Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Rankings and courses

Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers immersive project experiences

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts. WPI was one of the first engineering and technology universities in the United States, founded in 1865 in Worcester, and now has 14 academic departments offering over 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, management, the social sciences, the humanities, and arts, leading to bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees. The faculty at WPI collaborates with students on various research projects, including biotechnology, fuel cells, information security, surface metrology, materials processing, and nanotechnology. It falls under ‘R2: Doctoral Universities – High Research Activity.’

Worcester Polytechnic Institute | A brief overview

Founded in 1865, Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers STEM-focused education and support at every level.

The institute has used the WPI Plan as a learning process since 1970. The Plan assists students in applying their classroom experiences to projects with a social and global focus.

This includes the Great Problems Seminar, a first-year course analyzing public health, water, food security, energy, and education issues. An Interactive Qualifying Project in which students offer a solution to a science, technology, and social problem, and a Global Projects Program that sends students to over 40 off-campus project centers.  The program is divided into seven-week terms, with no failing grades. All students must take core humanity and art course.

In addition to academics, students can participate in student organizations, such as the African percussion and dance ensemble, fencing club, freestyle wrestling club, and table tennis.

Baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling are all competitive sports available at WPI.

The university has one of the highest first-year retention rates in the country, at 97%.

Campus

WPI has a 95-acre residential campus on the top of Boynton Hill, which includes academic and administrative buildings, parking lots, residences, recreational facilities, and student support services.

The George C. Gordon Library, the university’s central library, houses a diverse collection of printed and electronic resources, digital technologies, and search tools. There are also meeting and study areas in the library. Alumni Stadium and Norcross Track, Harrington Auditorium, Rooftop Field, Donahue Rowing Center, Sports and Recreation Center, New England Baseball Complex, and A.J. Knight Tennis Courts Throwing Area are among the campus’s cutting-edge athletic and recreational facilities.

In its 16 residence halls, the university provides on-campus housing for approximately 2,400 students, with options such as triple-sharing rooms, apartment-style arrangements, and suites. A bookstore, a medical center, and dining options are available on campus. WPI has 20 varsity teams that compete in various intercollegiate events and competitions under the name ‘Engineers,’ and they have an affiliation with the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The university has over 50 project centers spread across all continents.

Courses

WPI offers undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, science, management, liberal arts, and social science. It is best known for its engineering disciplines and is one of the top engineering schools in North America and the world. Unlike many of its peers, WPI does not group related departments into colleges or schools.

Departments and divisions

• Aerospace Engineering     
• Biology & Biotechnology     
• Biomedical Engineering     
• Business    
• Chemical Engineering    
• Chemistry & Biochemistry     
• Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering    
• Computer Science    
• Electrical & Computer Engineering     
• Fire Protection Engineering     
• Humanities & Arts     
• Integrative & Global Studies     
• Mathematical Sciences     
• Mechanical & Materials Engineering    
• Physical Education          
• Physics   
• Robotics Engineering     
• Social Science & Policy Studies     

Programs

• Air Force Aerospace Studies     
• Architectural Engineering   
• Bioinformatics & Computational Biology     
• Cybersecurity   
• Data Science     
• Environmental Engineering     
• Industrial Engineering   
• Interactive Media & Game Development     
• International & Global Studies     
• International Development, Environment, and Sustainability    
• Learning Sciences & Technologies     
• Liberal Arts & Engineering     
• Manufacturing Engineering     
• Materials Process Engineering    
• Materials Science & Engineering  
• Military Science     
• Neuroscience     
• Power Systems     
• Professional Writing     
• Psychological & Cognitive Sciences    
• Systems Engineering

Rankings

• QS World University Rankings- 801-1000
• QS WUR Ranking by Subject- 251-300
• World University Rankings – Masters In Business Analytics- 81-90
• World University Rankings – Masters In Marketing- 91-100

Alumni

Entrepreneurs Dean Kamen and Naveen Selvadurai, actress Nancy Pimental, and chemist George Cowan are among the notable alumni.

Other notable alumni include

• Robert H. Goddard (Father of Modern Rocketry)
• James Ernest Smith (American Entrepreneur and Engineer)
• Paul Allaire (Xerox’s Former CEO)
• Mei Yiqi (Chinese Politician and Physicist)
• Naveen Selvadurai (American Internet Entrepreneur)
• Jeremy Hitchcock (Dyn’s Co-Founder and Former CEO)
• Elwood Haynes (American Chemist and Industrialist)
• Arthur Kent (Prominent Radio Manufacturer) 
• Kotaro Shimomura (Japanese Chemical Engineer).

Key takeaways

• Established in 1865, Worcester Polytechnic Institute provides STEM-focused education and support for all its students at every level. WPI was one of Worcester, Massachusetts’s first engineering and technology universities.
• WPI’s 95-acre residential campus lies on the top of Boynton Hill. It includes academic and administrative buildings, parking lots, residences, recreational facilities, and student support services.
• WPI provides undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, science, management, liberal arts, and social science. It is most popular for its engineering disciplines. 

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FAQs

Q1. Is it difficult to get into Worcester Polytechnic Institute?

Ans- Worcester Polytechnic Institute admissions are more selective, with a 60% acceptance rate and a 71.7% early acceptance rate. Worcester Polytechnic Institute admissions officials consider a student’s GPA an essential academic factor.

Q2. What SAT score do I need to get into WPI?

Ans- Students who enroll at Worcester Polytechnic should have an average SAT score of 1310-1480 or an ACT score of 27-32.

Q3. Is WPI good for MS in Data Science?

Ans- WPI’s Master of Data Science is one of the best courses to pursue if you want a detailed data science and business intelligence curriculum. Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s MS in Data Science and Business Intelligence has consistently ranked among the top global universities.