Degrees and Graduation Requirements

Mount Holyoke’s primary degree is the bachelor of arts. In addition, the College offers dual-degree programs, a master of arts in teaching and other programs.

Bachelor of Arts

The College confers one undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Arts. At Mount Holyoke as elsewhere, this degree may be abbreviated as either A.B. or B.A., depending on whether one is abbreviating the customary Latin (artium baccalaureus) or the current English name for the degree. An A.B. or a B.A. are the same degree.

Students pursue a rigorous, well-rounded course of study that includes work in the humanities, science and mathematics, and social sciences. All students must complete 128 semester credits (one standard course equals 4 credits).

The College's distribution requirement is designed to acquaint students with a wide range of knowledge and encourage them to explore new areas of interest. At least 68 credits must be earned from course work outside the major department, across the three curricular divisions: humanities, science and mathematics, and social sciences. Mount Holyoke requires a distribution across divisions of knowledge, a language other than English, and a multicultural perspectives course.

For a complete explanation of requirements see the course catalog.

Dual-degree programs

Mount Holyoke offers several dual-degree engineering programs in partnership with three outstanding, accredited institutions. Engineering students can earn both a bachelor of arts degree from Mount Holyoke and a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the California Institute of Technology, the University of Massachusetts, or the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College.

Second bachelor’s degree

While Mount Holyoke welcomes students interested in earning a second bachelor’s degree, candidates are not eligible for financial aid from the College. Interested students should contact the Office of Admission for information about the application process.

Other degrees and certificates

The College also offers:

Learning goals

By combining the proven strengths of a liberal arts education with the transformative power of experiential learning, the Mount Holyoke College liberal arts experience provides the best foundation for citizenship and career in a global world.  Audacity, creativity, determination, excellence, leadership, and commitment to the common good are the hallmarks of a Mount Holyoke education. As the oldest continuing women's college in the world and one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the nation, Mount Holyoke produces analytical, confident, creative, and independent thinkers who make a difference in the world.  Mount Holyoke offers its students a compelling invitation to embrace complexity, cultivate curiosity, and nourish habits of lifelong learning.  Our students learn the diverse practices of social, ethical, personal, and environmental stewardship and responsibility.  The Mount Holyoke curriculum is designed to encourage students to:

  1. Think analytically and critically by questioning assumptions, evaluating evidence, and articulating well-reasoned arguments.
  2. Develop intellectual breadth through study across disciplines and different modes of inquiry.
  3. Develop the ability to write and speak confidently and effectively.
  4. Engage in artistic forms of expression.
  5. Acquire depth, methodological expertise, and historical understanding in a discipline.
  6. Acquire quantitative and technological capabilities.
  7. Develop skills in more than one language and engage with cultural communities other than their own.
  8. Conduct independent or collaborative research incorporating diverse perspectives and skill sets.
  9. Apply the liberal arts through experiential learning in work and community environments.
  10. Learn practices of self-assessment and reflection for academic, personal, and career growth.