Saint Mary’s College: A Promise of Discovery

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is consistently ranked as one of the top public liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report , Kiplinger’s and The Princeton Review . Founded in 1840, St. Mary’s College enjoys a unique status in higher education as the first national public honors college and one of only two in the United States with that designation. St. Mary’s College offers an undergraduate liberal arts education and small-college experience like those found at exceptional private colleges. St. Mary’s College shares the hallmarks of private institutions: an outstanding faculty, talented students, high academic standards, a challenging curriculum, a sense of community, and a spirit of intellectual inquiry. But as a state institution of higher education, St. Mary’s College is also committed to the ideals of affordability, accessibility, and diversity. By combining these virtues of private and public education, St. Mary’s College provides a unique alternative for students and their families. At approximately 1,600 students, the student to faculty ratio is 10 to 1 ensuring students won’t get lost in the crowd. The College teaches its small-size classes using an inclusive, discussion-based style, allowing for a free exchange of ideas. It’s called the St. Mary’s Way. The College offers degrees in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in Teaching. There are 78 academic programs from which to choose or you’re welcome to design your own. Forty-one percent of students study abroad or away. There are 19 varsity athletic teams (10 in women’s sports, eight in men’s sports and one co-ed) and nearly 100 student clubs and organizations. The 361-acre waterfront campus is named for the place it marks: St. Mary’s City, the 17th-century capital of Maryland. The campus is 68 miles southeast of Washington, D.C. and 95 miles south of Baltimore near the confluence of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. For more information, visit smcm.edu , call 1-800-492-7181, or email: admissions@smcm.edu .