Western Illinois University Reviews

"The Computer Science program is dreadful. Professors, with few exceptions, are simply riding on tenure track doing the bare minimum. The AI classes are all carbon copies of each other. Almost nothing from this century is actually taught, so don't expect to be able to compete in the job market on this- the degree is sub-par and the university name isn't worth anything. The university does have solid classes in a few categories- the databases professor is excellent, for example, but in terms of the most useful fields- Web Dev, Full stack development, Machine Learning, you will learn nothing useful. Beware the cyber security program. It's listed as CSec, but it's actually just a rebranded computer networking program with minor alterations. The professor who teaches the cyber security classes was, at the time I took the course, unaware of historical security issues such a Heartbleed and was skeptical such a thing was possible when I mentioned it. Overall, the university is overpriced for what it offers, the scholarship system is poor, and the education is abysmal. Would not recommend.Read Less"

"The Masters of Public Health program is run exceptionally poorly. I was first told that my classes would be available on the Quad Cities campus, which was a lie, classes are only held at Macomb or online. A few professors were highly disorganized and inefficient in their teaching. I practically had to beg my thesis advisor actually to read the rough drafts I sent in."

"I received my degree in Mathematics from the College of Science. I was not very involved with my program and actively seeking help from classmates and professors. I was always good in Mathematics and was always a person to go to if someone needed help with their math classes. I preferred having to work on calculations instead of writing papers and figuring out words. Once I got to a higher level of mathematics, the calculations stopped and I had to prove mathematical theories so I do not think I was interested at the end. Mathematics did teach me a lot but I would usually go to my professors and get help with my assignments and did not use my peers very well. The professors were pretty helpful most of the time. There is always a few professors that are a little more difficult to deal with, but for the most part they were good educators. There were evaluations at the completion of every class which means the school valued our input and let us give our honest opinion of the overall class. I hope the professors took advantage and actually listened to the feed back given and alter some of their lessons to make it easier for students to succeed. My counselor was also a good person to talk to about my program. She set me up to succeed in all of my classes as well as gave me feedback on what classes to take next. This also helped prepare me for every semester.Read Less"

"Going to Western Illinois University and being apart of the Forensic Psychology program was the best decision I have made. Not many schools offer this degree at the undergraduate level, so I was very lucky to be apart of the program. The classes I took were amazing, and the professors in the psychology department loved their job. There were plenty of opportunities to become a research assistant, which I took advantage of."

"My time at Western Illinois University was great! I attended the Quad Cities campus, because it was close to home. The campus had just expanded right before I graduated, and using state of the art facility at the time was amazing. The best part was the library and all the collaboration space that was available on campus. This helped tremendously when it came to large study groups, presentations, or a place to just hang out with your friends while you make note cards for the next exam. My professors were great, I loved the fact that I had a connection with my instructors and any time I asked for help, none of them had a problem meeting one-on-one to discuss or address the concerning issue. It felt as though each instructor truly cared about your well-being. The advising staff was just as amazing, signing up for my classes took a little as 5 minutes to as long at 45 minutes, each advisor gives you their full attention and are really helpful when it comes to answering questions about your financial aid package or course work needed to complete your degree. It has been several years since I have graduated from Western Illinois University, but I still keep in contact with some of my closest instructors and my academic advisor. Truly that is what makes a difference, is having that connection with instructors and staff that make you feel comfortable and they care able your wellbeing that they even want to keep in touch after youve graduated to see all the great work and success you are having since graduating.Read Less"

"It's been a few years since I was there, that said, I enjoyed my time at Western Illinois University, lots of student organizations to get involved with and become part of university life. The Macomb campus is in a rural area. I found my instructors generally good and helpful. Academics were on par with other mid range state universities. Financial Aid was decent and the people in Sherman Hall (main administrative area) were generally helpful. I was satisfied with my degree and program. The school has a solid ROTC program.Read Less"

"It was a good school with good professors that stuck their neck out to get me into a PhD program."

"Western Illinois University is an excellent institution! I went to Western for my undergrad and earned my Bachelor's in special education in 2015. I loved Western so much I knew that was the only option for me to get my Master's from. I will have my Master's agree in 2018. Excellent professors, excellent program, just overall excellent."

"The Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration program (RPTA) at Western Illinois University is one of the best recreation programs in the field. Classes were interactive, stimulating, challenging, and they greatly prepared the students for their future careers. Instructors have years of valuable experience both in the recreation field and teaching, and they really care about their students. Not only does the RPTA department teach inside of the classroom, but also outside. The department runs Horn Field Campus, a park with prairie land, high and low ropes courses, hiking trails, and lodges. Horn field campus is largely ran by undergraduate and graduate RPTA students. In addition to horn field, the RPTA department also offers many trips around the country to national parks and landmarks to learn more about the recreation and tourism industry. The RPTA program at Western Illinois University is an amazing program with invaluable benefits for it's students, and sends students out into the field prepared and confident in their abilities.Read Less"

"It was a good time. I developed a lot of skills that helped me in the working world. I became inspired at WIU, so much so that I went on to work on my doctorate in public health."

"Program was all online and they allowed me instate tuition. Plus, they price like their tuition."

"Western Illinois University is the best school to attend as an international student. I am currently only a first-year graduate student at Western Illinois University but i have instantly fallen in love! The amount of opportunities offered is limitless. Almost every international graduate student I know of has a graduate assistantship. In addition, the professors I have had have been nothing but helpful in my education. They love what they are doing and are happy to help students when it comes to academics, advice, and even references in the future.Read Less"

"There are numerous reasons why this school is really dear to my heart and I will be highlighting just of few of those reasons. First, I must say I am very impressed with the setup at Western Illinois University. Coming from Nigeria to the USA for the first time, I was really uncertain about my ability to settle down easily and to make matters worse, I came in about a week into resumption. I was really impressed with how I was attached to people around and in no time, I was brought to the school. I did all my registrations in a day and instructors were willing to spend time putting me through on all I missed. Secondly, the Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Business Analytics offered by the Economics department is really wonderful. That's what makes it standout for me. Lastly, the environment is cool, calm and peaceful. Things are quite cheap around.Read Less"

"I thought the classes were challenging and felt prepared to enter the public health field."

"Since graduating, the campus has moved to the new Moline location. The professors are great and now the campus facilities reflect that."

"There are hardly any classes offered and they just cut 30 professors from my school because of government funding."

"WIU-QC is a great, small school. The staff and faculty are very helpful and take an effort to get to know their students and help them succeed. The majority of the English courses are taught by two of the best professors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

"Going to college was one of the best decisions I ever made. I learned to be independent and made friends from all over while living in the dorms. It not only helped me in my career but for success in life in general."

"Excellent program with knowledgeable faculty that really prepared me for my work as a school counselor."

"WIU's history program has a strength in the flexibility of their faculty. Regardless of where my interests took me, I was able to find a guide -- if not a professor well-versed in the subject matter explicitly, then at least one with firm grounds in the methodology necessary to pursue such research. In my years since leaving the program, I have received support and guidance from multiple faculty members, and consider myself lucky to call many of them friends as well as mentors. Their professionalism was equal to their enthusiasm, and the WIU history program as a whole is much stronger for the diverse interests of their faculty.Read Less"