Campus and Facilities

West Chester University’s campus is a mixture of 19th-century collegiate Gothic and contemporary architectural styles. The distinctive buildings and magnificent old trees make the campus one of the aesthetic treasures of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Approaching the Borough of West Chester from the south, the University stretches along High Street and provides a gateway to the borough. The Academic Quadrangle serves as a landmark surrounded by the University’s oldest buildings: Philips Memorial Building, Recitation Hall, Anderson Hall, Ruby Jones Hall, and the Old Library. Three of these buildings are constructed of the green-hued serpentine stone that has given West Chester its particular character for more than a century. Over the ensuing decades, the University expanded to the west and south to include residence halls, student activity and athletic facilities, a dining facility, and general academic buildings. Focal points of student life outside the classroom include the Sykes Student Union, which houses a movie theater, food court, meeting rooms, and lounges, as well as the Student Recreation Center, which features a popular 34-foot story climbing wall, basketball courts, exercise rooms with cardio equipment and weights, a running track, and a smoothie cafe for post-workout refueling. The Business and Public Management Center, opened in 2017, features 23 multimedia classrooms, five collaborative classrooms, 13 classrooms with tiered seating, a 189-seat lecture hall, five seminar/conference rooms, and 137 offices.

The Sciences and Engineering Center and The Commons, a 175,000-square-foot living and learning facility, was completed in 2021-22 and is one of the largest academic building on campus. The building houses the Departments of Health, Nursing, Nutrition, and Physics, as well as the biomedical engineering program. In addition, it features a large student dining hall and flexible conference space. 

Less than a mile away is the 300-acre South Campus, which includes apartment complexes housing more than 1,200 students and the Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center, a teaching, performance, and research facility. Surrounding the center are tennis courts, two multipurpose artificial turf fields, and Farrell Stadium, which is equipped with the same artificial turf used by professional football teams, plus outdoor adventure education facilities.

Also on South Campus is the Gordon Natural Area. The land contains large blocks of mature forest, along with areas of secondary forest, seasonally-inundated floodplain, upland meadow, and maintained (i.e., mown) 'grassland'. Gordon Natural Area is currently home to more than 35 research projects, ranging from stream water quality assessments to seismic monitoring. In its efforts to protect biodiversity, staff and volunteers of the natural area conduct plant surveys, remove invasive plant species, maintain trails, and organize tree plantings.

West Chester University’s Philadelphia location offers programs of study within three different colleges, all under one roof. WCU Philadelphia specializes in part-time courses for busy professionals who are looking to obtain their bachelor’s or master’s degrees. 

Small class sizes and distinguished faculty members are the hallmarks of a WCU Philadelphia education and create a positive and successful learning experience for students. Academic colleges represented at the Philadelphia campus include:

• College of Business and Public Management
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Education and Social Work

West Chester University’s Philadelphia location is surrounded by a variety of restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Located in the heart of Center City at 701 Market Street, WCU Philadelphia is easily accessible by public transportation. SEPTA’s Jefferson Station is a short walk from campus, and a bus stop is located just outside the facility. WCU students are eligible for discounted parking rates at local parking lots and garages. On-street metered parking also is available. 

Resources

West Chester University’s Philadelphia location is a state-of-the-art classroom and meeting space equipped with educational resources to help students reach their fullest academic potential, including:

• Computer lab
• Counseling services
• Student Success Center
• Full-time Coordinator of Support Services in Center City (links services offered in West Chester to our Philadelphia students)

For more information on program offerings, see www.wcupa.edu/philly.

The Graduate Center, located within the Greenhill Corporate Park at 1160 McDermott Drive in West Chester, is home to the MBA Program; the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education Administration; the Department of Counselor Education; and the Reading Center for the Department of Literacy. Additionally, it is home to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center (SPARC), a non-profit clinic that provides services to individuals with autism and a variety of behavioral challenges.

The Physician Assistant Studies Program is located in the West Whiteland Business Center at 930 E. Lincoln Highway, Suite 100, Exton, PA, approximately 9 miles from the main campus. The building houses faculty and staff offices, two classrooms, and lab space. There is a shuttle service that provides transportation to students from the main campus.

West Chester University offers select degree completion programs at the Delaware County Community College (DCCC) Marple Campus. The Marple Campus is the main campus of Delaware County Community College and is located at 901 Media Line Rd, Media, PA 19063. West Chester University utilizes space on the 4^th floor of the STEM Center. This program enables associate degree graduates to earn a West Chester University bachelor’s degree from the convenience of the DCCC campus. For more information on program offerings, see www.wcupa.edu/DCCC.

University Libraries includes the Francis Harvey Green Library, at the corner of High Street and Rosedale Avenue, and the Presser Music Library, in the Swope Music Building. Both libraries offer spaces for individual and collaborative learning. The Francis Harvey Green Library is open overnight 5 days a week during the Fall and Spring Semesters. Visit the Libraries’ website to connect with librarians, resources, and information about library services and spaces. https://library.wcupa.edu/home

Faculty librarians provide research assistance and instruction on library resources. Every discipline and department has a subject specialist librarian who will provide research and information literacy instruction to individuals, groups, or classes. Research assistance is available in-person, virtually, and by chat, phone, or email.  Learn more about our subject specialist librarians: http://library.wcupa.edu/ask/subject. Other key library services include course reserves; interlibrary loan; Special Collections, Innovation Media Center services; laptop lending; and access to scanners and printers. 

The Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology is West Chester University’s dynamic teaching laboratory for museum studies and a nexus for students, the campus, and greater community. The Museum maintains a permanent collection of archaeological, historical, artistic, and ethnographic materials that form the core of its exhibitions. Through sequenced coursework and practice, Museum Studies students learn the nuances of exhibit development and curation, museum administration, object collections management, audience research, catalog publishing, and virtual exhibition creation. Past exhibitions featured Native American culture, The Silk Road, African healing practices, foodways, human rights, sustainability, and Philadelphia’s heritage. University faculty are encouraged to explore and utilize these exhibits with their students, and virtual exhibitions are available. The Museum welcomes community members and groups, including schools; WCU education majors develop K-12 lesson plans for each exhibition. For more information, see the website at www.wcupa.edu/museum or contact museum@wcupa.edu.

The WCU Geology Museum in The Science Complex displays specimens from collections of historic and scientific importance. The museum is unique in the U.S. because University students who are majors in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences have created each exhibit. These exhibits use minerals, rocks, and fossils from around the world drawn from notable 19th and 20th century collectors who lived in Chester County, including William Yocom, Willard Brinton, Hugh McKinstry, and Ruth Bass. Each exhibit highlights an interesting topic about minerals and rocks. Students can explore electricity and magnetism in minerals using an interactive display; discover how Chester County rocks have been mined and used for hundreds of years; find the beauty of fluorescent minerals under ultraviolet light, from the extensive collection of John Stolar, Sr.; and explore ancient life through the marine creatures preserved along waterways. The museum is free and open to the public Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters, and is open by appointment during summer and winter sessions. Please contact the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at 610-436-2727 for more information or to make an appointment.

The Darlington Herbarium, housed in The Science Complex, is one of the most highly regarded historical collections of dried plant specimens in the East. Among the 20,000 specimens are plants collected by such famous explorers and botanists as Captain John Fremont, Thomas Nuttall, Sir William Hooker, C.S. Rafinesque, and George Englemann. More than 200 collectors from America's formative years of 1820 to 1850 are represented. The herbarium was the work of Dr. William Darlington (1782-1863), a member of the West Chester Cabinet of Science. Dr. Darlington was eminent in West Chester as a physician, educator, banker, businessman, historian, and botanist. His plants, however, were his first love. A state park has been established in northern California to preserve a rare species of insectivorous plant named in his honor - Darlingtonia.

The University has conserved 70 acres of natural woodland, field, and streamside habitat at the Gordon Natural Area, located on South Campus. Dedicated in 1973, the area was named for Robert B. Gordon, who from 1938 to 1963 was a faculty member in the University's Department of Science, including a number of years as the department chairperson. The Gordon Natural Area encompasses two parcels of land: a 47-acre forest, which is east of Farrell Stadium on South Campus, and a 23-acre tract of old farm fields, floodplain, and wetlands southwest of the stadium. Gordon Natural Area currently is home to more than 35 research projects, ranging from stream water quality assessments to seismic monitoring. In its efforts to protect biodiversity, the natural area conducts plant surveys, removes invasive plant species, and organizes tree plantings.

As part of its outreach mission, the Gordon Natural Area partners with area organizations on projects such as the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s Tree Tenders program and the East Goshen Township Forest Restoration Project. In addition, more than 900 West Chester University students learn in this outdoor classroom annually. While frequented by field botany and general ecology students, it’s also used by business and education classes, Honors College programs, ROTC students, student wellness, and athletic programs.

The Chester County Cabinet of Natural Sciences (1826-1871) and the West Chester Academy (1811-1871) merged to form the West Chester Normal School, which evolved into West Chester University. Historical properties came to the Normal School from the Chester County Cabinet, including a grandfather's clock that belonged to Benjamin Franklin, a telescope owned by Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne, the Darlington Herbarium, and various library and museum collections. Especially notable are the letters of Anthony Wayne, including letters to Wayne from George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and others. The Wayne telescope, letters, and library collections are housed in the Francis Harvey Green Library Special Collections.

The University's permanent art collection is made up primarily of gifts from interested art patrons, senior class purchases, and gifts from the alumni. The permanent art collection is on display in buildings throughout the campus. The collection consists of a number of important works, such as the watercolor, Andress Place, by Andrew Wyeth.

The Speech and Hearing Clinic (located at 201 Carter Drive, Suite 400) is a free community clinic maintained by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders to train student clinicians under licensed, certified faculty supervision. The clinic provides evaluation, intervention, and consultation services to individuals with speech and language disorders, hearing disorders, communication differences, and professional communication enhancement needs to individuals across the lifespan. The clinic also provides diverse community outreach and education opportunities for individuals and institutions. Clinic services are offered free of charge to all individuals. Appointments can be made by contacting the clinic office at 610-436-3402 or by emailing jjohnson@wcupa.edu.