Berry College

What is the history of Berry College?

Berry College traces its origins to a school Martha Berry opened for local children in 1902. Its early emphasis on education combined with practical work remains central to the college's identity.

The original school grew into the Berry Schools, which served students who had limited access to education in northwest Georgia. College-level instruction began in the 1920s, and Berry developed into a private, coeducational institution offering undergraduate and graduate study. The college's historic buildings and extensive grounds reflect that evolution, but its founding idea is more than a piece of campus history: students still have opportunities to combine coursework with paid work and other hands-on experience.

What are the faculties and departments at Berry College?

Berry College organizes its academic programs across four schools: the Campbell School of Business, the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences, the Evans School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences.

Undergraduates can pursue fields including business, education, nursing, biology, computer science, psychology, history, music and environmental studies. Berry also offers graduate study in selected fields rather than the broad range of programs found at a large research university. A student considering a specialized path should check the current catalog for the exact major, degree requirements and any admission process that follows general college admission.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1. That describes enrollment relative to instructional faculty; it does not mean every class has 12 students.

What is the location of Berry College?

Berry College is in Mount Berry, next to Rome in northwest Georgia. Its expansive campus has a markedly different setting from a compact downtown college, while Rome provides nearby shopping, services and community activities.

Travel across campus can take planning: a classroom, residence hall and work assignment may not be close together. First-year students are permitted to register and park a car, although parking rules and transportation needs vary by student. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the principal major-airport option for longer-distance travel; students should plan separately for ground transportation between Atlanta and Mount Berry.

What is the mission and vision of Berry College?

Berry describes its educational purpose through the development of "head, heart and hands": academic learning, ethical and personal development, and practical work. That language reflects Martha Berry's founding approach and helps explain why student employment is a prominent part of the college experience.

Berry is a private college with a Christian heritage, rather than a public university or a seminary. Prospective students can assess how its stated values appear in the curriculum, campus activities and policies; a mission statement describes institutional aims, not a guaranteed outcome for every student.