Miles College

What is the history of Miles College?

Miles College is a private, historically Black college founded in 1898 in the Birmingham area by leaders of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Its original purpose was to expand educational opportunity for Black students in Alabama during an era of legally enforced segregation.

Originally known as Miles Memorial College, the institution was named for Bishop William H. Miles. Its history helps explain two features that remain relevant to applicants: its continuing relationship with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and its identity as a historically Black college. Today, Miles offers undergraduate study in a wider range of liberal arts and professional fields than its early curriculum encompassed.

What are the faculties and departments at Miles College?

Miles College is primarily an undergraduate institution offering bachelor's degrees. Its academic offerings span business, education, humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences.

Examples of fields represented in its program listings include accounting, business administration, biology, chemistry, computer and information sciences, criminal justice, English, mathematics, psychology, and social work. Students interested in teaching should examine the specific education program and certification pathway rather than assume that every education-related major leads to an Alabama teaching license.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1. That institutional measure does not indicate the size of every class or guarantee access to a particular course; applicants comparing majors should also look at course schedules, degree requirements, and how often required classes are offered.

What is the location of Miles College?

Miles College is in Fairfield, Alabama, immediately west of Birmingham. Its location gives students access to a metropolitan area while placing the campus in a separate municipality with its own surrounding community.

The Birmingham area can matter for internships, employment, health care, and travel. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is the nearest major airport. Students planning to commute or work off campus should consider their actual transportation options and travel times rather than assume that a nearby Birmingham address is readily accessible without a car.

What is the mission and vision of Miles College?

Miles College describes its educational purpose in terms of academic learning, leadership, service, and the development of the whole student. Its historically Black identity and affiliation with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church are part of that institutional mission.

Those commitments describe what the college aims to provide, not a guaranteed outcome for every student. Applicants who want to understand how the mission shapes their experience can look at degree requirements, campus activities, service opportunities, and the policies governing religious life.