Public research university on a hilltop in Kentucky, known for journalism, engineering, and applied learning.
WKU houses five academic colleges—Education and Behavioral Sciences, Ogden College of Science & Engineering, Potter College of Arts & Letters, Gordon Ford College of Business, and College of Health and Human Services—plus the Mahurin Honors College and Graduate School. The university offers more than 170 undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates, and over 100 graduate programs including master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. The School of Media and Communication and journalism programs are nationally ranked; 27 alumni have won 13 Pulitzer Prizes. WKU was designated a Research Colleges and Universities (RCU) institution in 2025, recognizing $2.5M+ in annual R&D spending.
The 200-acre main campus sits atop a hill overlooking Bowling Green, a defining feature celebrated in the university's identity and nickname "The Hill." The campus includes historic buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, such as Henry Hardin Cherry Hall and Helm Library. WKU operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Owensboro, and Somerset. Student life includes approximately 33 active Greek organizations with 1,500 undergraduates, student publications (College Heights Herald since 1924, Talisman yearbook), and campus media outlets.
WKU accepts applications through Common App and its own application portal. Most merit scholarships are based on high school GPA rather than standardized test scores. The university reports 99% of freshmen receive scholarship aid. The Mahurin Honors College serves over 1,300 active honors students; the 2016 incoming honors class averaged in the top 6% nationally on ACT/SAT. The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science accepts approximately 100 high school juniors annually and was named "America's Best High School" by Newsweek in 2012 and 2013.
WKU competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of Conference USA (since 2014–15). The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers field 16 varsity sports. The volleyball program is particularly successful, with 18 NCAA Tournament berths including seven consecutive appearances and 21 of 24 possible CUSA championships. The men's basketball program claims the 14th most victories in NCAA history. The football team won the NCAA Division I FCS National Championship in 2002 under coach Jack Harbaugh.