Longwood University 

LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY MISSION 

Longwood University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to the development of citizen leaders who are prepared to make positive contributions to the common good of society. Building upon its strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, Longwood provides an environment in which exceptional teaching fosters student learning, scholarship, and achievement. As the only four-year public institution in south central Virginia, Longwood University serves as a catalyst for regional prosperity and advancement. 

VISION  

Longwood University will be recognized as the top comprehensive public institution in the South through its focus on attracting and retaining a diverse faculty recognized for excellence in teaching, attracting outstanding students, providing challenging instruction of the highest quality and providing an academic and residential life environment that develops citizen leadership skills. To achieve this vision, all members of the Longwood community will be dedicated to the highest standards of academic distinction and quality of life, and will examine, reaffirm, and refine those aspects of the college experience that collectively make Longwood an exceptional learning community.

To ensure the vitality of the learning community, Longwood University will increase enrollments while maintaining its inherent character and enhancing its academic quality. The learning community will provide high levels of faculty directed research; student-faculty interaction; active and collaborative learning experiences; enriched educational offerings, including internships and cross-cultural opportunities; and engagement with technology.

Dynamic teaching and superior scholarship that directly influence student learning and increase academic achievement will characterize the Longwood learning community. Student accomplishments will be defined by established competencies that demonstrate a sound grasp of the liberal arts and sciences as well as the ability to think critically, respond creatively, and apply knowledge to the resolution of practical issues. Assessment of these competencies will be used to ensure continuous improvement of the educational experience. 

The curriculum, incorporating the appropriate use of instructional technology, will be refined to ensure its relevancy to the mission of developing citizen leaders. It will continue to provide a rigorous foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and elevate Longwood’s exceptional professional programs, such as teacher education and business, to the highest regional and national standards.

The institution embraces all members of the diverse campus community, leading to a collegial climate where divergent ideas are respected. Longwood will be committed to community service and outreach devoted to local, regional, national, and global advancement.

The improvement of learning and quality of life will permeate all institutional practices including the design of student co-curricular programs, which fosters integration and coordination of academics and student life; supportive student services; and, the creation of physical facilities that contribute to the overall development of students.

Longwood’s careful and responsible stewardship of human, fiscal, and environmental resources will be continuously improved to incorporate the most effective methods and practices in supporting the institution’s vision.

Approved by the Longwood Board of Visitors, December 1, 2001.

LOCATION  

Longwood University is located in historic Farmville, Virginia -- 65 miles west of Richmond and Petersburg, 48 miles east of Lynchburg, and 60 miles south of Charlottesville. U.S. Highways 15 and 460 intersect in town. Commercial bus systems provide service to the town.

Farmville is a pleasant college town with a population of 6,500; it is the business and education center of the area. Located in and near town are churches, hotels, motels, a country club, a municipal airport, and a community hospital. Hampden-Sydney College, a liberal arts college for men, is five miles south of the campus. Many points of interest are within a short distance of Farmville, including Appomattox Courthouse and Sailors Creek Battlefield.

HISTORY 

With a legacy of learning dating back over 160 years, Longwood University has developed a meaningful learning environment that extends far beyond the classroom. The University was a pioneer first in private and later in public education. It was founded on March 5, 1839 when the General Assembly of Virginia incorporated the Farmville Female Seminary Association.

In the succeeding years the increasing prosperity of the Farmville Female Seminary led the stock holders to expand the seminary into a college, and the Farmville Female College was incorporated in 1860. On April 7, 1884, the State of Virginia acquired the property of the Farmville Female College, and in October of the same year the Normal School opened with 110 students enrolled. This was the first state institution of higher learning for women in Virginia.

With the passage of the years, the Normal School expanded its curriculum and progressed through a succession of names. It became the State Normal School for Women in 1914, the State Teachers College at Farmville in 1924, Longwood College in 1949, and Longwood University on July 1, 2002.

The University was first authorized to offer a four-year curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education in 1916. It was authorized to offer Bachelor of Arts in 1935, the Bachelor of Science in 1938, a curriculum in business education the same year, courses leading to a degree in music education in 1949, and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1976. In 1978, the College was authorized to offer the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and in 1981, the Bachelor of Music. In 1955, graduate programs were authorized. Longwood became fully coeducational in June 1976.

Today, Longwood students rate their university as one of the most engaging in the country, according to results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Seniors rated Longwood at or above the 80th percentile on 6 of the 9 NSSE benchmarks when compared with Master’s institutions; freshmen rated Longwood at or above the 60th percentile on all 9 benchmarks when compared with Master’s institutions.  “Student Engagement with Technology” continued to lead the way at the 90th percentile or higher.  National assessment experts developed the survey as an alternative to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which are strongly influenced by resources and reputation. NSSE is sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and The Pew Forum for Undergraduate Learning.  Longwood, for the fifth year in a row, is ranked among the top regional public schools in the South in the 2003 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” Guide.

CAMPUS 

The campus of Longwood University has seen dramatic improvements over the past few years with the completion of major construction and campus beautification projects. Brock Commons, a beautiful pedestrian promenade named after benefactors Macon and Joan Brock (Class of 1964), was officially opened on April 24, 2004. Brock Commons has become the central focal point for Longwood, uniting the campus community around a safe, pedestrian-friendly environment, while creating an outdoor, collegial ambiance for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Near the center of Brock Commons is the two-story, 60,000 square foot Dorrill Dining Hall, located across from the Lankford Student Union. This multi-purpose facility, with its curved, colonnaded portico overlooking Iler Field, is the first on campus to utilize geothermal heating and cooling. The flexible interior design provides space for banquets, meetings, and special events along with a Grand Dining Room seating 500 and an arcade seating an additional 700.

Adjacent to Brock Commons are broad lawns, 11 tennis courts, four athletic fields, and numerous late-20th century buildings, including the Greenwood Library, the Lankford Student Union, residence halls, and various academic facilities. The campus has six auditoriums ranging in size from 150 seats to 1,227.

Willett Hall is a health, physical education, and recreation complex located on Brock Commons. It has a gymnasium with 3,000 seats; a complete weight-training laboratory; an Olympic-size pool with a three-meter board and underwater sound, lighting, and observation window; a 500-seat natatorium; a modern dance studio with a floating floor and staging capacity; and one of the state's best-equipped laboratories for the study of human performance as it relates to exercise, sports, health, and the arts.

The recently remodeled Lancaster Hall houses the President’s Office and the offices of Administration and Finance, Student Affairs, and University Advancement.

Longwood’s signature building, Ruffner Hall with its beautiful Rotunda, was rededicated on April 23, 2005 and replicates the university’s most beloved building, dating to the 1880’s, which burned on April 24, 2001 while undergoing a $12 million renovation. The original eight paintings on the interior of the Rotunda dome, created in 1905 by the Italian-born artist Eugene D. Monfalcone of Richmond, have been returned to the dome following an extensive restoration that was underway prior to the fire. The historic Joan of Art statue, known affectionately as “Joanie on the Stony” was also restored recently and returned to its place of honor on the main floor beneath the Rotunda. The bigger-than-life sculpture is a reproduction of the famous 1870 original created by French sculptor Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu. The statue was a gift of the Class of 1914 and symbolizes Joan of Arc as the patron saint of Longwood. 

Ruffner Hall was reconstructed in the classic style based on the original blueprints and drawings from the state archives in Richmond. The 83,143 square foot building houses 22 classrooms, four academic departments and the offices of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Deans of Graduate Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Construction will start soon a new fitness and recreation center. The 80,000 square foot facility, scheduled to open in the fall of 2006, will feature a wide range of amenities including an indoor track, basketball and racquetball courts, a climbing wall, work-out rooms, juice bar, and the latest weight, exercise and training equipment.

Not far from campus, students can enjoy the facilities at Longwood Estate, including a new athletic fields complex for field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer, along with a nine-hole golf course. The President's home, Longwood House, is situated on the Estate.

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND RESOURCES 

The Greenwood Library, occupied in 1991 and conveniently located near the center of the campus, is open for use 91 hours each week during regular sessions. Entry off Brock Commons is through a two-story atrium, which facilitates visual orientation to each of the major service points for the Library. The Library collections offer 245,000 cataloged titles. The Library currently subscribes to 1,475 journals. Some 700,000 microform units, sound and video recordings supplement the book and journal collections. The Library also provides access to the holdings of other libraries through its interlibrary loan service. Access to and control of its collections are through the Library’s online catalog and circulation system, which can be consulted from any point on the campus network or the Internet. The Library’s Information Center, with 48 workstations, complements the Library’s collections by providing users access to electronic information found throughout the Internet and by making selected information more accessible through the Library’s World Wide Web offerings. To aid users in finding information expeditiously and in gaining expertise for information literacy, the Library provides a variety of reference services, including individual reference assistance, group bibliographic instruction, and online searching assistance to commercial and non-commercial information providers. 

THE UNIVERSITY YEAR 

The university year consists of a regular session, including two semesters of 15 weeks each, a winter intersession, and a summer session. The summer session consists of three terms. Both undergraduate and graduate classes during the summer are scheduled for four and five days a week as well as several different non-traditional time frames.

ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIPS  

Longwood University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone number 404-679-4501) to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees; the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; the Virginia State Board of Education; the undergraduate Music Program by the National Association of Schools of Music; the undergraduate Social Work Program by the Council on Social Work Education; the undergraduate Therapeutic Recreation Program by the National Recreation and Park Association in cooperation with the American Association for Leisure and Recreation; the undergraduate Business Administration Program by AACSB - The International Association For Management Education; and the undergraduate Theatre Program by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Accreditation documents may be viewed during normal business hours in the Office of Academic Affairs.

The University is a member of the Association of American Colleges; the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; the American Library Association; the Association of Virginia Colleges; the Virginia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; and the Council of Graduate Schools.

graduate studies at longwood university

Graduate instruction began at Longwood in the summer of 1952 as a cooperative program with the University of Virginia. This arrangement allowed the College to offer courses, mostly in elementary education, to be transferred to the University of Virginia for credit toward the Master of Education degree.

The College proposed to the State Board of Education of Virginia a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees in 1954. The College was authorized to grant master's degrees beginning in August 1955, and awarded its first graduate degree in 1956.

The legacy that began in 1839 continues today as Longwood offers small classes, personal attention, and a meaningful learning environment to over 3600 undergraduate and 500 graduate students.  

GRADUATE PROGRAMS  

Longwood University offers graduate programs leading to the degree of Master of Science in two majors – Education and Sociology, the degree of Master of Arts in English, and will add the Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders beginning in the fall of 2006. In the Education major, areas of concentration include Community and College Counseling; Curriculum and Instruction Specialist in Elementary Education, English, K-8 Mathematics, LD EB/D and Mild MR, Modern Languages, and Music; Educational Leadership; Guidance and Counseling; Literacy and Culture; and School Library Media. In the English major, areas of concentration include Creative Writing, Literature, and English Education and Writing. In the Sociology major, the area of concentration is Criminal Justice. 

In addition, the University offers graduate degree initial licensure programs. These programs are in Elementary Education PreK-6, Special Education PreK-12, English 6-12, and Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish and English as a Second Language) PreK-12. Graduate Licensure only programs leading to additional endorsements to an existing full professional license are available in Educational Leadership or School Library Media.

The graduate program is designed to provide capable students with opportunities for individual inquiry in a variety of fields, to prepare qualified individuals for professional leadership roles, to be the next step in the educational pursuit of an advanced degree, and to integrate technology throughout the learning process. Longwood University is pledged to a policy of nondiscrimination that applies to all phases of university life.

THE MISSION OF GRADUATE STUDIES AT LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY  

• To convey advanced knowledge in specified fields of study.

• To provide enhanced levels of professional competence in specific disciplines.

• To foster an understanding of and competence in scholarly research.

• To bolster a sense of personal and professional accomplishment in graduate studies.

• To inculcate in graduate students a sophisticated appreciation of continued lifelong intellectual growth.

• To enhance the application and utilization of advanced study for the benefit of society.

These often-interrelated goals are achieved through coherent well-planned programs of study encompassing scholarly investigation, faculty mentoring and supervised practical experiences.

As part of the mission of a comprehensive institution of higher education supported by public funds, Longwood University is committed to serving the needs of the Commonwealth of Virginia and particularly the Southside and Central Virginia regions. Graduate programs at Longwood support the continuation and development of diverse, innovative programs by building on existing strengths and emerging opportunities.

Longwood graduate programs encourage students to develop strengths in critical and creative thinking, communications, and applied skills. A balanced combination of theoretical and practical studies in each academic program is intended to prepare the successful graduate for advancement in the workplace, future educational opportunities, informed participation in today’s increasingly complex society and leadership in community affairs.

OFF-CAMPUS Offerings 

Graduate classes are regularly offered at off-campus locations. A variety of non-traditional course formats are used to meet the needs of the adult student including weekends and nights. All Longwood graduate rules and regulations govern these courses. Registration takes place in the Registration Office by regular mail, by fax, in person at two of the locations, or online using the WEB Information Network (WIN).

An entire degree program may be provided at an off-campus location if there is sufficient interest.  Individual classes may be delivered upon request. Both of the above require class enrollments to meet the minimum size requirement. 

CURRENT OFF-CAMPUS LOCATIONS 

   1. The Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (CVCJA) is the site for the Master’s program in Sociology/Criminal Justice. Located in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, the complete program is offered here by Longwood University. For schedules, registration materials or general information, contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 434.395.2707, 877.267.7883 (toll free), or      e-mail at graduate@longwood.edu.

   2. The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHED) is located in South Boston, Virginia and offers complete graduate programs in Education as well as individual courses for licensure renewal or personal enrichment. For schedules, registration materials or general information, please call the SVHED at 434.572.5443 or 1.800.283.0098 or contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 434.395.2707, 877.267.7883 (toll free), or e-mail at graduate@longwood.edu. 

   3. Powhatan County High School, located at 1800 Judes Ferry Road, is a new off-campus site for Longwood University beginning in the summer of 2005. Graduate education courses for licensure renewal or personal enrichment are offered.  For schedules, registration materials or general information, please call the Center at 804.598.5710, ext. 307 or contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 434.395.2707 or e-mail at graduate@longwood.edu.  

   4. Graduate classes are also available online via the Internet. For schedules, registration and general information, go to http//: www.longwood.edu/online or call 434.395.2707 or 877.267.7883 (toll free).

IN-STATE TUITION RATES FOR ALL VIRGINIA TEACHERS 

Special arrangements have been made to offer in-state tuition rates to all Virginia public school teachers. Teachers who live out-of-state or have moved into Virginia within the last year should notify Longwood of that fact at the time of class registration so that a special contract can be made with the school division in which the teacher is employed.