The school had several names over the years: 1905 - Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School; 1925 - Cullowhee State Normal School; 1929 - Western Carolina Teachers College; 1953 - Western Carolina College. In 1967, the institution was designated a regional university by the North Carolina General Assembly and the name of the institution was changed to Western Carolina University.
In 1971, the state legislature reorganized higher education in North Carolina, and on July 1, 1972, Western Carolina University became a constituent instution of the University of North Carolina System.