Student Computer Policy
Described below are the school-wide minimal computing requirements for students in all degree programs in the fall of 2026.
- All students are required to possess a personal laptop, ideally under 5 years old, that meets the following requirements
- Windows Laptops:
- Operating System: 64-bit version of Windows 11
- CPU: A 64-bit x64 processor
- RAM: 8 GB (16 GB+ recommended)
- Hard Drive: 32 GB minimum of free space
- Screen Resolution must be 1280x768 or higher
- Apple MacBooks:
- Operating System: macOS 14 (Sonoma) or higher
- RAM: 8 GB (or more recommended)
- Hard Drive: 10 GB minimum of free space
- Screen Resolution must be 1280x800 or higher
- Windows Laptops:
- Note: iPads, tablets, ChromeBooks and Netbooks do NOT satisfy the student computer requirement.
- Software requirements:
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint): Students will be expected to install Microsoft Office programs, which are provided to WVU students for free.
- JMP: Students will be expected to install JMP statistical software for use in BIOS 502 and 503, as well as other courses that require data analysis. A free version of JMP for students is available on the JMP website here: JMP Student Edition.
- SAS 9.4: Students enrolled in EPID 711 will need access to SAS 9.4. Student licenses for SAS 9.4 can be purchased through the WVU Software Licensing Information Center (SLIC). Please note that SAS 9.4 is only compatible with Windows and cannot be installed directly on macOS without the use of virtualization software, such as Parallels Desktop. As a no-cost alternative, students may request access to a virtual lab environment hosted through Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), where SAS 9.4 is already installed and available for use.
- All laptops must have a daily backup solution in place for academic work. Alternatively, students may use cloud storage services, such as WVU-provided Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, to securely store and back up their files.