Majors, Minors and Certificates

The Department of Biology offers graduate courses and research that lead to MS and PhD degrees in the areas of ecology, bioinformatics, genetics, genomics and evolutionary biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, neurobiology, behavior and physiology, plant sciences, cell and developmental biology, biology education and forensic biology.

The Department of Biology offers graduate courses and research that lead to MS and PhD degrees in the areas of ecology, bioinformatics, genetics, genomics and evolutionary biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, neurobiology, behavior and physiology, plant sciences, cell and developmental biology, biology education and forensic biology.

The Chemistry Department includes research in the areas of analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Research is a key focus of the 22 faculty members who comprise the department.

The PhD program in Communication Studies is intended to qualify the student to teach and conduct research in instructional communication, interpersonal communication or organizational communication at the university level.

The MA program in Communication Studies is intended to qualify the student to assume a variety of professional roles in educational, industrial and government institutions; teach the subject matter at the college level; or undertake advanced training toward a doctorate in communication studies.

The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree in creative writing. MFA students at WVU study within a three-year academic/studio program that combines an apprenticeship to the craft with more traditionally academic elements.

The master’s program is designed for students who have shown an aptitude for sustained literary study and who now wish to pursue a more intensive and extensive training.

The doctoral program in English develops fluency in the critical discourses of the profession and prepares graduates to teach English professionally on the post-secondary level, or to enter a wide range of alternate academic careers.

The Department of Forensic and Investigative Sciences offers graduate studies leading to a Master of Science degree. The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) accredited degree program is rigorous, quantitative and science-based.

The doctorate is a research degree that culminates in a dissertation in an area that is jointly determined between a student and their faculty advisor. Each student takes three core courses and two colloquia as the academic foundation for developing their area of research.

The MA program offers both a thesis and a project track. The thesis is an in-depth research investigation, whereas the project is a structured, one-semester activity.

The PhD is an advanced research degree, with coursework, comprehensive exams and a major research investigation. Students are expected to be well-grounded in the one or more of the Geography program's three areas of specialization.

WVU offers MS and PhD degrees in both Geology and Geography.

WVU offers MS and PhD degrees in both Geology and Geography.

The graduate History program includes about 80-90 students and 23 faculty. Most students concentrate in U.S. history or Appalachian history, but students may choose to work in other areas supported by the faculty, especially European, African and Latin American history.

The graduate History program at WVU includes about 80-90 students and 23 faculty. Most students concentrate in U.S. history or Appalachian history, but students may choose to work in other areas supported by the faculty, especially European, African and Latin American history.

The Master of Legal Studies program (part of the Division of Public Administration) is designed to build greater public understanding of law and the legal system, to provide graduates with the ability to apply knowledge and skill gained to performing their jobs more effectively and/or pursue further career opportunities and to provide private and public sector organizations the benefit of enhanced expertise of their employees.

Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:

• Healthcare
• Homeland Security
• Justice System

The master's degree program is built around four options emphasizing different aspects of pure and applied mathematics, and mathematics useful for secondary educators. These options require a program of 10 to 11 suitable courses.

The PhD program is structured so as to assume a background equivalent to that of an MS in mathematics.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals as well as a diverse range of specializations for MS and PhD research.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals as well as a diverse range of specializations for MS and PhD research.

Political science is built on the core aspects of the great liberal arts tradition. Our strengths are logic, appropriate data, analysis and communication.

Political Science is built on the core aspects of the great liberal arts tradition. Our strengths are logic, appropriate data, analysis and communication.

The MA in Professional Writing and Editing is a 30-hour degree that combines theories of writing with practice in real-world writing situations.

The Psychology Department offers doctoral training in clinical child psychology, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, behavioral neuroscience and lifespan developmental psychology.

The behavioral neuroscience area of emphasis is the newest and fastest growing area in the Department of Psychology. Students in behavioral neuroscience work closely with highly experienced faculty to study the biological bases of behavior. Training in behavioral neuroscience prepares students for a career in research in academics, academic medicine, government and/or industry. We expect our graduates to succeed in research, with an emphasis on publishing and obtaining extramural funding to support their work. We also foster strong mentorship skills, so that our students are prepared to teach their skills and way of thinking to their own students upon completion of our program. Our graduates make significant contributions to solving important problems in their field.

The Psychology Department offers doctoral training in clinical child psychology, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, behavioral neuroscience and lifespan developmental psychology.

The Psychology Department offers doctoral training in clinical child psychology, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, behavioral neuroscience and lifespan developmental psychology.

The Psychology Department offers doctoral training in clinical child psychology, clinical psychology, behavior analysis, behavioral neuroscience and lifespan developmental psychology.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree prepares individuals for a career in public service. Alumni work in government and nonprofit agencies to develop and implement public policies and programs.

Social work is a valuable profession with broad opportunities to serve local, national and international populations. The MSW program at WVU educates graduate students in advanced integrated practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities so that they can effectively address social and human problems across a wide range of practice areas.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology offers a master's degree in applied social research. Students are trained to be able to take positions in government, universities, community agencies and private industry that require them to design and conduct research for purposes of evaluating policies and programs, documenting social needs, monitoring service delivery and marketing products and services.

This is the first doctoral sociology program in the state of West Virginia. It emphasizes foundational course work in sociology, including theory, methods and statistics, as well as courses and independent research in an area related to the department’s specializations in crime, community and culture.

The MA program in Spanish is intended for students who seek specialized knowledge in order to pursue a teaching career in Spanish, as well as for students who plan to prepare for doctoral studies in Hispanic literatures, cultures, or linguistics.

The MA program in TESOL prepares teachers to teach English as a second language in an English-speaking setting as well as English as a foreign language in countries around the world.