For more than 100 years, Hood College has been dedicated to educating women and preparing them for professional careers. While men have attended classes since 1971, male residents weren't accepted until 2003.
Hood offers 27 undergraduate majors, eight master's degree and five certification programs. Students also can design specialized majors. In addition, students in select areas can opt to do a five-year course of study that leads to simultaneous bachelor's and master's degrees. That option is available in biology, environmental science, computer science and information technology science.
Ample opportunity also exists for off-campus enrichment. A local internship program, an active study-abroad component and a busy alumni network all offer students the chance to explore diverse potential career fields.
The college -- located in historic Frederick -- came into existence in 1893, when the Potomac Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States (forerunner to today's United Church of Christ) established the Woman's College of Frederick. The school had its first home in Winchester Hall on East Church Street in downtown Frederick, where it opened its doors with 83 students and eight faculty members. The first graduating class of 14 women accepted their diplomas in 1898.
In 1897, Margaret Scholl Hood gave the college a tract of farmland at the northwestern edge of the city, and in 1912 the board recognized the gift with an institutional name change. Two years later construction began on the building known as Alumnae Hall, which houses most of the college's administrative offices.
Today the 50-acre campus is home to more than 30 academic, residential and administrative buildings. Notable among these are the advanced computing laboratories, a child education laboratory and an observatory. The campus also features the state-of-the-art $20 million Hodson Science and Technology Center. In this facility, students can add a hands-on lab experience to their classroom learning, while faculty members may include students in advanced scientific research.
Some 1,000 graduate students and another 900 undergraduates study at Hood, where there is a powerful focus on leadership and personal development. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles in a variety of aspects of campus life, from student government to sports. As an NCAA Division III school, Hood competes in the Atlantic Women's College Conference. Varsity sports include basketball, soccer, softball, field hockey, lacrosse, swimming and volleyball. Men's basketball, cross country, golf, swimming and tennis are available, as well.
In the classroom, each student's voice has a chance to come to the fore: The undergraduate student/faculty ratio is 10 to 1, and the ratio among graduate students is 14 to 1.
The college is located approximately an hour's drive from both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Downtown Frederick boasts a wealth of eclectic shops and antique stores, as well as a surprising inventory of interesting and excellent restaurants. In addition, life on campus offers a variety of other pleasant collegiate distractions. Hood is home to some 50 clubs and organizations and 14 honor societies. Highlights of the annual social calendar include Spring Parties Weekend, the Margaret Hood Ball (a semi-formal dance), the Freshman Bash and the Fall Family Weekend.
Hood offers 27 undergraduate majors, eight master's degree and five certification programs. Students also can design specialized majors. In addition, students in select areas can opt to do a five-year course of study that leads to simultaneous bachelor's and master's degrees. That option is available in biology, environmental science, computer science and information technology science.
Ample opportunity also exists for off-campus enrichment. A local internship program, an active study-abroad component and a busy alumni network all offer students the chance to explore diverse potential career fields.
The college -- located in historic Frederick -- came into existence in 1893, when the Potomac Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States (forerunner to today's United Church of Christ) established the Woman's College of Frederick. The school had its first home in Winchester Hall on East Church Street in downtown Frederick, where it opened its doors with 83 students and eight faculty members. The first graduating class of 14 women accepted their diplomas in 1898.
In 1897, Margaret Scholl Hood gave the college a tract of farmland at the northwestern edge of the city, and in 1912 the board recognized the gift with an institutional name change. Two years later construction began on the building known as Alumnae Hall, which houses most of the college's administrative offices.
Today the 50-acre campus is home to more than 30 academic, residential and administrative buildings. Notable among these are the advanced computing laboratories, a child education laboratory and an observatory. The campus also features the state-of-the-art $20 million Hodson Science and Technology Center. In this facility, students can add a hands-on lab experience to their classroom learning, while faculty members may include students in advanced scientific research.
Some 1,000 graduate students and another 900 undergraduates study at Hood, where there is a powerful focus on leadership and personal development. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles in a variety of aspects of campus life, from student government to sports. As an NCAA Division III school, Hood competes in the Atlantic Women's College Conference. Varsity sports include basketball, soccer, softball, field hockey, lacrosse, swimming and volleyball. Men's basketball, cross country, golf, swimming and tennis are available, as well.
In the classroom, each student's voice has a chance to come to the fore: The undergraduate student/faculty ratio is 10 to 1, and the ratio among graduate students is 14 to 1.
The college is located approximately an hour's drive from both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Downtown Frederick boasts a wealth of eclectic shops and antique stores, as well as a surprising inventory of interesting and excellent restaurants. In addition, life on campus offers a variety of other pleasant collegiate distractions. Hood is home to some 50 clubs and organizations and 14 honor societies. Highlights of the annual social calendar include Spring Parties Weekend, the Margaret Hood Ball (a semi-formal dance), the Freshman Bash and the Fall Family Weekend.