Mount St. Mary's University

What is the history of Mount St. Mary's University?

Mount St. Mary's University is a private Catholic institution founded in 1808 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Its early history is closely tied to the education of Catholic clergy, although its undergraduate programs have long served students preparing for many fields.

French-born priest John DuBois established the school, and Mount St. Mary's Seminary remains an important part of its history. The undergraduate institution later became coeducational and adopted the university name in 2004. Today, applicants should distinguish the university's undergraduate and graduate programs from its seminary programs, which have a different educational purpose.

What are the faculties and departments at Mount St. Mary's University?

Mount St. Mary's offers undergraduate study across the liberal arts, sciences, business, education and health-related fields, along with graduate and seminary programs. Its academic organization includes the College of Liberal Arts, the Richard J. Bolte Sr. School of Business and schools focused on natural science and mathematics, education, and health professions.

Representative undergraduate subjects include biology, computer science, criminology, education, accounting, communication and theology. Graduate options and adult-focused programs have different schedules and admission requirements from traditional undergraduate majors. Applicants considering teaching, nursing or another occupation with licensing rules should check the specific program's approval and clinical or fieldwork requirements - not just the university's general admissions requirements.

What is the location of Mount St. Mary's University?

Mount St. Mary's main campus is in Emmitsburg, a small town in northern Frederick County near the Pennsylvania border. The setting is less urban than a campus in Baltimore or Washington, D.C.; access to many off-campus jobs and services may depend on having a car or arranging transportation.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Frederick, Maryland, are nearby regional destinations. The university also offers some programs at a Frederick location, so students in adult or graduate programs should confirm where their classes meet. A prospective commuter should assess the trip to the location used by their program rather than assume every course takes place in Emmitsburg.

What is the mission and vision of Mount St. Mary's University?

Mount St. Mary's describes its educational mission in Catholic terms, emphasizing learning, faith, ethical development and service. That identity is relevant to campus worship, theology offerings and parts of student life; it does not mean every student is preparing for a religious vocation.

The university's stated aims should be understood as institutional priorities, not as measured outcomes for every student. Applicants can use them to consider whether they want a college where a Catholic intellectual and spiritual tradition is visible alongside academic and extracurricular activities.