Overview
The University of West Georgia is a co-educational, residential, liberal arts institution located in Carrollton. A comprehensive university in the University System of Georgia, it enrolls students from most counties in Georgia as well as from other states and many foreign countries.
The University is situated on the western side of Carrollton, the county seat of Carroll County and one of Georgia’s fastest growing industrial areas. Carrollton, an hour’s drive from Atlanta, serves a regional population of more than 114,500 as a center for retail shopping, medical and educational services, entertainment and recreational activities, and financial services.
History
The University of West Georgia originated in 1906, the date of the founding of the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School, one of 12 such institutions established by the State of Georgia between 1906 and 1917. Twenty-five years later, Carrollton’s A&M School became West Georgia College, a junior college established by an act of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Dr. Irvine S. Ingram, who had been principal of the A&M School, was named the institution’s first president.
In 1939, the College was authorized by the Board of Regents to add a three-year program in elementary education. In 1957, the institution was authorized to confer the B.S. degree in education, making it a four-year senior college unit of the University System of Georgia. Two years later, West Georgia College added the Bachelor of Arts degree in the fields of English, history, and mathematics.
During the following years, West Georgia College became one of the fastest growing institutions of higher learning in the South. From an enrollment of 576 in 1957, the institution’s student body now numbers over 13,419.
In 1967, the Board of Regents authorized the initiation of a graduate program at the master’s level.
The Board of Regents in 1988 approved opening the Newnan Center (UWG Newnan), a joint effort involving the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce and other business, civic, and educational leaders in the area. In 2013, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia voted to approve the acquisition of the real property at 80 W. Jackson Street, the site of the historic Newnan Hospital facility. UWG began serving students from this new site in summer 2015. With an enrollment just under 1,000 students, UWG Newnan provides a core curriculum, as well as full bachelor’s and master’s programs, and dual enrollment for high school students. (See Public Services chapter.)
In June 1996, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia awarded the institution university status and officially changed the name of West Georgia College to the State University of West Georgia, and in 2005 it became the University of West Georgia. The University has seen significant growth in recent years. Two phases of residential housing provide variety to on-campus students, including the apartment-style Center Pointe Suites, the Oaks, the East Village Dining Hall, and Bowdon Hall. The Campus Center (student recreational facility), University Bookstore, and the Visual Arts Building provide more access to students, while the Coliseum and the Athletic Operations Building offer space for UWG’s expanding Athletics program.
The Campus
The University of West Georgia’s award-winning campus is a unique blend of old and new. Boasting abundant trees, shrubs, and flowers, the campus is dotted with structures from the early 1900s as well as buildings exemplifying the most contemporary modes of architecture.
Front Campus Drive - a three-block-long expanse of rolling hills shaded by scores of towering oak, elm, and maple trees - features historic structures such as Kennedy Interfaith Chapel and Bonner House, two of the oldest buildings on campus. In 1964, after the chapel was moved to the campus, the late Robert F. Kennedy dedicated it to the memory of his brother, the late President John F. Kennedy.
A modern academic complex - composed of a renovated library, the Technology-enhanced Learning Center (TLC), as well as social science, humanities, and other academic buildings – lies beyond Front Campus Drive. Other buildings in the area include the Richards College of Business; the three-story University Community Center; the Campus Center, which boasts a full gym, indoor track, and rock-climbing wall; the Townsend Center for Performing Arts; the Tanner Health System School of Nursing; the Biology Building; and the Visual Arts Building.
UWG also features some of the region’s most impressive athletic facilities. The Coliseum, with a capacity of 6,500 for athletic events, has hosted concerts, graduations, and community events.
University Stadium, a 10,000-seat home to UWG football, anchors the university’s Athletic Complex. There are also football and soccer practice fields, as well as the Women’s Complex, which features competition soccer and softball fields.
The Village and suite - an apartment-style residence halls offer comfortable and convenient living options for students on campus. The most recent additions include Center Pointe Suites and The Oaks residential community.
The UWG bookstore, conveniently located across the street from both the TLC and the Village, offers textbooks, spirit wear, snacks, and more.
The Tanner Health System School of Nursing building features state-of-the-art equipment in 64,000 square feet of technology-equipped space.
Over the past five years, the campus has improved and expanded facilities that enhance opportunities for students to thrive and succeed, such as renovation to the Biology Building and new construction for the Student Health Center and Roy Richards Sr. Hall, the new home of the Richards College of Business. The university is currently renovating the Humanities Building, home to programs in art, English, film, history, language, performing arts, and philosophy. The gross asset value of the University’s facilities is approximately $300 million. The University has grown to nearly 645 acres.
In January 2021, UWG opened the Momentum Center which is designed to solve problems. There is a team available to help students address any need, from help with enrollment services to advising, financial aid, billing and payment, and career services. No matter the issue, our Student Solutions team will help find the answer.
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