Converse Hall and mountains

About Westminster University


Westminster is a private, independent, and comprehensive university in Salt Lake City, Utah. Students experience the liberal arts blended with professional programs in an atmosphere grounded in wellness. With the goal of enabling its graduates to live vibrant, just, and successful lives, Westminster provides transformational learning experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students in a student-centered environment. Faculty focus on teaching, learning, and developing distinctive, innovative programs, while students thrive on Westminster’s urban Sugar House campus within minutes of the Rocky Mountains.

Mission Statement

Westminster University is a private, independent university dedicated to student learning. We are a community of learners with a long and honored tradition of caring deeply about students and their education. We offer liberal arts and professional education in undergraduate, selected graduate courses, and other innovative degree and non-degree programs. Students experiment with ideas, raise questions, critically examine alternatives, and make informed decisions. We encourage students to assume responsibility for their learning, to discover and pursue their passions, and promote more equitable and sustainable communities.

Our purpose is to prepare students to lead lives of learning, accomplishment, and service and to help them develop skills and attributes vital for success in a diverse and interdependent world. We promote distinct approaches toward engaged learning that emphasize theory and practice in our academic and co-curricular programs. Grounded in a culture of imagination and innovation, we pursue excellence while promoting inclusiveness and respect for differences.

Founded in 1875


Location

Surroundings impact your access to unique experiences. Westminster’s location in the eclectic Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City is close to the outdoors, the arts, Utah Capitol, and the downtown business district, allowing you to cultivate a rich, well-rounded college experience in and outside of the classroom.

Facilities

Westminster’s 27-acre campus comprises 39 university facilities, including residence halls, a state-of-the-art LEED-certified science center, a library, facilities for athletics and recreation, art and performance spaces, and so much more. 

Small Classes

Big Impact

11

Average Undergraduate Class Size

10

Average Graduate Class Size



Global Students. Global Education.

 

First-year student breakdown pie chart: 54% from Utah, 44% out of state, 2% international

Costs and Aid

 

Cost breakdown graphic: $41,416 tuition and fees, $11,770 room and board

Accessible education

100%

of first-year students received grants and/or scholarships

270

endowed scholarships

$35,250

average award for first-year students

President Bathami Dobkin headshot

Meet the President

Bethami (Beth) Dobkin, PhD, is Westminster University's 19th president and the second woman to lead the university. As an innovator in higher education, Beth’s devotion to the university stems from a passion for creating a community that nurtures students’ curiosities.

“At its core, Westminster is about developing people, bringing students together in community, where they learn the freedom to think, the wisdom to know, and the aptitude to act. Each part in the Westminster education is indispensable to the others, and together with our unique place, make Westminster a truly remarkable institution.” —President Dobkin, Inaugural Address

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRESIDENT

Faculty Profile

106

full-time faculty

94%

of full-time faculty hold the highest degree available in their fields

125

adjunct instructors

Westminster male soccer players cheering on field
Athletics
Westminster University Athletics is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II. Westminster currently has 17 NCAA II sports teams and 4 non-NCAA sports teams.
Learn More About Westminster Athletics

3.45

average student-athlete GPA
(2022–23)

 

259

undergraduate student-athletes
(2023)

Learn more

 

Student at a table as faded background

Griff, Westminster's mascot, flexing arm muscles

Meet Griff

The mascot, myth, and legend.

The Westminster Griffin, better known as “Griff,” is the beloved mascot of the university.

A rumor says that after the university revamped the Athletic programs in the 1990s, a Griffin’s nest was found atop the Converse clock tower. Griff then started attending Athletics events, bringing energy—and sometimes mischief—to Westminster students and fans.

Although formidable around Westminster community members, Griff is known to be playful and pull pranks when given the opportunity.

Community Service

feamle students making posters
Westminster houses the  Katherine W. Dumke Center for Civic Engagement, which facilitates volunteer opportunities, student-run programs, community-engaged learning, and other civic engagement activities for the Westminster community. 
group of students working around large table

450,000 hours

of community engagement work logged by students

(2014–2021)

 
 
 

Sustainability at Westminster

Westminster University is committed to promoting environmental awareness and education. The Environmental Center supports many services and student-led initiatives that educate the community and make the campus environmentally friendly. Westminster's campus has many sustainable features, including solar arrays, gardens, and a LEED® Platinum-certified building.

Westminster continually receives recognition for its campus-wide sustainability efforts, including the following:

  • A Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) silver rating
  • Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky Legacy Award (2020)
  • A Princeton Review Green College (2022)

Fast Facts

Westminster University is proud to highlight the university's accomplishments, along with the successes of current students and alumni. Enrollment, current student, alumni, and rankings information reflects the university’s consistent dedication to fostering a campus community based on support, embracing mistakes, and growth.

1,214

total enrollment

8:1

student to faculty ratio

 

319

graduate students

895

undergraduate students

95%

students enrolled full-time

MSCMHC

largest graduate program

Nursing

largest undergrad program

 

Class of 2023 Profile

Infographic: 454 total degrees; 320 undergrads and 134 grad degrees

Infographic: 18 first gen grads; 11 veteran and ROTC grads age range 20-63 years old

Infographic: 34 states, 21 countries represented

Infographic: 54 student athletes; 3 medical school acceptances

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2023

 

#21

Best in the West
U.S. News and World Report, 2023

#15

Best Undergrad Teaching
U.S. News and World Report, 2023

A Best College in the West
Princeton Review, 2023

#1

Best Value Schools
U.S. News and World Report, 2023

#12

Best Metro Area for STEM Professionals
WalletHub, 2023

#11

Best Colleges for Veterans
U.S. News and World Report, 2023

A Top Green College
Princeton Review, 2023

100%

First-Year Students
Received Grants/Scholarships 2022–23 Academic Year

11

Distinguished Fellowships
Awarded/Nominated for the 2020–21 Academic Year

90%

of Classes
Have 19 Students or Fewer (2022–2023)

#17

Best College Towns
WalletHub, 2023

Best Undergrad for Nursing
U.S. News and World Report, 2023

93%

of Full-Time Faculty
Hold the Highest Degree Available in their Fields

 


Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2022 College Rankings

Westminster moved up in the 2022 edition of the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education college rankings list. The university is ranked 217—placing in the top third of colleges nationwide and 44th in the western region.

Westminster received high marks in student engagement—how students connect intellectually and socially on campus. Students surveyed for the ranking praised Westminster for the extent of its collaborative learning opportunities; the opportunity for interaction with professors; and the university's rigorous academics that challenge students, support critical thinking, apply learning to the real world, and make connections across topics, courses, and disciplines.

Year in Review

Westminster searches for ways to grow as a community, and the last 12 months were no different. Take a look back at all we accomplished together, as Griffins.


Check it out →