Westminster College Named to Top Ten of Most Focused American College International Studies Programs
Westminster College in Fulton, MO ranks in the top ten of all American colleges and universities for “Most Focused” in the field of international studies, according to recently released national rankings.
The data-driven national education firm, College Factual, which is in partnership with USA Today newspaper, named Westminster 9th out of all 236 college and university programs ranked nationwide for 2016.
“We are extremely proud that College Factual has recognized how strong our international studies program is in comparison to others in the nation,” says Westminster President Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande. “We pride ourselves on the global community we have established on our campus. Its diversity has led to an outstanding international studies program and helps us fulfills our promise of developing leaders who are ready to serve and make an impact across the globe.”
Within its population of approximately 1,000 students, 147 of Westminster students are international students from 72 different countries. Westminster offers majors in International Studies and Transnational Studies, as well an International Business major or minor.
College Factual evaluates all college and universities together and calculates its “Most Focused” rankings by considering fields of study, the number of majors in that field, the percentage of the student body taking those majors, and the national rankings of majors in that field. The formula is based on the premise that colleges who put more emphasis on certain majors will more likely do a better job of teaching them and provide more resources for those majors.
Students in this field of study at Westminster conduct graduate school level analysis of issues and topics related to international studies and are required to do an honors thesis level paper that is suitable for submission to graduate and professional schools or for a dossier for careers in international affairs and other professions. Students also have opportunities to study abroad and participate in Westminster’s award winning Model United Nations program. Research materials are also available from the National Churchill Museum located on campus.
Data to determine College Factual rankings comes from a number of sources, both public and private. The majority of the information comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the United States Department of Education.
