu.edu); Anthony Gabriel, Program Co-Director; Ph.D., Guelph. (telephone: 963-1188; fax: 963-1047; e-mail: gabriela@cwu.edu)

• Theatre Arts (M.A.): Theater production (summer only). George Bellah, Department Co-Chair and Graduate Coordinator; M.F.A., North Carolina at Greensboro. (telephone: 963-1766; fax: 963-1767; e-mail: bellahg@cwu.edu)