Berea College

Academic Programs

Berea College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges and offers Bachelor’s Degrees in 32 fields of study. There are no online degree programs available. Berea has special recognition for their Nursing and Teacher Education programs; the largest programs on campus are in Biology, Social Sciences and Visual/Performing Arts. Per the Mission statement, “Berea College… continues today as an educational institution still firmly rooted in its historic purpose “to promote the cause of Christ.” Adherence to the College’s spiritual foundation, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth,” shapes the College’s culture and programs so that students and staff alike can work toward both personal goals and a vision of a world shaped by Christian values, such as the power of love over hate, human dignity and equality, and peace with justice. This environment frees persons to be active learners, workers, and servers as members of the academic community and as citizens of the world. The Berea experience nurtures intellectual, physical, aesthetic, emotional, and spiritual potentials and with those the power to make meaningful commitments and translate them into action.”

Student Life

There are over 1600 students enrolled in Berea College, nearly all living on campus in one of the 14 residence halls. There are several on-campus student organizations and clubs including intramural sports. For the varsity athlete, the Blue and White Mountaineers field teams in 9 sports and participate in NCAA Division III competition. In addition, because of the free tuition, Berea has a full-participation work-study program where students are required to work at least 10 hours per week in campus and service jobs in over 130 departments. As an added perk, all students receive laptops that they take with them when they graduate! The school’s heritage dictates the stated goals: To provide an educational opportunity for students, black and white, who have great promise and limited economic resources; provide a high quality education; stimulate understanding of the Christian faith and emphasize the Christian ethic and the motive of service to others; demonstrate that labor, mental and manual, has dignity as well as utility; and create a democratic community dedicated to education and equality for all.