Monmouth College

What is the history of Monmouth College?

Monmouth College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1853 in Monmouth, Illinois. It was established by the Second Presbytery of Illinois of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and has a longstanding Presbyterian connection.

The college admitted women early in its history. Two national women's fraternities, Pi Beta Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma, were founded by Monmouth students in 1867 and 1870, respectively. Those origins remain a distinctive part of the college's history, although prospective students should judge its present-day experience by its current programs and policies.

Monmouth has remained a small, primarily undergraduate institution rather than developing into a large university. Its liberal arts curriculum, residential campus, and Fighting Scots identity are central features of the college today.

What are the faculties and departments at Monmouth College?

Monmouth College offers undergraduate study across the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional fields. Applicants should think of it as a liberal arts college, not a university divided into numerous separately admitting professional schools.

Representative fields include biology, chemistry, English, history, mathematics, psychology, economics, accounting, business, computer science, communication, and the visual and performing arts. Education and health-related pathways also merit a closer look because coursework for a particular career may involve licensure rules, graduate study, or requirements beyond the major itself.

The college's curriculum combines a major with broader general education. The Center for Science and Business is one example of its academic facilities. Students comparing programs should consult the current academic catalog for available majors and minors, course sequences, and any admission or progression requirements within a field. A small college may offer close faculty contact, but the timing and frequency of specialized courses can matter when planning a four-year schedule.

What is the location of Monmouth College?

Monmouth College is in Monmouth, a small city in western Illinois. Its campus offers a small-town setting rather than the daily transportation network, employment market, or entertainment options of a major metropolitan area.

Students can reach regional destinations by car, but should plan transportation for internships, travel, and breaks before enrolling. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus. Quad City International Airport is a regional air-travel option; students should check the practical ground-transportation arrangements rather than assume an airport shuttle is available.

Because most students live on campus, the location is likely to shape daily life differently for residential students than for the smaller group who commute. A campus visit is particularly useful for assessing the surrounding community and the distance to prospective off-campus opportunities.

What is the mission and vision of Monmouth College?

Monmouth College presents its educational purpose in the liberal arts tradition: students study a major while developing communication, reasoning, and the ability to work across disciplines. Its Presbyterian heritage is part of its institutional identity, but applicants should distinguish that affiliation from any specific academic or religious participation requirement.

The college's stated educational aims are best understood as goals, not measured outcomes. Students assessing how those aims operate in practice can examine the current general education curriculum, advising arrangements, and opportunities to apply classroom learning. The 9-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio reported for 2024-25 describes the institution's overall staffing relationship; it does not establish the size of every class.