Young Harris College

What is the history of Young Harris College?

Young Harris College is a private college in Young Harris, Georgia, founded in 1886 as the McTyeire Institute. Methodist minister Artemas Lester established the school to expand educational opportunities in the North Georgia mountains. It later took the name Young Harris in recognition of a benefactor, Judge Young L. G. Harris.

For much of its history, the college was primarily a two-year institution. Its move into bachelor's education changed the range of programs students could complete on campus; it awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 2011. That history still matters to applicants: Young Harris combines a longstanding liberal arts identity with undergraduate professional and preprofessional fields, rather than operating as a large research university.

What are the faculties and departments at Young Harris College?

Young Harris College offers undergraduate study across the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, education, and business, along with graduate-level study. Its academic catalog is the appropriate source for the current list of credentials, concentrations, and course requirements; a subject appearing in a course schedule does not necessarily represent a standalone major.

Representative fields include biology, psychology, business administration, communication, English, history, mathematics, music, theater, and visual art. Education programs warrant particular attention because completing an education major and qualifying for a teaching credential are related but separate matters. Applicants should compare the catalog requirements for their intended program - including internships, fieldwork, auditions, or other requirements - before assuming they can follow the same path as students in another major.

The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 11 to 1. That institution-wide measure describes the overall scale of enrollment relative to faculty; it is not a promise about the size or availability of any particular class.

What is the location of Young Harris College?

Young Harris College is in Young Harris, a small community in the mountains of North Georgia near the North Carolina border. Its setting is substantially different from an urban campus: students have access to a residential college environment and nearby outdoor recreation, but fewer services are within easy walking distance than at a city-center institution.

Transportation deserves planning, particularly for students arriving from another state. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, according to the college's reported policies. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a major air-travel option, but it is not nearby; students should account for the ground journey between the airport and campus. The location may be especially relevant to students interested in outdoor activities or field-based study, while those seeking frequent access to a large metropolitan area should consider the travel involved.

What is the mission and vision of Young Harris College?

Young Harris College describes its educational purpose in terms of liberal arts learning, intellectual development, and preparation for lives of service and leadership. Its identity is historically connected to the United Methodist tradition. That affiliation is relevant to the college's history and institutional values, but students should distinguish it from the requirements of any particular course or campus activity.

The practical question for an applicant is how that stated mission appears in a chosen program: general education requirements, experiential learning, community engagement, and opportunities to connect classroom study with work outside it. A mission statement expresses what the institution intends to do; it does not, by itself, establish that every student has the same academic or personal experience.