The University of West Alabama serves students in several academic colleges and divisions on a 600-acre campus in west-central Alabama. It offers a wide arrangement of degree programs including associate, bachelor's, master's, and educational specialist degrees.

UWA offers more than 60 undergraduate programs and 10 graduate programs through its academic colleges and divisions at the bachelor's, master's, and educational specialist levels. Each academic college and division award degrees at the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Master's degree and Educational specialist levels. Upon graduation from the University of West Alabama, students may choose to earn a Bachelor's degree in nursing through a partnership with the University of Alabama.

With the University’s low student-to-faculty ratio (18 to 1) and high percentage of terminally degreed faculty (85%), students enjoy close interaction, both inside and outside the classroom, with scholars in their chosen fields of study.

The UWA is a single-campus university located in the heart of downtown Livingston on U.S. Highway 11. The campus is on the western border of Alabama. Larger cities close by include Meridian, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham. The small population in the city of Livingston and Southern hospitality give UWA its small-town atmosphere that many students come to appreciate. UWA campus includes nature trails, a 54-acre lake, and sculptures. Recent campus beautification projects have enhanced the natural beauty that can be found on campus.

The University of West Alabama currently has eight fraternities and six sororities on its campus.

The university hosts concerts, lectures, fall and spring theatrical productions, fall and spring commencement exercises, and intercollegiate athletic events. Its athletics teams — known as the UWA Tigers — are members of the Gulf South Conference East Division and compete in the NCAA's Division II in all sports except two. The men's and women's rodeo teams compete in the Ozark Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.