- Overview
Bluefield State University is a public historically black university (HBCU) in Bluefield, West Virginia. Despite being an HBCU, Bluefield’s undergraduate student body is now over 80% white.
The Bluefield Colored Institute was founded in 1895 as a “high-graded school” for African Americans. At that time, the West Virginia Constitution prohibited racially integrated public education. Bluefield was within 100 miles of 70% of the state’s African American residents. The school was located on a steep four-acre (0.016 km2) site to the north side of the Norfolk & Western railroad tracks.
Principal Hamilton Hatter supervised the first class of 40 pupils. Nathan Cook Brackett, an abolitionist and first president of Storer College, served as president of the board of regents. Hatter oversaw the construction of Mahood Hall, the administrative building, as well as dormitories Lewis Hall and West Hall. Mahood Hall was named for State Senator William Mahood (R-Mercer County), who wrote the institute’s sponsoring legislation.
In 1906, Hatter was succeeded by Robert P. Sims, who would lead the institute, then college, for three decades. In 1909, the institute became a normal school, adding the training of teachers to its curriculum. By 1920, enrollment climbed to 235, with summer sessions for teacher certification adding hundreds more. Campus growth followed enrollment gains, expanding to 23 acres and the addition of Payne and Conley Halls. Enrollment grew to more than six hundred on its “terraced hills.
The President’s House, later renamed Hatter Hall, was built in 1930 and added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1932, the State of West Virginia recognized the institute’s success, accredited its education curriculum, and changed its name to Bluefield State Teachers College.
Sims’ successor, Henry Dickason, was an institute alumnus and president from 1936 to 1952. In 1943, the state again accredited an expanded curriculum and renamed the school Bluefield State College.
- Contact Information
Contact Information
Christina Sammarco
Director of Admissions
Email: cnunley@bluefieldstate.edu
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Undergraduate
• Allied Health Education, B.S.
• Applied Science, Interdisciplinary Concentration, B.S.
• Applied Science, Pre-Medicine Concentration, B.S.
• Business Administration – Accounting, B.S.
• Business Administration – Management, B.S.
• Business Administration – Marketing, B.S.
• Business Administration – Entrepreneurship, B.S.
• Business Administration-Sport Management B.S.
• Civil Engineering Technology, B.S.
• Computer Science, Cybersecurity Concentration, B.S.
• Computer Science, Data Science Concentration, B.S.
• Computer Science, Software Engineering Concentration, B.S.
•Criminal Justice Administration, Cyber Security Concentration, B.S.
• Criminal Justice Administration, Forensic Behavior Analysis Concentration, B.S.
• Criminal Justice Administration, Forensic Procedure & Evidence Concentration, B.S.
• Criminal Justice Administration, Homeland Security & Terrorism Concentration, B.S.
•Criminal Justice Administration, Law Enforcement Concentration, B.S.
• Criminal Justice, Corrections & Treatment Specialist, B.S.
• Electrical Engineering Technology, B.S.
• Elementary Education, B.S.
•Engineering Management, B.S.
• Health Services Management, B.S.
• Humanities English Concentration,B.A.
• Humanities Strategic Public Relations and Communication Concentration, B.A.
•Imaging Science, B.S.
• Imaging Science, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Mammography, and Computed Tomography Concentration, B.S.
• Imaging Science, Nuclear Medicine Concentration, B.S.
• Imaging Science, Sonography Concentration, B.S.
•International Studies B.A.
• Mechanical Engineering Technology, B.S.
• Mining Engineering Technology
• Nursing, A.S.N.
• Nursing, R.N. to B.S.N.• Radiologic Technology, A.S.
• Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program, B.A.
• Social Sciences, History Concentration, B.A.
• Social Sciences, Political Science Concentration, B.A.
•Social Sciences, Psychology Concentration, B.A.
• Social Sciences, Sociology Concentration, B.A.
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