Introduction to the College

A private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college, Colorado College (CC) is located on a 90-acre campus in downtown Colorado Springs near the base of the 14,110-foot Pikes Peak and about an hour by car from Colorado's capital, Denver. Ranked 27th among hundreds of the nation's top liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report, (and 18th among all colleges and universities for its strong learning community), CC is the only top-tier college in the Rocky Mountain region. We are also one of only a few prestigious liberal arts and sciences colleges located in a metropolitan area.

Our students come from every state in the nation and close to 25 countries, as well as from varied ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. They are independent-minded adventurers who love a challenge. At CC, students find the encouragement, opportunities, and inspiration they need to reach their greatest potential.

Academics at Colorado College

Our curriculum is as varied as our landscape. Best known for our innovative Block Plan, where students take and professors teach only one course at a time, Colorado College offers first and foremost an excellent education in the liberal arts and sciences. The college encourages a spirit of intellectual exploration, critical thinking, hands-on learning, and personal responsibility within an environment of small learning communities where education and life intertwine. International education is important to our mission, as we aim to educate citizens of the world. This commitment to intercultural understanding begins with recruiting a diverse class and encouraging international study, and continues on campus with language houses, various international organizations, and academic area studies such as Asian, African, and Latin American studies. Over 45 actual CC block classes are taught abroad, and more than 53 percent of our students choose to study in other countries at some point in their academic career. Our international focus extends into all areas and throughout the administration - in fact, our president is the former U.S. ambassador to India.

Disciplinary Majors

Anthropology, Art (History; Studio), Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Dance, Drama, Economics (Business), English (Creative Writing; Film Studies), French, Geology, German, History, Italian, Mathematics (Computer Science), Music (Ethnomusicology), Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Spanish

Interdisciplinary Majors

Asian Studies, Biochemistry, Classics-English, Classics-History-Politics, Comparative Literature, Environmental Science, History-Philosophy, History-Political Science, Liberal Arts & Sciences (Independent), Mathematical Economics, Neuroscience, Political Economy (US; International), Romance Languages, Russian and Eurasian Studies, Women's Studies

Special Programs (thematic minors / possible independent majors)

African Studies, American Cultural Studies, Environmental Studies, International Affairs, Latin American Studies, North American Studies, Southwest Studies, Studies in War and Peace in the Nuclear Age. Many other departmental and thematic minors are available.

Significant Coursework

Chinese, Education, General Studies, Italian, Japanese, Journalism, Sport Science & Wellness.

Pre-Professional Programs

Business, Dentistry, Education, Law, Medicine, Physical Therapy, Teacher Certification, and Veterinary Medicine.

Cooperative Programs

3-2 (Three years at CC, two years at another participating institution) Engineering programs are offered with Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Southern California, and Washington University; 3-3 Law Program with Columbia; Army ROTC available through University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Study Abroad

Approximately 53% of students study abroad before graduating.

Sole sponser of programs in China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Russia. Co-sponsor of programs in Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Florence, India, Japan, London, Russia, and Tanzania. Programs with Regensburg University, Germany; Gottingen University, Germany; Jonkoping International Business School, Sweden; University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil; University of Wales; and Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Other foreign study options are also available.

Off-Campus Domestic Programs

Off-campus domestic programs include a Washington semester at American University, Oak Ridge Laboratory science semester in Tennessee, Newberry Library seminar in Chicago, Chicago Semester in the Arts, and Urban Education and Urban Studies in Chicago.

 

American College and University System

In the United States, university study begins after a student has graduated from secondary or high school and received a diploma or certificate. Most students have completed 12 years of schooling before entering a university. Students can then go on to earn a Bachelor's Degree, Master's degree and finally a Doctorate or Ph.D. degree. 

Bachelor's Degree (This is the main level of education offered at Colorado College)

A bachelor's degree is the first university-level degree. Most bachelor's degrees can be earned in four years, some take five years. There are several differences between many universities around the world and those in the U.S. Some of these differences include:

1. The General Education Curriculum (GEC)
This may be known by different names depending on the U.S. institution, but all have this requirement. Students in all majors take courses in areas that include natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The purpose is to help the educated person become well-rounded with a broad perspective of the world.

2. Flexible Curriculum
There is no set curriculum that all students follow each semester. The student and academic advisor work together to determine the courses to be taken each block. The requirements for graduation may include "electives" which are courses students take because they want to learn more about a subject or area of interest. These courses are entirely up to the student. 

3. Requirements for Graduation
Completion of the requirements for graduation determines when a student is ready to graduate, not the number of courses a student has taken nor the number of years of attendance at a university. Each major has required courses that must be completed, a minimum number of blocks for credit, and a minimum grade point average. When students have met all these requirements, they are ready to graduate. It is very difficult to tell ahead of time how long it will take transfer students to graduate. Students must have their transfer credit evaluated and then meet with their advisor to determine how the transfer credit meets the requirements for graduation. The more transferred courses that meet the requirements for graduation, the less time it will take to graduate. The fewer transferred courses that meet the requirements for graduation, the longer it will take to graduate. 

Master's Degree

A master's degree is the second university-level degree a student can earn. It is the first degree earned in graduate school. Admission to graduate school requires a bachelor's degree. Most master's degrees can be earned in two years. The only master's degree Colorado College offers is the Master's Degree in Education.

The Block Plan at CC

Unlike most small liberal arts colleges, Colorado College permits faculty and students to pursue their interests at their own pace and in their own way. Through an innovative program called the Block Plan, you'll take eight courses between early September and mid-May (just like at any comparable institution), but you will take only one course at a time. Each course lasts for three-and-a-half weeks and is called a block. In between each block is a four-and-a-half day break (block break). Most courses last one block; others may stretch for two or even three blocks.

Advising and Tutoring

All Colorado College students have a faculty advisor; usually someone involved in the student's major or who shares other common interests with the student.  The writing center is available to assist students with writing problems and concerns.  The college offers only limited English as a Second Language (ESL) assistance.  The Colket Student Learning Center at Colorado College offers students the resources they need to succeed academically. Because of the intensity, pace, and intellectual rigor of the Block Plan, the Colket Center was established to provide support programs that offer resources to students across the disciplines. These programs include the college's Writing and Quantitative Reasoning Centers.

Location and Facilities

The Colorado College is located in downtown Colorado Springs, a city of 500,000 people located at the junction of the Rocky Mountains and the western plains (altitude 2,000 meters).  The city economy is based on tourism, military bases, computer companies and non-profit/religious organizations.  Pikes Peak, 14,110 feet (4,300 meters), is approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) directly west of the campus.  Metropolitan Denver (estimated population 1,300,000) is approximately 70 miles (112 kilometers) north and major ski resorts such as Vail and Aspen are 150 to 300 miles (230 to 470 kilometers) from the campus.

Colorado weather is generally mild and dry.  Students can expect summer-like weather in September and May. It may snow occasionally from October through April, but Colorado winters are famous for days of sunshine and mild temperatures between snows.  We typically have two or three weeks of below freezing days.

The campus consists of 90 acres (36.5 hectares).  Classes are primarily conducted in the five main academic buildings including Barnes Science Center (which houses an electron microscope, nuclear magnetic spectrometer and telescope dome) and the recently built Tutt Science Center.  The library owns over 700,000 volumes and has electronic and exchange access to libraries throughout Colorado and neighboring states.  Extensive computing facilities are available.  The Worner Campus Center houses the main dining room, bookstore, cafe, art gallery, as well as many offices and meeting rooms.  Residence Halls include three large structures and a variety of smaller halls, converted homes and apartments.  There are three residential fraternities and three sorority lodges.  Athletic facilities include a gymnasium, ice skating rink, swimming pool, dance studio, weight room, and football and soccer fields.  The campus chapel and student cultural center complete the list of buildings on campus.  The college also owns a mountain cabin 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the campus and a mountain academic retreat approximately three hours from the campus.

Student Activities and Services

While academics are the main priority at Colorado College, we believe that there is much to be learned outside of the classroom. Colorado College is a residential college and students are required to live in the residence halls until the end of junior year.  Housing is guaranteed for any student.  Most residence halls are for both sexes with a single sex sharing a wing of a building and bathroom facilities.  Completely mixed and totally single sex residence halls are available, as are language (French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian and Asian language) and theme housing.  Seniors and some juniors can also take advantage of our new apartment complex on campus. With single up to six person apartments, this is a popular option among upperclass students. Students can eat at three dining facilities - one conventional dining hall, a snack bar and a cafe/coffee shop. Vegetarian and vegan options are offered at each meal.  The lively exchange of ideas and the growth of friendships in the residential framework of the college is an important and exciting part of life at Colorado College.

The Block Plan and the College's location provide numerous opportunities for sports and exercise.  Approximately 75% of the students are involved with a sport.  Intramural sports range from softball and ultimate frisbee to soccer and ice hockey.  Club sports include women's soccer, coed field hockey, men's and women's ice hockey, dance, equestrian and cycling teams.  Varsity sports involve almost 25% of our students.  Colorado College competes in these areas:  Men - ice hockey, basketball, cross-country, football, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field; Women - soccer, basketball, cross-country, lacrosse, softball, swimming, tennis, track, and volleyball.  There are numerous outdoor opportunities, often revolving around Colorado's 51 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet.

The fine arts programs (drama, dance, music, and studio art) are very popular.  All of these programs are open to any student interested in participating and willing to commit the time necessary to prepare for a performance or show.

Among the many student organizations on campus are ethnic and cultural groups, political and journalistic organizations, the student government, community service clubs, and outdoor and environmental groups.

The college has a health center which focuses on preventative medicine as well as assisting students with health problems which do not require hospitalization.  Staff at the health center treat students for small fees.  More serious problems are handled by local physicians and hospitals.  Since students are personally responsible for the cost of such treatments.  The college requires all students to have health insurance.  Policies may be purchased through the College for approximately $1035 per year.

After Colorado College

Colorado College graduates have explored a wide variety of careers and activities after their graduation.  25% of our graduates pursue further studies immediately after graduation.  Many alumni have attended medical or law school, including many of the premier schools in the country.  Other alumni have pursued Ph.D. or Master's degrees in a wide variety of fields.  Students can receive advice and assistance in graduate school planning from both the academic departments and the Career Center. The Career Center assists students in all aspects of planning for life after college.  Counseling is available for students needing help with deciding a major or a career path.  The Center helps with all aspects of job searches including drafting resumes and interview skills.