Student-Faculty Ratio
9:1
Full-Time Student Population
2,231
Part-Time Student Population
58
Full-Time Instructional Faculty
231
Part-Time Instructional Faculty
51
Faculty with Terminal Degree
86%
Average Faculty Salary
$87,947
Full-Time Retention Rate
92%
Programs/Majors Offered
48
Academic/Career Counseling?
Yes
Class Sizes
- Fewer than 20 Students: 64%
- 20 to 49 Students: 33%
- 50 or More Students: 3%
Instructional Programs
Occupational:
NoAcademic:
YesContinuing Professional:
NoRecreational/Avocational:
NoAdult Basic Remedial:
NoSecondary (High School):
NoSpecial Credit Opportunities
Advanced Placement (AP) Credits:
YesDual Credit:
YesLife Experience Credits:
NoDegrees Awarded
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Post-bachelor's certificate
Most Popular Majors
- Biology and Biological Sciences: 4%
- English Language Studies: 5%
- International Relations and National Security Studies: 5%
- Psychology: 4%
Special Study Options
- Study abroad
- Teacher certification (below the postsecondary level)
Best Places to Study
- Dorm common areas
- Kendade Atrium
- Library
Tips to Succeed
- Ask questions in class; don't be afraid to look stupid.
- Don't pay for cable TV in your room-you probably will barely watch it. Most people wind up in the TV room for communal TV watching.
- Get to know at least one of your professors outside of class time.
- Get your distribution requirements out of the way as soon as possible. That way, you won't be a senior still scrambling for a PE class, and you'll have more leeway to change your major halfway through your college career.
- Go for the workshops, the fellowships, the internships, the lectures, the cultural opportunities in the area. You only get to go to college once, and you may not ever have this many great opportunities at your fingertips again.
- Go to class! Going to class is 10 times more helpful than doing the reading.
- If you're not already an e-mail fiend, become one. Some communication happens lightning-fast, and you'll be out of the loop if you haven't checked your e-mail in the last five hours.
- Try at least one thing you've never tried before. Allow your friends to drag you places you would never have gone to on your own.
- Understand that you can't do everything. Go to the activities fair at the beginning of the year, gather information from all the clubs you desire, heck, even put your name on all the mailing lists you want, but don't try to participate in everything that interests you-you'll spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two things, and really devote yourself to them. You'll be much happier in the long run.
Did You Know?
- Mount Holyoke students can take courses for credit at any of the other Five Colleges (Smith College, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst) at no additional cost.
- Approximately 40 percent of Mount Holyoke students study abroad during their four year career.
- Each year, a small group of incoming first-years are selected for participation in first-year tutorials. These are opportunities to work closely with a professor and a few other students in an area of interest. Tutorials may involve research or special projects, and are two credits per semester (most tutorials go for the entire first year).
- Many students design their own major or choose an interdisciplinary major.
- The Frances Perkins Program allows women who are older than the traditional college age to attend Mount Holyoke. "FPs," as they're called, add spice to classes with their more experienced perspectives.
- At the end of every course, students have the opportunity to complete a course evaluation, either anonymously or signed by the student. Academic departments take these very seriously when evaluating particular courses and professors.
- Mount Holyoke provides the option of self-scheduled final exams. Students sign up to work one or more exam shifts (there are three exam sessions in a day) so that their classmates can choose when to take their exams. Most exams are scheduled this way, although a few are pre-scheduled. The entire system runs on the Honor Code, and students are not supposed to discuss their exams until the entire finals period is over.