West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester University of Pennsylvania ( WCUPA ) is a public university located in West Chester , Pennsylvania , about west of Philadelphia . It is one of the 14 state universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ( PASSHE ) . West Chester was ranked 69th in the Master ' s Universities ( North ) category by " U . S . News & World Report " for 2009 . The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools ( MSACS ) . History . The university traces its roots to the private , state - aided school that existed from 1812 to 1869 . As the state began to take increasing responsibility for public education , the academy was transformed into West Chester Normal School , still privately owned and state certified . The normal school admitted its first class , consisting of 160 students , on September 25 , 1871 . In 1913 , West Chester became the first of the normal schools to be owned outright by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . West Chester became West Chester State Teachers College in 1927 when Pennsylvania initiated a four - year program of teacher education . In 1960 , as the Commonwealth paved the way for liberal arts programs in its college system , West Chester was renamed West Chester State College , and two years later introduced the liberal arts program that turned the one - time academy into a comprehensive college . In 1981 the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places . The buildings included in this historic district are Philips Memorial Building , Ruby Jones Hall , Recitation Hall and the Old Library . Except for Philips , these buildings are all constructed of native Chester County serpentine stone . With passage of the State System of Higher Education bill , West Chester became one of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on July 1 , 1983 . Along with its new name — West Chester University of Pennsylvania — the institution acquired a new system of governance and the opportunity to expand its degree programs . West Chester has received growing recognition as the nation ' s center for formal poetry . Its annual conference on form and narrative in poetry began in 1995 and is now the nation ' s only conference devoted to New Formalism . It has established a poetry center that sponsors readings and an annual book competition oriented toward formal poetry . It has also established Iris Spencer awards recognizing undergraduate achievement in formal poetry . Academics . At the undergraduate level , the university offers Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Science , Bachelor of Fine Arts , and Bachelor of Music degrees . Paraprofessional studies are available in law , medicine , and theology . In cooperation with the Pennsylvania State University and Philadelphia University , West Chester University offers a 3 - 2 dual - degree program combining liberal arts , physics , and engineering . Also available are early admission assurance programs with Drexel School of Medicine , Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine , Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Temple University School of Medicine . The university provides special admission opportunities and scholarships to the Widener School of Law – Harrisburg Campus . Certification programs are available in health and physical education teacher certification , driver education and safe living , and outdoor recreation . Interdisciplinary areas of study with transcript recognition include American studies , ethnic studies , Latin American studies , Russian studies , peace and conflict studies , women ' s studies , and linguistics . At the graduate level , West Chester University of Pennsylvania offers graduate study leading to the M . A . , M . B . A . , M . Ed . , M . M . , M . P . H . , M . S . , M . S . W . , M . S . N . , and M . S . A . degrees . Institute for Women . The Institute for Women is an independent body designed to represent the interests of women on the campus . It serves as the parent organization for the Women ' s Center , the Women ' s Studies Program , and the Title IX and Sex Discrimination Board . The institute is headed by a director and a board of directors . Off - campus programs . West Chester University opened an International Programs office to aide in sending students abroad . West Chester sponsors a number of annual courses , which include study abroad during spring , summer , and winter breaks . West Chester University participates in the National Student Exchange Program , in which students spend up to a year at any one of more than 170 member schools across the United States . Transfer of credit is a part of this program . Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium . The Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports West Chester University by providing a grant for the Summer Space Program and through the support of two academic scholarships for West Chester University students enrolled in Mathematics and Science degree programs . Each academic year , applications from qualified students for the these scholarships are reviewed by a committee of three faculty members ( Geography / Planning , Mathematics , Geology / Astronomy departments ) . Marching band . The West Chester University Golden Rams Marching Band , which has over 300 members , performs pre - game , halftime , or post - game at all home and select away WCU football games in Pennsylvania and in Delaware . The band performs in parades and high school marching band competitions . The Golden Rams have performed in the Macy ' s Thanksgiving Day Parade , Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade , Philadelphia Eagles games , and the annual Collegiate Marching Band Festival in Allentown , Pennsylvania . In 2009 , Bands of America the band attended the Grand National Championships in Indianapolis , an honor given to only two college bands in the United States each year . Athletics . The athletic teams at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are named the Golden Rams . Students participate in NCAA Division II athletics in the PSAC and the ECAC . West Chester University has won national championships in women ' s basketball , women ' s lacrosse , women ' s swimming ( the team was the DGWS champion in 1972 ) , women ' s field hockey ( including four AIAW titles from 1975 – 78 ) , and men ' s soccer . West Chester won the first ever women ' s basketball national championship in 1969 and was on the losing end in the final game each of the following three years . In 1961 , the men ' s soccer team won the NCAA Championship . Jerry Yeagley was a player on West Chester ' s championship team before going on to win six NCAA Championships and six National Coach of the Year Awards as the men ' s soccer coach at Indiana University . In addition , prior to the NCAA instituting a tournament format to decide the champion in 1959 , the Golden Rams were voted the National Soccer Champions in 1950 by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association . In 1977 , 1979 , and 1982 the boxing team won the National Collegiate Boxing Association national championship . In 1976 , Edward Skalamera claimed the national title for his 147 lb . weight class while Joe Gery took the top position in the nation for his 180 lb . class . West Chester University ' s football program has won 20 PSAC East championships ( 1960 , 1961 , 1963 , 1966 , 1967 , 1969 , 1970 , 1971 , 1972 , 1973 , 1974 , 1986 , 1987 , 1989 , 1992 , 1994 , 1999 , 2004 , 2007 , 2008 ) , has appeared in the NCAA Division II playoffs 9 times ( 5 - 9 record ) ( 1988 , 1989 , 1992 , 1994 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 ) , and was the ECAC team of the year in 2006 and 2007 . The West Chester Men ' s and Women ' s swimming teams are noted for dominating the PSAC in recent years ; the Men have not lost the conference title since 1998 and hold a total of 25 PSAC championships , the most out of any school in the conference . 2008 was a particularly successful year for the Men ' s team ; finishing 3rd at NCAA ' s and fielding an 800 yard freestyle relay team that took the national title . The women ' s swim team has remained undefeated in the PSAC since 2007 and hold a combined total of 10 championships . West Chester graduate Jackie Borkowski ( ' 10 ) competed in the 2012 Olympic trials in Omaha , Neb . in the 50m freestyle ultimately coming in 86th place . She won 3 individual national titles during her tenure with the Golden Rams . In 2008 , West Chester defeated C . W . Post College 13 - 12 to win the Division II women ' s lacrosse title . It was the second national title in the women ' s program history . In 2012 , The Men ' s Baseball Team claimed West Chester ' s First NCAA Division II College Baseball National Championship . The Gold Rams shut - out Delta State 9 - 0 in Cary , North Carolina . West Chester becomes the first team from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference ( PSAC ) to win the national championship and just the third northern school to walk away with the title . West Chester ' s Women ' s Field Hockey team has won the division two championship in 2011 and 2012 . Campus Recreation : The Women ' s Ice Hockey Club won the division two national championship in 2013 . The Men ' s Lacrosse Club won the division two national championship in 2013