The College of William & Mary

The College of William & Mary
The charter for a “perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences” was signed by King William III and Queen Mary II of England in 1693, establishing the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. as the second-oldest college in America. The college severed ties with Britain in 1776, became state-supported in 1906, and coeducational in 1918. The first Greek-letter society, Phi Beta Kappa, was established at William & Mary in 1776, as well as the first student honor code and the first school of law in America. George Washington received his surveyor’s license through the College and served as the school’s first American chancellor. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler, and James Monroe received their undergraduate educations at William & Mary. U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 “Best Colleges” list ranks William & Mary 33rd in the “National Universities” category, 6th in the “Top Public Schools” category, and 8th in the “Best Undergraduate Teaching” category. Other notable alumni include former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, actress Glenn Close, and comedians Jon Stewart and Patton Oswalt. The university’s five schools — Arts & Sciences, the Mason School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Marine Science, and the William & Mary Law School — administer 35 undergraduate departments and programs, including Africana studies, American studies, computer science, economics, military science, literary and cultural studies, sociology, and women’s studies. These five schools also offer 12 graduate programs and professional degree programs in business, education, law, and marine science. William & Mary sponsors more than 30 study abroad programs in 23 countries. The hallmark of a William & Mary education, as stated by the university website, is the “high level of student engagement which often translates into independent or faculty-mentored student research projects.” Students are expected to contribute to research efforts, and participating students are invited to share their results in an annual Honors Colloquium. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has accredited the College of William & Mary since July 1921. The American Bar Association has accredited the Marshall-Wythe School of Law since January 1932, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education has accredited the baccalaureate and graduate programs of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools since January 1973.