Colorado College

What is the history of Colorado College?

Colorado College is a private liberal arts college founded in Colorado Springs in 1874. Its early history is tied to the growth of the city and to an educational aim: offering a broad undergraduate education rather than training for a single profession.

The college's defining academic change came in 1970, when it adopted the Block Plan. Instead of taking several courses at once, students generally study one course intensively for about three and a half weeks before moving to the next block. Later campus developments include the renovation of Tutt Library and the opening of Ed Robson Arena. The Block Plan remains the historical change most likely to shape an applicant's day-to-day experience.

What are the faculties and departments at Colorado College?

Colorado College organizes its academics around liberal arts departments and interdisciplinary programs, rather than a large set of separate undergraduate colleges. Students can study subjects across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and arts, with a student-to-faculty ratio of about 8 to 1.

Representative fields include English, history, philosophy, economics, political science, psychology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, music, theater, and environmental studies. The main undergraduate credential is the bachelor's degree; the college also offers a graduate program in teaching. Applicants interested in a particular major should check its course sequence against the Block Plan, especially when laboratory work, fieldwork, or preparation for graduate study is important.

Most students take one course per block, which can make room for sustained projects and field experiences. It also means a missed block or a course offered infrequently may require more careful planning than it would under a conventional semester schedule.

What is the location of Colorado College?

Colorado College is in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on a campus close to the city's downtown area. Its setting offers access to city services and to the Front Range, but it is not a remote mountain campus.

Students can reach shops, cultural venues, and community organizations in Colorado Springs, while off-campus classes and recreation may involve travel farther afield. Colorado Springs Airport is the nearest commercial airport; applicants traveling from farther away should compare flight options and ground transportation. First-year students are generally not permitted to park a car on campus, making transportation arrangements worth considering before enrollment.

What is the mission and vision of Colorado College?

Colorado College describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal arts learning, intellectual and creative development, initiative, and responsible decision-making. The Block Plan is central to how the college puts that stated purpose into practice: students concentrate on one subject at a time.

The college's emphasis on inquiry and engagement with its surroundings is an institutional aim, not a measured outcome for every student. Applicants can assess that philosophy more concretely by looking at course schedules, major requirements, and the kinds of work expected during an intensive block.