The University of Charleston (UC), a private institution, has its primary campus located in Charleston, West Virginia, with an additional site in Beckley, West Virginia, known as UC-Beckley. Founded in 1888 as the Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church, the school was renamed Morris Harvey College in 1901 to honour a prominent supporter.
After relocating to downtown Charleston in 1935, it partnered with the Mason College of Fine Arts and Music. By 1940, the institution became independent of the Methodist Church and, in 1947, established its current campus in the Kanawha City neighbourhood, directly across the Kanawha River from the State Capitol. In 1951, the college acquired the Young-Noyes House, designated as the college president’s residence, which was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
What is the University of Charleston US News National Rankings 2025?
University of Charleston ranks 392-434 according to the US News National Rankings 2025.
Academics
The University of Charleston, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers over 20 undergraduate major programs. These span diverse fields such as business, communications, education, nursing, exercise science, organisational leadership, sport administration, radiologic science, and digital media design.
UC’s graduate programs have expanded significantly since 2006, when the university launched its first doctoral program, the UC School of Pharmacy. The School of Leadership now offers an online Doctor of Executive Leadership (DEL) program, while the Graduate School of Business provides four master’s degrees: Master of Business Administration and Leadership (MBAL), Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), EMBA with a concentration in Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Management (EMBA-PHM), and Executive Master of Forensic Accounting (EMFA). Additionally, in 2012, the university introduced a Physician Assistant program, further diversifying its advanced degree offerings.
University of Charleston Global Ranking
The University is still awaiting its official rankings from prominent organisations such as QS, Times Higher Education, and US News and World Report. Despite its growing reputation and contributions to academia, the university has not yet been featured in the rankings published by these influential bodies. But it has been ranked at #392-434 in national universities of the U.S. News in 2025.
Although the University continues to develop its academic programs and research initiatives, it remains unranked by these major international ranking institutions. The absence of a ranking from QS, Times Higher Education, and US News does not reflect the quality of education or research output but simply indicates that the university has not been formally assessed by these specific agencies.
You can use our tool College Finder to discover more about such universities.
Frequently asked questions on University of Charleston Ranking 2025
1: How many international students are at College of Charleston?
A: We normally welcome 60-80 exchange students per year from many different countries including: Austria, China, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The College also welcomes many degree seeking international students from all over the world. For the Fall 2023 semester, we had more than 140 students from 31 different countries in our exchange, undergraduate, and graduate programs.
2: What is the admissions process for degree seeking international students?
A: International students (anyone who would require a U.S. student visa to study at the College) follow the same application process as domestic students, with a few additional requirements. Instructions for the application as well as application deadlines and English proficiency requirements can be found at the College of Charleston’s Admissions website.