University of North Carolina at Wilmington

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, seeks students who are academically curious, excited to be in the classroom, and willing to fully immerse themselves in our community of scholars. As our academic reputation continues to rise year after year, we embrace a community of well-rounded students who will add their talents and interests to our campus.

UNCW is dedicated to the integration of teaching and mentoring with research and service. The University values student engagement, creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression, and responsible citizenship. The culture reflects a commitment to diversity and globalization, ethics and integrity, excellence and innovation.

The rankings and recognition UNCW receives reflect the institution’s dedication to enriching the quality of life through scholarly community engagement and global outreach.

Academic core
uncw.edu/academics
The College of Arts and Sciences is a cornerstone in the University’s pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, artistic achievement, and service. It is committed to the life of the mind and the enrichment of the human spirit. Educating students for lives of personal, civic, and professional fulfillment; advancing knowledge and creativity in the arts and sciences; and striving for the betterment of the region, state, nation, and world are among the College’s fundamental values. Applied learning is a hallmark of the College’s experience; students participate in hands-on learning opportunities through faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses. 

The Cameron School of Business is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, placing it in the top 30% of business education programs. It offers a wide range of business options for students and several international study abroad options with accredited partner universities in 11 nations. The Cameron Executive Network matches motivated undergraduates with retired and active senior executives.

The College of Health and Human Services consists of three professional schools: the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the School of Social Work. Faculty, staff, and students within the College are passionate about the overall enhancement of health and quality of life, especially within underserved communities and populations of the state, region, nation, and world.

Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Watson College of Education develops competent professionals to serve in educational leadership roles, improving schools and society. The College offers 42 educator preparation programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as programs for teacher licensure.  

University College
uncw.edu/uc
University College contributes to UNCW’s commitment to excellence in undergraduate education by building relationships and creating experiences to support student transitions, persistence, and success through academic advising, courses, programs, and resources.

Honors College
uncw.edu/honors
The Honors College provides students with a strong learning community focused on achievement. More than 700 gifted and goal-oriented scholars in the Honors College receive multiple benefits and resources to take their education further, faster.

Faculty
UNCW’s faculty culture emphasizes teaching and mentoring, incorporating research as an important component of the student learning experience. A full 86% of faculty members have earned a PhD or the highest degree in their field.

Involvement opportunities
uncw.edu/studentorgs
Academic programs across campus encourage students to engage in hands-on, practical experiences through the ETEAL applied learning initiative. The Office of Student Leadership and Engagement creates dynamic opportunities for students to become actively involved with the community, or they can participate in leadership and service activities on campus in one of 270+ registered student organizations.

Fitness and recreation
uncw.edu/campusrec
UNCW offers a variety of wellness opportunities, including a recreation center with cardiovascular conditioning machines, free weights, and weight machines. It includes sports courts, an indoor track, pools, group exercise studios, and a climbing wall. UNCW also offers intramurals, sport clubs, recreation fields, and adventure programs such as camping, surfing, and kayaking. 

Residence life
uncw.edu/housing
UNCW requires all fall freshmen to reside on campus for their first academic year. Research shows students make a smoother transition to collegiate life, achieve higher grade point averages, develop stronger friendships and a love of place, and graduate at higher rates. On-campus housing for transfer students is limited and not guaranteed. 

Athletics
uncwsports.com
UNCW’s 19 intercollegiate teams compete in NCAA Division I sports with Seahawk pride and integrity. UNCW’s student-athletes excel not only on the fields and courts but in the classroom as well, consistently posting strong graduation success rates, with four teams achieving perfect 100 scores, according to NCAA’s most recent report. 

Coastal location
Wilmington is a charming and friendly city on the southeastern coast of North Carolina. Located just minutes from numerous beaches, it has a renowned historic district as well as a vibrant art culture and literature, film, and music scene. Wilmington International Airport (ILM) provides commercial air service to cities both domestic and abroad and is just six miles from campus.