Chartered on March 14, 1908, and originally established as a State Normal and Industrial School for Women, the institution has evolved into a state-assisted, coeducational university consisting of campuses in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Stafford County, and King George County. The University of Mary Washington is recognized as one of the nation’s best public liberal arts colleges and regularly makes the list of the top 150 national liberal arts colleges, public and private, by such authoritative publications as U.S. News and World Report, Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, The Fiske Guide to Colleges, and The Princeton Review. In addition, programs in business, education, and adult degree completion provide a rich diversity of options that build upon and extend the University of Mary Washington’s excellence in the liberal arts.
Several factors contribute to the institution’s excellence. Foremost among these are the expertise and commitment of the faculty. Members of the faculty are energetically engaged in productive research and scholarship, which lead to the advancement of their particular disciplines. At the same time, however, it is teaching that is their primary goal and purpose.
Teaching effectiveness is enhanced by the small size of most classes, which encourages personal interaction between faculty and students. Moreover, faculty devote much attention to students’ concerns beyond the classroom, working closely with them on matters of academic, career, and personal development.
The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1886 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia, 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of Mary Washington.