Boston College

Colleges and Universities, Est. 1863

Boston College, founded in 1863, is a co-educational, private university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The history of the college actually dates back to 1534, when the Society of Jesus was founded.

The flagship of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the college holds the distinction of being the first institution of higher education established in the city of Boston, though it later moved to its present site.

During its first seven decades, Boston College was an exclusive liberal arts institution focusing on the Greek and Latin classics, English and modern languages, and philosophy and religion.

Spread over 116 acres, the college campus is one of the earliest examples of Collegiate Gothic architecture in North America.

Gasson Hall, named after Boston College President Thomas I. Gasson, and Devlin Hall, which is home to the McMullen Museum of Art, are some of the prominent sections in the campus. In addition, there are eight libraries featuring more than 200,000 government documents, manuscripts, and archival materials.

Boston College conducts undergraduate and graduate courses in more than 50 fields of study, such as Accounting, Biochemistry, Classical Studies, Fine Arts, International Studies, Sociology, and Theology. Internships, research works, and seminars form part of the curriculum.

The college confers degrees through 11 schools and colleges including the College of Arts & Science, Graduate School of Arts & Science, the Carroll School of Management, the Lynch School of Education, the Connell School of Nursing, Boston Law College, the Graduate School of Social Work, and the Woods College of Advancing Studies.

Among the research facilities are the Center for Corporate Citizenship, Institute for Scientific Research, Center for Work and Family, and the Social Welfare Research Institute. The Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, the National Association of Women in Catholic Higher Education, and the Center for Retirement Research are some of the affiliated institutions of the college.

The college also gives special emphasis to athletic programs, and has been ranked sixth in the nation in terms of Division 1 student-athlete graduation rates, and has been ranked in the top 40 overall for Colleges and Universities by U.S. News & World Report.

Further, the Jesuit Institute and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at the college helps members of the university to understand and implement Jesuit traditions and promotes conversation among other religious traditions represented at Boston College.