About WPI
Founded in 1865, WPI is a pioneer in technological higher education. Its early curriculum was based on balancing theoretical instruction with practical application. In 1970, that model was transformed into a new approach to education that emphasizes outcomes and learning by doing, an innovative curriculum that prepares people for success in life and work in our technological world. More than any other university, WPI offers its undergraduates the opportunity to apply their knowledge to address societal needs, gaining valuable real-world benefits.
WPI students gain a depth of understanding of the humanities and arts, they demonstrate their ability to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world problems, and they develop an appreciation for how the solutions to those problems might impact the world around them. This groundbreaking approach to education has become a model for change in technological education at the national level.
WPI is a pioneer in globalizing technological education. The university established its first off-campus project center in 1974 in Washington, D.C., and its first international center in 1987 in London. Today, it maintains a network of project centers that span the globe. About 60 percent of WPI undergraduates now travel off campus to complete professional level projects with international corporations and organizations, gaining an invaluable global perspective.
WPI awarded its first advanced degree in 1898. Today most of WPI’s academic departments offer advanced degree programs that can be pursued on a full or part-time basis. Graduate courses and continuing education programs are offered at WPI and at two branch campuses in eastern Massachusetts. The growth of the graduate program has helped the university build research efforts that have earned widespread recognition in the scientific and engineering communities. With the external support these efforts have attracted, WPI has created a host of advanced research laboratories, centers and institutes.
WPI’s well-maintained physical plant is an important contributor to the success of its programs. Of its 32 major campus buildings, 18 have been built or acquired since 1962 and a number of historic buildings have been fully renovated in recent decades. WPI’s state-of-the-art campus-wide data network connects every laboratory, classroom, office, residence hall room, and fraternity and sorority at WPI, linking members of the campus community to a host of advanced information technology resources on campus, to each other and, through the Internet, to computer users around the world. Wireless access is offered in the university’s campus center, library and in several public spaces.
WPI’s attractively landscaped 80-acre campus, bordered by public parks and scenic residential areas, is only a few minutes walk from downtown Worcester. Situated in the heart of New England, WPI is in a city known as a leading center for biotechnology and bioengineering, and is adjacent to one of the largest concentrations of high-technology industries in the nation.
Founded in Worcester, Mass., in 1865, WPI is one of the nation's earliest technological universities. From our founding days, we've taken a unique approach to technological education.
Where science and technology meet real-world problems
We believe that students should understand how to apply knowledge – not just how to cite facts and theories. Our undergraduate and graduate students emerge ready to take on some of the most difficult challenges in science and technology – and, more important, understand how their work can truly impact society and improve our lives.
A national model for education
According to William Wulf, president of the National Academy of Engineering, "The kind of engineering education at WPI is a model of what engineering education should be." We also have received recognition from a number of other institutions and individuals for our high quality and unique approach to education.
Outstanding academics, faculty, and research programs
WPI's 18 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degrees, including the MS, ME, MBA and PhD. We have world-class faculty who work with our students in a number of cutting-edge research organizations that are discovering innovations in biotechnology, nanotechnology, information security, among others.
If you find our fresh perspective on science and technology education exciting, we hope you'll join us-whether you want to pursue a degree or just upgrade your skills.
Learn more about WPI by visiting the following pages:
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Last modified: December 01, 2010 11:47:52