Undergraduate Catalog

University Profile

WIU is dedicated to providing an affordable, accessible education. Western's Tuition Guarantee program ensures that students pay a fixed rate for tuition during their years of continuous enrollment. We back this with multiple, stackable scholarship opportunities, including the generous Western Commitment Scholarships.

The University offers 61 undergraduate degree programs (57 at the Macomb campus, 18 at the Quad Cities campus, and 19 online), 40 master’s/specialist degree programs, and 2 doctoral programs. The curriculum includes the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, fine arts, business, education, and a number of pre-professional and technical fields of study. Although most WIU students primarily come from Illinois, more than 780 are from out of state, and approximately 918 (Fall 23 figure) are international students. Between July 2022 and June 2023, 1,220 students completed undergraduate degree requirements.

Campus: Fifty-nine buildings are situated on more than 1,000 acres in Macomb. In addition, the University operates the Alice L. Kibbe Life Sciences Station on the Mississippi River, the Frank J. Horn Field Campus, and the University Farm, which provide research, hands-on and recreational facilities for students, faculty, and staff, as well as outreach opportunities for community residents. Western Illinois University—Quad Cities Riverfront Campus, which is comprised of three state-of-the-art buildings along the Mississippi River in Moline, provides hands-on learning opportunities along the river, at the Figge Museum, and more.

Costs: New students can attend Western Illinois University for approximately $30,200 in 2024–2025, including tuition, fees, room, meal plan, books, and personal expenses. Financial assistance is provided for qualified students. More than 74% of Western’s undergraduate students receive some type of financial assistance. In 2023–2024, more than $96.4 million total in financial assistance was distributed. Of that total, over $58.9 million was in the form of grants/scholarships which do not have to be repaid, and more than $37.5 million was through loans and campus employment. The average financial aid package for new students is $19,793.

Cultural Center: Students, faculty, and guest artists of the School of Music perform over 180 exhilarating concerts and recitals every year. Annually, 12 major theatrical and dance productions and studio shows are performed, along with outstanding concerts, lectures, presentations, films, dance performances, and more. The School of Communication and Media is at sports and breaking news events daily reporting on radio, TV, and the web. The University Art Gallery exhibits work by the talented WIU students and faculty, as well as nationally-recognized artists. The Bureau of Cultural Affairs (BCA) brings comedy, music, and magic to campus. The Multicultural Center, home of the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Casa Latina Cultural Center, Women’s Center, and LGBT*QA Resource Center, aims to advance the goals of educational, social, and cultural awareness by providing resources to enhance the campus community’s understanding and appreciation of all identities. The Multicultural Center promotes intercultural learning, advocacy for historically marginalized students, and celebrates diversity to foster a welcoming and culturally inclusive environment.

Libraries: University Libraries house extensive collections and provide regional archives, research assistance, lectures and special events. The libraries offer online database access to thousands of academic journals and publications, as well as Illinois Legal Aid Online. The main library, the Leslie F. Malpass Library in Macomb, provides an inviting environment for research and study. The Leslie F. Malpass Library Archives and Special Collections houses a treasure trove of university, community, and regional history. The Special Collections document the cultural, economic, and natural heritage of west central Illinois. WIU Archives includes regional materials, such as county and town histories, oral history tapes, diaries, letters, maps, photographs, and newspaper clippings, along with a comprehensive digital image database, which can be found at wiu.edu/libraries/archives. The Macomb campus also has two specialized branch libraries for music and curriculum. The WIU—QC campus houses a branch library, which provides access to the same materials as the Macomb libraries, as well as the Jeff Leibovitz Holocaust Collection.

Residence Halls: Residence halls on the WIU-Macomb campus provide more than 3,000 students with living and dining services. Several residence halls offer learning living communities, such as Honors, First Year Experience, major, and wellness. Grote Hall, featuring a state-of-the-art suite-style environment, is the University’s newest residence hall. Many off-campus housing possibilities, including fraternities and sororities, are open to upper-division students.

Sports: The University's athletics program, based on the Macomb campus, sponsors 17 NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's and women’s varsity sports competing in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Student Organizations: More than 200 student organizations on campus represent a wide range of interests. Opportunities for participatory student governance are provided by the Student Government Association, Inter-Residence Hall Council, Panhellenic Council, Student Tenant Union, Black Student Association, Latin American Student Organization, International Friendship Club, and other organizations.

University Technology: WIU provides nearly 2,000 computers for use in classrooms, computer labs, computer resource centers, recreational spaces, and conference rooms throughout the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. Detailed listings and a map of the computing facilities can be found on the WIU website (wiu.edu/computerlabs/). The University also provides access to numerous software packages, the Internet, email, campus information systems, and other resources. Students have access to Mac and Windows computers, scanners, and printers. Personal file storage is available via Google Drive (drive.g.wiu.edu). The Digital Rec Center (wiu.edu/digitalrec/), open to WIU students, houses WIU–Macomb’s eSports Team and provides competitive gaming opportunities, console gaming, virtual reality stations, and more.

Western Illinois University—Quad Cities (WIU—QC): Western Illinois University offers several academic programs at its Quad Cities campus in Moline, Illinois. Undergraduate majors are offered in the following disciplines at WIU—QC: Accountancy; Civil Engineering; Communication; Electrical Engineering; Elementary Education; Engineering; Engineering Technology; English (Literature and Language and Professional Writing options); General Studies; Human Resource Management; Information Systems; Law Enforcement and Justice Administration; Liberal Arts and Sciences; Mathematics (Actuarial Science, Data Science and Statistics, and Mathematics options); Mechanical Engineering; Psychology; Public Health; and Supply Chain Management. Several online undergraduate degree programs are available to Quad Cities area students, along with 16 graduate degree programs and 6 post-baccalaureate certificate programs offered at the WIU—Quad Cities campus.