Haverford College

Haverford College is committed to providing a liberal arts education in the broadest sense. This education, based on a rich academic curriculum at its core, is distinguished by a commitment to excellence and a concern for individual growth. Haverford has chosen to remain small and to foster close student/faculty relationships to achieve these objectives.

One of America's leading liberal arts colleges, Haverford is a close-knit intellectual community located on a serene campus just outside Philadelphia. Founded on the Quaker values of individual dignity, academic strength, and tolerance, we combine a rigorous academic program with an informal atmosphere of mutual respect and collaboration among students, faculty and staff.

The educational program at Haverford includes a senior thesis which allows students to produce a substantial capstone work reflecting their interests and academic accomplishment during college. Students graduate from Haverford with an expanded and deepened way of thinking about ideas and the world and their interdependence. Haverford graduates possess real skills and critical abilities readily applicable to the workplace or to further education.

Haverford's small size allows it to deliver a highly personalized education. Students work side-by-side with their professors in an atmosphere of discovery and real research. Professors work side-by-side with students, developing analytical thinking and mutual paths of inquiry. Instructors expect active scholarship from students, not simple recitation. Professors are the catalysts of a hands-on, accessible, educational process at Haverford.

With more than 135 active members, the Haverford faculty is internationally recognized for its excellence in research and teaching. From the humanities to the sciences, our faculty members are widely respected in their fields, and they integrate challenging, cutting-edge ideas into their courses. They are creating new art, publishing books and papers, embarking on innovative research, and teaching thought-provoking classes.

At Haverford, our faculty is involved, engaged, and central to the campus community. More than half of our faculty members live on campus, allowing them to develop strong, supportive ties and ground-breaking research ventures with their students.

Though most students live on campus, there are ample opportunities and reasons to venture beyond Haverford. The Blue Bus, SEPTA’s R5 & R100, and other forms of public transportation make it easy to travel to nearby colleges, especially those at which Haverford students may take classes: Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, there are shopping and recreation areas in walking distance from campus, and the beautiful city of Philadelphia is less than ten miles away. Community service opportunities are plentiful as well — Haverford’s 8th Dimension Office organizes and coordinates volunteer service and tutoring programs in Philadelphia and nearby towns.

At the heart of students’ experiences at Haverford are the friendships and relationships they develop. Teachers become mentors, roommates become best friends, and the diverse community enables students to get to know people from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Haverford’s atmosphere of trust, respect, and independence is unique among colleges, even small ones.

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