Dartmouth College Degree Programs
Dartmouth College appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Colleges that Meet Significant Financial Need.
Dartmouth College offers students great opportunities to study a wide variety of fields, including immersive language learning that also involves overseas study and training. Students study liberal arts and humanities classes as often as they study engineering, business, and the sciences. Some of the bachelor’s degrees include:
- Earth Sciences
- Music
- Environmental Studies
- History
- Native American Studies
- Biophysical Chemistry
Graduate students at Dartmouth College also have a wide selection of degrees from which to choose. The most select medical students strive for their MD-Ph.D., and budding chemists can earn their master’s degree or doctorate as well. Computer science students can study in the footsteps of giants, two of whom developed the computer language BASIC at Dartmouth College in May of 1964.
Each field of study at the college has several subsections of different degree foci. For example, students aiming for a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History can choose from among the following:
- Classical Archaeology
- Classical Studies
- Classical Languages and Literature
- Ancient History
Dartmouth College degrees also require a “culminating experience,” which for the Ancient History degree could be an internship at the Hood Museum, an honors project, or completing the Greek and Roman study programs. The Greek and Roman programs might also include study in Italy or Greece for one or more semesters.
About Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is one of only nine institutions of higher learning that were in existence before the American Revolution. The college was founded in 1769. Throughout its history, the college has devoted its educational muscle to liberal arts education. Its founder, the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, designed the college to be for America’s aboriginal peoples, and the college maintains that founding goal today through its renowned Native American Studies department.
Dartmouth College ranks No. 12 among National Universities as listed by U.S. News and World Report. It is the second-best college for veterans in the United States and No. 10 as a “Best Value School.” Dartmouth College ranks similarly high in the field of teacher training at all levels.
The campus is both snug and friendly at just 237 acres for roughly 4,000 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is just 10-to-1, so students get a lot of individual attention. Dartmouth College only accepts one in 10 applicants, so it is considered most selective by U.S. News and World Report.
Dartmouth College Accreditation Details
Dartmouth College is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Several of the college’s departments have their own accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education, including the:
- Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Liaison Committee on Medical Education
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
- American Psychological Association
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc.
Dartmouth College Application Requirements
Although Dartmouth College only selects one in 10 students for admission, its policies for admission even include undocumented students. The academic application requirements are similar to those at other schools, such as letters of reference, SAT scores, ACT scores, transcripts, and the like. Dartmouth recommends, but does not require, students take not only the whole SAT but also subject tests in their favorite subjects. Dartmouth will only ever look at the highest scores students achieve on these standardized tests.
Dartmouth College considers a student’s whole experience when evaluating an application. It’s never only about one thing as befits a university whose core philosophy is liberal arts education. The college considers certain advanced-placement high-school classes for college credit, and students should check with the Office of the Registrar before assuming their classes qualify.
For graduate school, students must have earned either a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, depending on their current level of study, from a regionally accredited institution. Depending on the student’s chosen field, certain other items, such as specific grade point averages, Graduate Record Examinations scores, etc., might be required. Students should contact the department of the field they wish to study to determine these separate requirements.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Dartmouth College charges tuition by the academic year and expects payment about six weeks before classes start in any one semester. The cost of tuition for a year is $53,496. Room and board cost $15,756 annually. Incoming freshmen have an additional cost of $418 that is associated with orientation.
Books cost roughly $1,000 per year, but students may find used books that are still applicable for a lesser cost. Students must also have health insurance to attend Dartmouth College. If they do not have coverage already, Dartmouth College provides a plan for $3,073 per year. The college also requires all students to have a computer that meets its rigorous specifications. If a student doesn’t have such a computer, they are available for $1,450. Assorted travel costs and other fees come to about $2,000. All told, the cost is about $75,000 annually.
All students who have financial need receive financial aid while attending Dartmouth College. Such aid comes in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, or some combination thereof. To begin the financial aid process, students should obtain a copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The college and the government will use that form, which includes all financial information about students and their parents, to determine each student’s eligibility. Of course, students may also pursue private scholarships and grants, many of which are merit-based, or take out their own loans from banks or credit unions at whatever terms the lending institution sets. Grants and scholarship usually don’t need to be repaid unless the student fails to maintain the correct academic qualifications for such awards. Loans, by their nature, must be repaid.
Dartmouth College is one of the oldest and most respected institutions in the United States and is set to continue as such for the foreseeable future.