Saint Mary's College

What is the history of Saint Mary's College?

Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic women's college founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It began in Bertrand, Michigan, and moved to its present location in Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1855. Its history as an institution founded to educate women remains central to its undergraduate identity.

The college has since expanded beyond its original curriculum to offer undergraduate majors in the liberal arts, sciences, business, nursing, and other fields, along with graduate programs. Prospective students should distinguish Saint Mary's College in Indiana from other institutions with similar names, including Saint Mary's College of California.

What are the faculties and departments at Saint Mary's College?

Saint Mary's College offers a liberal arts undergraduate education alongside professional programs and graduate study. Its academic offerings include fields such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, English, history, psychology, business, education, nursing, and communication sciences and disorders.

That range gives applicants several different academic paths within a relatively small institution: a student interested in laboratory science, for example, is evaluating a different sequence of courses and requirements from a student considering teacher preparation or nursing. Applicants to professionally oriented programs should review the current academic catalog for prerequisites, clinical or fieldwork requirements, and any admission process that applies after entry to the college.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 10 to 1. That institution-wide measure describes enrollment relative to faculty; it does not mean every class has ten students or that every course is taught by a full-time professor.

What is the location of Saint Mary's College?

Saint Mary's College is in Notre Dame, Indiana, next to South Bend and near the University of Notre Dame. Students encounter a college campus with access to the services and transportation of the wider South Bend area.

The proximity of neighboring institutions can matter for certain activities and arrangements, including ROTC participation, but applicants should not assume that admission to Saint Mary's provides access to every course, facility, or program at another college. South Bend International Airport is the nearest commercial airport. Students planning to commute or travel frequently should account for local transportation as well as the distance between campus and the airport.

What is the mission and vision of Saint Mary's College?

Saint Mary's describes its educational mission in terms of academic learning, the development of women, and service to others. Its identity is rooted in the Catholic tradition and the educational work of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

For prospective students, that affiliation is relevant to the college's stated values and some aspects of campus programming. It should not be confused with an assumption that every student has the same religious beliefs. Applicants who want to know how the mission affects a particular degree should look at the program's curriculum and graduation requirements rather than treating a mission statement as a description of every classroom experience.