wvu creative writing major

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Creative Writing  Master's

What is Creative Writing at WVU like?

Description

The Master of Fine Arts at West Virginia University is a three-year program that combines work in a primary genre and at least one other genre with course offerings in literature, pedagogy and professional writing and editing.

Our alumni have gone on to further graduate study in English, to careers in editing and publishing and to positions in academia. They have received awards such as the Olive B. O’Connor Fellowship at Colgate and the Emory University Creative Writing Fellowship, won national prizes like the Iowa Award for Poetry and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Prize for Nonfiction and published books with Autumn House Press, Carnegie Mellon University, 42 Miles Press, Ohio University Press, University of Georgia Press, University Press of New England and William Morrow/Harper Collins, among others.

WVU’s MFA graduates have published in hundreds of literary journals, including prestigious venues such as AGNI, Southern Review, Gettysburg Review, Field, Prairie Schooner, Tar River Poetry, Ninth Letter, Northwest Review, Missouri Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Sewanee Review, The Journal, 32 Poems, Georgetown Review, Controlled Burn, Colorado Review, Pank, Malahat Review, Mid-American Review, The New York Times, Paste, Times, Chelsea, Washington Square, Laurel Review, Slant, New Orleans Review, and in the anthology Layers of Possibility: Healing Poetry. Recent MFA students have won Intro Prizes sponsored by the Association of Writers and Writing Programs and the GreenTower Press’s chapbook prize and have published book-length collections of poetry and fiction. Recent graduates have won honors such as the Iowa Poetry Prize and the Walt Whitman Award.

WVU’s MFA faculty members, Mark Brazaitis, Mary Ann Samyn, Glenn Taylor, Christa Parravani, Jenny Johnson and Brian Broome, have published more than 25 books and have won many prestigious prizes and honors.

Application Deadlines

Each graduate program sets their own term of admission and application deadline. Applicants can only apply for admission for the term displayed below. Any questions regarding the application deadline should be directed to the graduate program representative. Fall:  January 15

At a Glance

• Admission Requirements

Contact Information

• College/School: Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
• Department:
• Degree Designation: MFA
• Degree Program:

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Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Creative Writing at WVU?

University Requirements

To be eligible for admission into a graduate program at WVU an applicant must submit official, bachelors degree transcripts from a regionally accredited institution and hold a GPA of at least 2.75.

WVU operates decentralized admissions. Decentralized admissions allows each graduate program to set its own application requirements in addition to the University requirements.

Program Requirements

To be eligible for admission into the Creative Writing graduate program an applicant must submit the following documentation:

• Letters of Recommendation - Three
• Statement of Purpose
• Essay/Writing Sample

Additional application requirements:

• For the writing sample: a substantial writing sample in fiction, nonfiction or poetry

Certain application requirements may be waived based on a preliminary review of an application by program.

International Applicants must also submit the materials outlined here .

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Graduate Admissions and Recruitment

Email:   [email protected]

Phone:  (304) 293-5980

International Admissions

Email:   [email protected]

Phone:  (304) 293-2121

Program Contact

Mark Brazaitis

MFA Program Director

Email:   [email protected]

Phone:  3042939707

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• Majors and Minors

Majoring in English develops skills in communication, research, critical thinking and focused creativity. Students can improve their understanding of people and cultural knowledge, how language works and how to use it effectively in a variety of contexts.

Our award-winning faculty teach courses in American, British, and world literature, creative writing, professional writing, linguistics, film studies, humanities computing and popular culture, and our small class sizes encourage student and faculty interaction.

How will I focus my studies?

English students may choose to focus their studies in specific areas, including creative writing and professional writing. Both of these concentrations can help prepare students for a writing career or graduate studies.

Creative Writing

Professional writing, nathaniel peters, gassaway, w.va., major: english pwe and political science minor: advertising .

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West Virginia University

West virginia, united states.

Founded in 2001, West Virginia University's MFA Program is located in the foothills of the Appalachians along the Monongahela River. Our program offers specializations in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Workshop sizes are always small, usually capped at eleven students. In addition to taking five workshops, including one out of genre, an MFA student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor in preparing his or her thesis, a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

All students who are admitted receive fully funded teaching assistantships, which include a stipend of $16,750 and university tuition remission.

WVU's MFA faculty members have published more than 25 books among them and have won numerous prestigious prizes and honors, including the National Endowment for the Arts Literary Fellowship, the Iowa Short Fiction Award, the George Garrett Fiction Prize, the Bakeless Prize in Nonfiction, the Emily Dickinson Prize from the Poetry Society of America, and the PEN/Revson Foundation Fellowship.

WVU's MFA graduates have published in hundreds of literary journals, including prestigious venues such as: AGNI, Southern Review, Gettysburg Review, and Field and have published book-length collections of poetry and fiction. Recent graduates have won honors such as the Iowa Poetry Prize, the Bakeless Prize in Fiction, and the Walt Whitman Award, and have had work featured in the Pushcart Prize anthology.

Contact Information

1503 University Ave PO Box 6296, 100 Colson Hall, English Dept. Morgantown West Virginia, United States 26506-6296 Email: [email protected] https://english.wvu.edu/students/graduate-students/m-f-a-in-creative-writing

Bachelor of Arts in English/Literature +

Undergraduate program director.

WVU's Creative Writing Concentration for English majors consists of five classes: three workshops, one special topics class, and a capstone course in which the student completes a long writing project (40 pages of prose or 20 pages of poetry) under the supervision of a professor and one or more MFA students.

Minor / Concentration in Creative Writing +

WVU's Creative Writing Minor consists of five classes: four workshops and a special topics class.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing +

Graduate program director, master of arts in professional writing and editing +.

Program Director: Dr. Brian Ballentine ([email protected])

Program website: http:pwe.wvu.edu

The MA in Professional Writing and Editing (PWE) is a 30-hour degree that combines theories of writing with practice in real-world writing situations. Students will study professional writing theory, the history of rhetoric, editing, rhetorical analysis, new modes of digital composition, as well as the practical application of professional writing genres.

PWE graduates work in a variety of corporate and educational settings, including science and engineering firms, nonprofit and government organizations, colleges and universities, and hospitals and clinical environments. PWE graduates do more than simply translate complex, technical information into easy-to-read prose. Professional writers bring a variety of skills to workplace settings, from designing print and digital documents and managing large-scale writing projects to collaborating with co-workers in other professions on grants or proposals. Professional writers can assess the information needs of audiences from different languages and cultural backgrounds, and analyze how written texts circulate through the organizations in which they work. In short, professional writers possess the critical, rhetorical, and technical knowledge necessary to produce successful and effective communications.

The degree is designed for both newly-graduated undergraduates and working adults who want more training in writing and editing.

Please direct all questions about the MA-PWE program to Dr. Brian Ballentine ([email protected]).

Mark Brazaitis

An American Affair, The River of Lost Voices: Stories from Guatemala, Steal My Heart, The Incurables

https://english.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/mark-brazaitis

Glenn Taylor

The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart, 2009 National Book Critics Circle Finalist; Marrowbone Marble Company

https://english.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/glenn-taylor

Mary Ann Samyn

Captivity Narrative; Inside the Yellow Dress; Purr; Beauty Breaks In; My Life in Heaven; Air, Light, Dust, Shadow, Distance

https://english.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/mary-ann-samyn

Christa Parravani

Her: A Memoir

https://english.wvu.edu/faculty-and-staff/faculty-directory/christa-parravani

Jenny Johnson

Publications & presses +.

Cheat River Review

Visiting Writers Program +

Oliver de la Paz. Claire Vaye Watkins, Camille Rankine, Geffrey Davis, Elizabeth Graver, Jaimy Gordon, Carol Frost, Bill Olsen, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Randall Kenan, Laura Kasischke, Jim Daniels, Beverly Donofrio, Janisse Ray, Lis Russ Spaar, Brenda Hillman, Bruce Bond, Matthew Zapruder, Marianne Boruch, among many others

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Scientific and Technical Writing, B.S.

Degree offered.

• Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Editing
• Bachelor of Sciences in Scientific and Technical Writing

Students may not earn both a B.A. and a B.S. in Writing Studies.

Nature of the Program

With a BA or BS degree in Writing Studies, you will learn to translate complex information into clear prose for diverse audiences and analyze how information flows through organizational structures. As you apply these skills in a capstone internship with a local business, non-profit, or government agency, you will see your writing come alive.

Regardless of what subjects you’re interested in and what careers you’re considering post-graduation, the BA degree in Professional Writing and Editing or the BS degree in Scientific and Technical Writing will improve the writing and communication skills that employers value.

When choosing between the BA degree in Professional Writing and Editing or the BS degree in Scientific and Technical Writing, individuals typically consider the path that most closely matches their future plans. The BA degree is well suited to students who are interested in the needs of an increasingly global society and want to make a difference as writers or editors for nonprofits, government agencies, and other professions. The BA’s emphasis on rhetorical, cultural, and linguistic competencies also prepares students for advanced academic work in a range of fields, including the humanities and legal studies. The BS degree is well suited to students who have an interest in science, healthcare, or technology and want to pursue professional careers where they convey complex topics clearly to the public. The BS degree also prepares students for the writing and research skills they need for advanced academic work.

Students who earn a degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences must complete the University requirements, the College requirements for their specific degree program, and their major requirements. Both the BA in Professional Writing and Editing and the BS in Scientific and Technical Writing are SpeakWrite certified programs.

Qualified students pursuing a BA or BS in Writing Studies may earn up to 12 hours of graduate credit during their junior and senior year.  These credits can count toward the master's program in Professional Writing and Editing, enabling them to complete their M.A. in one year following their undergraduate degree.

All students have the possibility of earning one or more minors; follow the link for a  list of all available minors and their requirements . Please note that students may not earn a minor in their major field.

Publications

Calliope , a publication of WVU student writing, is sponsored by the Department of English and the English Honorary and Club.

Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review , publishes outstanding research articles, literature reviews, and policy briefs principally authored by undergraduates of any major at West Virginia University. MURR is a student-led publication housed within the West Virginia University Office of Undergraduate Research. 

Resilience is a digital, peer-reviewed journal of the Environmental Humanities. It provides a forum for scholars from across the humanities disciplines to speak to one another about their shared interest in environmental issues and to engage in an evolving conversation about what the humanities contributes to living and thinking sustainably in a world of dwindling resources.

• First-Time Freshmen are admitted directly into the major.
• Students transferring from another major at WVU must have a 2.0 GPA in all ENGL classes taken and a 2.0 overall GPA. 
• Students transferring from another institution must have a 2.0 GPA in all ENGL classes taken and a 2.0 overall GPA.

Admission Requirements 2024-2025

The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.

Major Codes:                         

B.S. Scientific and Technical Writing = 14F5

B.A. Professional Writing and Editing = 14F4

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Degree Requirements

Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, College B.S. requirements, major requirements, and electives to total a minimum 120 hours. For complete details on these requirements, visit the B.S. Degrees tab on the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences  page.

Departmental Requirements for the B.S. in Scientific and Technical Writing

• Capstone Requirement : The university requires the successful completion of a Capstone course.  Scientific and Technical Writing majors must complete three credits of WRIT 491A to meet this requirement. 
• Writing and Communication Requirement:  The Scientific and Technical Writing B.S. students fulfill the Writing and Communication Skills requirement by completing ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 (or ENGL 103 ), and two additional SpeakWrite Certified Courses   TM .
• Calculation of GPA in the major :  Students must earn a grade of C- or better in all courses that are counted toward the STW Major Requirement plus. If a course is repeated, all attempts will be included in the calculation of the GPA unless the course is eligible for a D/F repeat.
• Benchmark Expectations : For details, go to the Scientific and Technical Writing Degree Progress tab .

Curriculum Requirements

University requirements, ecas bachelor of science requirements.

Students who complete BIOL 101, 101L, 102, 102L may substitute this sequence for BIOL 115 & 115L. Under this option, students must satisfactorily complete five courses to meet the Area I-Biology requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree: BIOL 101, 101L, 102, 102L & BIOL 117 and 117L.

Scientific and Technical Writing Major Requirements

Students may select up to 3 credits outside ENGL or WRIT courses with permission from a WRIT adviser.

Plan of Study

Degree progress.

• At the end of their second semester in the program, students will have completed ENGL 101, 102, 191, 199, and WRIT 202.
• After three semesters students will have completed 9 additional credits of WRIT courses above WRIT 202.
• After four semesters in the program, students will have completed 12 additional credits in WRIT.
• All majors must meet with an English department adviser each semester
• All majors must meet with an English department adviser to select electives appropriate for their degree and career interests.

Major Learning Outcomes

Scientific and technical writing.

Upon successful completion of the BS degree in Scientific and Technical Writing, majors will be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.

• Students will identify, understand, and explain the major concepts of Scientific and Technical Writing.
• Students will develop rhetorical literacies and apply these to linguistic structures and genre conventions across diverse cultures and contexts.
• Students will develop the functional literacies related to digital and print writing and editing and apply them to contexts and audiences appropriately.
• Students will understand scientific principles relevant to the field as they locate, evaluate, and appropriately apply primary and secondary research materials from a variety of sources (e.g., scholarly and professional sources as well as informal print, visual, or digital sources).
• Students will demonstrate the critical literacies, problem-solving skills, and professional behaviors that make a strong scientific and technical writer across genres and media (print, visual, aural, digital).

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Department of English offers two new majors

The  Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Scientific and Technical Writing  will focus on preparing students to clearly communicate science, health care or technology topics to the public.

The  Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Professional Writing and Editing  is well suited for students interested in the needs of an increasingly global society who want to make a difference as writers or editors for nonprofits, government agencies and businesses. 

“More and more, people in a wide range of industries are realizing the importance of hiring writers who are informed by humanities perspectives,” said Gaziano Family Legacy Professor and associate professor Jennifer Sano-Franchini. “These are the people who can not only help organizations meaningfully and thoughtfully connect with communities, but they are also able to raise critical questions that can help organizations do better by the people who are impacted by their work.”

Students take courses designed to hone writing skills in a variety of genres including grant writing, multimedia composition, medical and scientific rhetoric and more. Many courses also offer opportunities to hone their skills while working with clients in real-world settings. Both degrees also prepare students for writing and research skills they need to pursue advanced academic work. 

“We are excited to add these two new majors to our portfolio of offerings here in the Department of English. Both the  BA in Professional Writing and Editing  and the  BS in Scientific and Technical Writing  majors respond to a documented market need that we believe our students can fill,” Brian Ballentine, professor and chair of English, said.

The degrees are responsive to national labor market trends. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical writing positions are projected to grow over 7% in the next decade, faster than the average for all occupations combined.

Find more information on the new undergraduate degrees.

This article is republished from  MOUNTAINEER E-News  — read the  original article .

Read more news.

Department of English hosts Writing for Community and Cultural Engagement Showcase April 24

Sunday, April 14, 2024

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Scientific and Technical Writing, -->BS -->

The Scientific and Technical Writing (STW) major is ideal if you are interested in a professional career as a writer, editor, researcher or a related career in science, industry and other professions that emphasize strong analytical and interpretive skills as well as creative problem-solving skills.

It also prepares you for the writing and research skills you will need for advanced academic work, especially if you wish to pursue research in technically-dense fields. You will develop your skills in a capstone internship that prepares you for writing and designing in professional settings. If you double-major in STW and another discipline, you are doubly-prepared to succeed given your writing skills and subject matter expertise!

Eligible STW students may earn both the B.S. and a master's degree in five years.

Your Degree Plan

A degree in STW provides you with the experience and credentials you need to write, design and communicate complex topics.

• Popular Courses
• Enhance Your Degree
• Plan of Study

The Scientific and Technical Writing major consists of 10 courses (30 credit hours): three core courses, one professional or technical writing course, a capstone internship and two approved courses related to a specific topical area.

The topic areas below serve as examples.

Science and Health

• WRIT 407 The Writing of Health and Medicine
• WRIT 408 Rhetoric and Science

OR Public and Professional Writing

• ENGL 302 Editing
• ENGL 403 Grant Proposal Writing
• ENGL 450: Forensic Linguistics

Tailor this major to your interests by taking one of these courses as you pursue your degree:

WRIT 301: Writing Theory and Practice

Writ 302: editing, writ 303: multimedia writing, writ 304: business and professional writing, writ 305: technical writing, engl 491: professional field experience.

Take advantage of special options related to this major:

Expand your curiosity — and enhance your curriculum — through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations for first- and second-year students and Honors EXCEL for third- and fourth-year students.

The WVU Difference

What sets this program apart from its competitors?

• Eligible students may earn both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in five years.
• Capstone internship and professional development seminar at the end of the degree.
• Earn academic credit through Eberly internship courses .
• 500+ scholarships awarded annually by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
• Academic Enrichment Program offers funding for activities that complement, extend and enhance your academic experience.

Scholarships

Over 92% of WVU freshmen receive grants or scholarships (2022-2023).

Learn by Doing

Learning happens outside the classroom. Get involved.

Research and Academic Opportunities

• The West Virginia Dialect project studies language variation and fosters understanding and appreciation of the speech of West Virginians. Undergraduate research assistants study the intricate nature of Appalachian dialects while gathering cultural information.
• Service-learning courses in which students develop project management skills and public-facing deliverables. (Recent partnerships have included the WVU radio station, Girls on the Run, the West Virginia and Regional History Center, the Morgantown Area Partnership.)
• WVU offers several study-abroad opportunities as well as a Certificate in Global Competency.
• Digital/public writing opportunities (partnerships with the libraries, Wikipedia Edit-a-thon).

Student Organizations

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

• Sigma Tau Delta

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Professional Organizations

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

• National Council of Teachers of English
• American Copy Editors Society
• American Medical Writers Association
• Association for Business Communication
• Association for the Rhetoric of Science, Technology and Medicine
• Association of American Publishers
• Association of Writers and Writing Programs
• Coalition for Community Writing
• Editorial Freelancers Association
• IEEE Professional Communication Society
• National Association of Science Writers
• Society for Technical Communication

Internships

The 2021 Research Report, How College Contributes to Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most , specifically notes that “internships lead the list of what makes employers ‘much more likely to consider’ hiring a candidate” (p.10). Internships are a signature component of this degree.

Since spring of 2019, WVU students pursuing a Professional Writing and Editing emphasis within the English major have interned at over 42 distinct sites and several have resulted in job interviews or offers for permanent positions. Please see a sample of student projects from ENGL 491A–the capstone internship course.

• American Council on Rural Special Education – Writing and Editing Internship
• Appalachian Prison Book Project – Writing and Multimedia Design Internship
• Appalachian Studies Association – Writing and Editing Internship
• Berwyn Development Corporation, IL – Blog Development Internship
• Change Seven Magazine – Digital Publishing Internship
• Citizens Bank of Weston - Writing and Editing Internship
• Fitness Information Technology – Publishing internship
• Great Lakes Publishing – Editorial Internship
• Higinbotham & Higinbotham, PLLC – Legal Internship
• Land & Sea – Promotion and Marketing Internship
• Mindfit Academic Enhancement – Communication and Instruction Internship
• Morris Hayhurst LaunchLab – Multimedia Writing Internship
• New South Media – Multimedia Writing and Editing Internship
• West Virginia Humanities Council – Writing and Editing Internship
• WVU College of Law – Editing Internship
• WVU Go Media – Writing and Editing Internship
• WVU Office of Global Affairs – Writing Internship

Learning Living Communities

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

• True Colors

What you learn outside of the classroom is just as important as what you learn during class. We’ll help you follow your curiosity.

Careers and Outcomes

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Career Options

Science and Technical Writing graduates are prepared to work in a range of fields including the sciences, engineering and medicine. Here's what some of our grads are doing now:

• Editor/Editorial Consultant
• Marketing Consultant
• Technical Communications
• Corporate Communications
• Proposal Coordinator and Editor
• Business Analyst-Editor
• Grant Writer
• Research Specialist
• Website Architect or Editor
• Documentation design
• Government writing
• Public advocacy (NGO work, non-profit)
• Public policy (organizations that require analytical and research skills)
• Speech writing
• Education (writing for education companies or agencies)

Who's Hiring Our Grads

• Administrative Technology Solutions
• AMEX International, Inc. (government contractor)
• Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc.
• Bodymind Institute in Wheeling, WV
• Chevron in Pittsburgh
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA)
• Johns Hopkins University Press
• JPMorgan Chase and Co.
• KeyLogic Systems, Inc.
• Kroger Marketing Team
• Lockheed Martin in Clarksburg, WV
• National Environmental Services Center (NESC)
• National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE)
• N-Play RE LLC
• Red Hat, Inc.
• Westinghouse Electric Company

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to WVU's Scientific and Technical Writing major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements for the 2024-25 academic year. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements .

Tuition and Aid

How much does Scientific and Technical Writing at WVU cost? And how can you save?

--> Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

--> Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

--> Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

Ways to Save

Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships .

Financial Aid

The most important step toward funding your future with financial aid for the Scientific and Technical Writing major is submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

How to Complete the FAFSA

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Ready to take the next step?

Learn how to join the WVU family.

Request Info

Want to know more about Scientific and Technical Writing at WVU? Fill out our request form to receive more information.

​​Experiencing campus is the best way to see if WVU is the right fit. Choose from in-person and virtual options.

Your first step to becoming a Mountaineer is applying for admission using our convenient online application.

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Following program cuts, new West Virginia University student union says fight is not over

FILE - West Virginia University students lead a protest against cuts to programs in world languages, creative writing and more amid a $45 million budget deficit, Aug. 21, 2023, outside Stewart Hall in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham, File)

FILE - West Virginia University senior Mailyn Sadler leads a protest in the university’s free speech zone outside the Mountainlair student union against cuts to programs in world languages, creative writing and more amid a $45 million budget deficit, Aug. 21, 2023, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham, File)

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Sophomore Christian Adams expected he would be studying Chinese when he enrolled at West Virginia University, with a dream of working in labor or immigration law.

He didn’t foresee switching his major to politics, a change he made after West Virginia’s flagship university in September cut its world language department and dozens of other programs in subjects such as English, math and music amid a $45 million budget shortfall.

And he certainly didn’t expect to be studying — or teaching fellow students — about community organizing.

But the cuts, denounced as “draconian and catastrophic” by the American Federation of Teachers, catalyzed a different kind of education: Adams is co-founder of The West Virginia United Students’ Union. The leading oppositional force against the cuts , the union organized protests, circulated petitions and helped save a handful of teaching positions before 143 faculty and 28 majors ultimately were cut.

Disappointed, they say their work is far from done. Led by many first-generation college students and those receiving financial aid in the state with the fewest college graduates, members say they want to usher in a new era of student involvement in university political life.

“Really, what it is for WVU is a new era of student politics,” Adams said.

The movement is part of a wave of student organizing at U.S. colleges and universities centering around everything from the affordability of higher education and representation to who has access to a diverse array of course offerings and workplace safety concerns.

The university in Morgantown had been weighed down financially by enrollment declines, revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and an increasing debt load for new building projects. Other U.S. universities and colleges have faced similar decisions, but WVU’s is among the most extreme examples of a flagship university turning to such dramatic cuts, particularly to foreign languages.

The union called the move to eliminate 8% of majors and 5% of faculty a failure of university leadership to uphold its mission as a land-grant institution, charged since the 1800s with educating rural students who historically had been excluded from higher education. A quarter of all children in West Virginia live in poverty, and many public K-12 schools don’t offer robust language programs at a time when language knowledge is becoming increasingly important in the global jobs market.

As the school continues to evaluate its finances, the union plans to keep a close eye on its budget, mobilize against any additional proposed cuts and prepare alternative proposals to keep curriculum and faculty positions in place.

Another key goal is monitoring and influencing the school’s search for its new president after university head E. Gordon Gee retires next year. Gee, the subject of symbolic motions from a faculty group that expressed no confidence in his leadership, said last year the curriculum cuts came at a time of change in higher education, and that WVU was “leading that change rather than being its victim.”

Higher education nationwide has become “arrogant” and “isolated,” he said, warning that without change, schools face “a very bleak future.”

Union Assembly of Delegates President and Co-Founder Matthew Kolb, a senior math major, said his group doesn’t want a new president who believes running the school as a corporate or business entity is the only option for getting things done properly.

“We know, when push comes to shove, the results of that are 143 faculty getting shoved off a cliff with one vote,” he said.

Adams, a north central West Virginia native who was the first in his family to attend college immediately after high school, said he could transfer to another institution and continue his studies in Chinese. But much of the reason he chose WVU was because of a commitment to the state and a desire to improve its socioeconomic outlook.

“A lot of West Virginians feel trapped in West Virginia and feel like they have to leave — not a lot of people choose to stay here,” Adams said. “I made the conscious decision to go to WVU to stay here to help improve my state.”

The cuts meant reaffirming that commitment, “despite basically being told by my state’s flagship university that, ‘Your major is irrelevant, it doesn’t matter, it’s not worth our time or money to teach.’”

Student union organizations have existed for hundreds of years worldwide. Commonly associated in the U.S. with on-campus hubs where students access dining halls, club offices and social events, in the United Kingdom the union also takes on the form of a university-independent advocacy arm lobbying at the institutional and national level.

Members say they envision the West Virginia United Students’ Union similar to those in the U.K., and it’s a concept they want to help grow.

That has meant a lot of work behind the scenes, strategizing to keep students interested and engaged and building relationships with the university campus workers union, student government and other organizations.

That work with the union helped keep up student morale as they watched faculty scramble to find new jobs and rewrite curriculum, student Felicia Carrara said.

An international studies and Russian studies double major from North Carolina, Carrara said she and many of her peers chose West Virginia University because it was affordable.

“The fact that we would now have to pivot to try and find the scholarships and other money to be able to afford an education anywhere else, or just not get a degree at all or get a degree that’s really bare bones. It’s just really disheartening,” she said.

“When you come to higher ed, you think things are going to be better than they were in high school and in middle school,” she said. “And it’s very sad finding out that they’re not.”

Andrew Ross, a senior German and political science double major, will be the last graduate to major in the language.

A 31-year-old nontraditional student who transferred to WVU in 2022 after earning an associate’s degree, Ross learned about the proposed cuts days after he returned home from a summer program in Germany he attended with the help of a departmental scholarship.

Ross, now the student union’s assembly of delegates vice president, said the cuts “felt like getting slapped in the face.” The university told him to drop the German major. He’s proud of his effort to finish the degree after twists and turns, but it’s bittersweet.

“In some ways and it makes me sad because I hope there isn’t someone who is still growing up that can’t have this experience — we all deserve it,” he said. “This university isn’t just failing me, it’s failing the state.”