Massachusetts's campuses and the stories they hold.
The Story
Westfield State began as one of the country's first public teacher-training schools, opened by Horace Mann's normal-school movement in 1839 with eight men and eight women. It now sits on a 256-acre campus in the Pioneer Valley, west of Springfield. About 4,600 students study everything from nursing and criminal justice to regional planning there, and the Owls have won more MASCAC Smith Cups than any other school.
About this site
Westfield State University is a college & university in Westfield, Hampden County. It is one of 8 colleges & universities documented in Hampden County, among 3,815 historic sites cataloged across the county on MassRoam.
The site sits at 42.1206, -72.7545 near Westfield. The nearest cataloged historic site is State Normal School - Westfield Municipal Building (landmark), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Little, Charles B. House, Parson, Asher House, and Johnson - Doherty House.
This record is drawn from MassRoam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Westfield State University different
When it opened in Barre in September 1839, the normal school enrolled exactly 16 students, eight men and eight women. westfield.ma.edu
Westfield's City Hall on Court Street was built in 1892 for the normal school, which used it until the college moved to Western Avenue in 1956. westfield.ma.edu
The City of Westfield conveyed roughly 26 acres to the state for $1 to create the Western Avenue campus. It opened in September 1956 with 358 students. westfield.ma.edu
The Dr. Nettie Maria Stevens Science and Innovation Center, dedicated in May 2017, honors the 19th-century graduate who linked the X and Y chromosomes to sex determination. The 54,000-square-foot building houses nursing, biology, chemistry and physical science, and environmental science. thewestfieldnews.com
Courtney Hall, opened in 1989, is named for Dr. Samuel E. Courtney, an alumnus and associate of Booker T. Washington. It is the only residence hall on campus with a pitched roof rather than a flat one. westfield.ma.edu
The Horace Mann Center on campus is the former corporate headquarters of Stanley Home Products, which the college acquired and renamed for its founder. westfield.ma.edu
In 2025–26 the Owls won the MASCAC's Howard C. Smith Cup for all-around athletic success for the 20th time, more than any other conference member, and the sixth year in a row. westfieldstateowls.com
Westfield State University traces its origins to a state normal school founded in 1839 by education reformer Horace Mann, established as one of the first public teacher-training schools in America and admitting students regardless of race, gender, or economic class. Originally the Barre Normal School, it relocated to Westfield in 1844 and became the Westfield Normal School, later the Westfield State Teachers College, then Westfield State College in 1961, and adopted its current name in 2010. Its athletic teams are known as the Owls.
After the move from Barre, the school spent its first Westfield decades in borrowed space before townspeople rallied behind it. James Fowler donated a building at Washington and School Streets that opened in 1846. The first graduation was held in 1855, and by 1856 enrollment had reached 260. In 1892 the school moved into a new building on Court Street, which now serves as Westfield's City Hall. A separate training school opened on the old Washington Street site in 1900, where student teachers practiced in real classrooms. That building is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1932 the program grew to four years, and in the 1950s the city conveyed about 26 acres on Western Avenue to the state for a single dollar. The new campus opened in September 1956 with 358 students. Enrollment roughly quadrupled during the 1960s as the college added the B.A. degree, graduate study and a string of new halls. A campus center followed in 1972, the Woodward athletic and academic center in 2004, and University Hall in 2013.
The health sciences grew in the 2010s. The first nursing class, 21 students, graduated in 2014, and in 2017 the university dedicated a 54,000-square-foot science building to alumna Nettie Stevens. In 2021 trustees chose Dr. Linda Thompson as the 21st president, the first Black woman to lead the institution since its founding.
#5 among the best nursing schools in Massachusetts (ADN and BSN programs) — RegisteredNursing.org, 2026source
#235 in Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, Northeast — Washington Monthly, 2026source
#237 among master's universities nationally — Washington Monthly, 2025source
#196 in Best Bang for the Buck, Northeast — Washington Monthly, 2025source
Majors & programs
Westfield State combines liberal arts and sciences with professional programs. The university itself names business, education, criminal justice, psychology, communication and nursing as the fields it is known for. Undergraduates choose from more than 100 majors and concentrations, and the graduate school adds master's degrees in fields from physician assistant studies to social work. The list below follows the university's degree pages as of October 2026. Check the official list for the latest.
Known for
Nursing
RegisteredNursing.org ranked Westfield State #5 in Massachusetts in its 2026 review. It cites a CCNE-accredited BSN and a 98.4% three-year average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate.
Known for
Teacher education
The school was founded in 1839 to train teachers, and education is still a core program. Today the university offers 14 M.Ed. programs plus undergraduate licensure tracks from early childhood through secondary subjects.
Known for
Urban and Regional Planning
The university lists this B.S. as the only bachelor's in regional planning at a public university in New England. Concentrations include climate and energy, food systems, and urban design.
Known for
Criminal Justice
Criminal justice is one of the six fields the university says it is known for. It is offered as a B.S. with criminology, law enforcement and homeland security, and rehabilitation tracks, and also as an M.S.
All degree programs at Westfield State University (46)
Undergraduate majors
Accounting · B.S.
Art (animation, art history, fine arts, illustration and more) · B.A.
Biology · B.S.
Chemistry · B.S.
Communication · B.A.
Computer Information Systems · B.S.
Computer Science · B.S.
Criminal Justice · B.S.
Data Science · B.S.
Earth System Science · B.S.
Economics · B.A.
Education (early childhood, elementary, special education) · B.S.E.
English · B.A.
Environmental Science · B.S.
Ethnic and Gender Studies · B.A.
Finance · B.S.
Graphic Design · BFA
Health Sciences · B.S.
History · B.A.
Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies · B.A., B.S.
Management · B.S.
Marketing · B.S.
Mathematics · B.A.
Movement Science · B.S.
Music · B.A.
Music Therapy · B.M.
Nursing · B.S.N.
Political Science · B.A.
Psychology · B.A.
Social Work · BSW
Sociology · B.A.
Spanish · B.A.
Theatre Arts · B.A.
Urban and Regional Planning · B.S.
Graduate degrees
Accounting · M.S.
Applied Behavior Analysis · M.A.
Athletic Training · M.S.
Business Administration · MBA
Counseling · M.A.
Criminal Justice · M.S.
Education (14 programs) · M.Ed.
English · M.A.
Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · MSN
Physician Assistant Studies · M.S.
Public Administration, Policy and Civic Engagement · MPA
Nettie Stevens — geneticist who identified the role of the X and Y chromosomes in sex determination (Westfield Normal School, 1880s) en.wikipedia.org
George B. Cortelyou — U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and the first Secretary of Commerce and Labor (Westfield Normal School graduate, 1882) en.wikipedia.org
Samuel E. Courtney — Boston physician and associate of Booker T. Washington (attended Westfield Normal School, 1880–82) en.wikipedia.org
Eduardo C. Robreno — federal judge in Pennsylvania, the first Cuban American appointed to the federal bench (B.A., 1967) en.wikipedia.org
Peter Laviolette — Stanley Cup-winning NHL head coach, now with the Los Angeles Kings; played college hockey for the Owls (attended) en.wikipedia.org
Domenic Sarno — longtime mayor of Springfield, Mass. (psychology degree) en.wikipedia.org
Chris Caputo — head men's basketball coach at George Washington University; four-year player and captain for the Owls en.wikipedia.org
Todd Smola — Massachusetts state representative from Palmer (B.S. in geography and regional planning) en.wikipedia.org
Athletics: Westfield State Owls
NCAA Division III · Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
BaseballBasketball (men's and women's)CheerleadingCross country (men's and women's)Field hockeyFlag football (women's)FootballGolf (men's and women's)Ice hockey (men's)Lacrosse (women's)Soccer (men's and women's)SoftballSwimming & diving (men's and women's)Track & field (men's and women's)Volleyball (women's)
Won the MASCAC Smith Cup for a record 20th time in 2025–26, the sixth straight year westfieldstateowls.com
Softball won its first MASCAC title in 2026 in a 1-0, nine-inning walk-off over Worcester State, improving to 38-1 and earning its first NCAA bid since 1983 westfieldstateowls.com
Men's basketball won the 2025 MASCAC championship 93-63 over Salem State, the largest margin in a MASCAC title game mascac.com
Field hockey repeated as MASCAC champions in 2025, setting a program record with 18 wins and reaching the NCAA tournament mascac.com
Women's soccer won the 2025 MASCAC championship 1-0 at top-seeded Worcester State mascac.com
Home venues: Woodward Center (basketball, volleyball, athletics offices) · Alumni Field (football) · Bud and Jim Hagan Field (baseball) · Sullivan Field (softball) · Jerry Gravel Track · Amelia Park Arena (ice hockey) · Stanley Park cross country course · Ely Pool
Owls Secure 20th Smith Cup as MASCAC’s All-Time Winningest Institution · Westfield State AthleticsWestfield State Softball Wins 2026 MASCAC Championship · Westfield State AthleticsWestfield State softball makes history with record season · WWLP-22NewsWestfield State wins 2025 MASCAC Basketball Title · Westfield State AthleticsWestfield State University celebrates its 2026 commencement · WWLP-22News
Nursing is one of its signature programs. RegisteredNursing.org ranked Westfield State #5 in Massachusetts in 2026 and reported a 98.4% three-year average NCLEX-RN pass rate. The first nursing class graduated in 2014.
What is Westfield State University known for?
Its roots in teacher education (it was founded in 1839), plus business, criminal justice, psychology, communication and nursing, which the university lists as its best-known fields.
What division is Westfield State?
NCAA Division III. The Owls compete in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) and have won the conference's Smith Cup a record 20 times.
How many students attend Westfield State?
4,588 in Fall 2024, according to NCES: 3,868 undergraduates and 720 graduate students.
Was Westfield State the first coeducational public college in the U.S.?
The university describes itself that way. It opened in Barre in 1839 as a state normal school that admitted men and women regardless of race or economic class, then moved to Westfield in 1844.
Can you visit Westfield State's campus?
Yes. Admissions runs campus tours, and you can explore on your own with MassRoam's self-guided Westfield State campus tour. The campus is at 577 Western Avenue in Westfield.
Who is the president of Westfield State University?
Dr. Linda Thompson, the 21st president, selected by the trustees in 2021.
The self-guided Westfield State University campus tour tells the story of each landmark as you reach it (3.2 mi · walking · ~1h 35m · 4 stops). It's included with MassRoam+, alongside 82,000+ Massachusetts historic sites on one live map.
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