Georgia Highlands College

What is the history of Georgia Highlands College?

Georgia Highlands College is a public college in the University System of Georgia that began as Floyd Junior College in 1970. Its original role was to bring accessible, lower-division college education to the Rome area.

The institution later became Floyd College and adopted the name Georgia Highlands College in 2005, reflecting a service area extending beyond Floyd County. It has since added locations outside Rome and expanded beyond its original associate-degree focus to offer selected bachelor's degrees. That history helps explain its present mix of transfer-oriented courses, career programs, and courses offered across multiple sites and online.

What are the faculties and departments at Georgia Highlands College?

Georgia Highlands College offers associate degrees and selected bachelor's degrees, rather than the broad graduate and professional programs of a research university. Students can pursue transfer-focused study alongside career-oriented programs in fields such as nursing, dental hygiene, business, criminal justice, and health sciences.

Academic offerings are organized through the college's schools and departments, with coursework spanning arts and humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, business, and health professions. A student intending to transfer should distinguish an associate pathway designed around transferable courses from a career-focused program with specialized requirements. Health programs may also have separate admission, clinical, and progression rules even when admission to the college itself is open.

Program location matters: an academic program may be available online or at particular GHC sites without being offered in full at every location. Prospective students should check the current academic catalog and course schedule for the credential, required courses, and campus they intend to use.

What is the location of Georgia Highlands College?

Georgia Highlands College is based in Rome, Georgia, and serves students through multiple locations in northwest Georgia and the greater Atlanta area. Its Rome-area Floyd Campus is not the same location as its sites in communities such as Cartersville, Dallas, Douglasville, and Marietta.

This geographic spread gives students different commuting options, but it does not mean every class or service is available at every site. Applicants should confirm where required in-person courses, labs, clinical activities, and advising appointments take place before choosing a campus or calculating a commute. Online coursework can reduce travel for some students, although individual programs may still require attendance in person.

For students traveling from farther away, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the major regional airport. Routine attendance is more likely to depend on a reliable local commute than on air travel.

What is the mission and vision of Georgia Highlands College?

Georgia Highlands College's stated educational purpose centers on accessible, affordable higher education, academic preparation for transfer, career-focused learning, and service to the communities in its region. As a public University System of Georgia institution, it has no religious affiliation.

Its institutional priorities are most relevant to applicants in practical terms: the college offers both a route toward further university study and programs intended to prepare students for particular fields of work. These are statements of institutional purpose, not evidence that every student will achieve a particular transfer or employment outcome. A prospective student should evaluate the specific degree plan against the requirements of a future university or occupation.