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• An Introduction to Academics at Roanoke College
• Click here for a list of academic programs
• How does Roanoke College rank, when compared to other U.S. campuses?
• Location of Roanoke College, in Salem, Virginia

Roanoke College's record of enrolling international students over the past 120 years emphasizes the college's commitment to establishing a global community. Roanoke College, in Salem, Virginia, offers four-year programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees. Within these programs, 34 majors, 28 minors, 14 concentrations, and six pre-professional programs (engineering, law, medicine, veterinary, dentistry, and ministry) are offered. Roanoke's student body of 1,900 students represents 40 states and 26 foreign countries -- which amounts to an impressive diversity on a small campus. With an average class size of 18 students, Roanoke's highly-qualified faculty personally interact with their students in a teaching-oriented atmosphere. Many students engage in stimulating independent research with their professors.

An Introduction to Academics at Roanoke College
(Click here for a list of academic programs.)

Many students coming from abroad will probably find the American university very different from the traditional system in their home countries. In fact, most American post-secondary institutions are described as colleges, rather than universities. Roanoke College was founded in 1842 as a liberal arts college, a concept unique to the United States. The term liberal arts refers to an education that requires a foundation of knowledge in many fields. As surprising as this may seem to international students, it's common for Roanoke College students to take the majority of their classes outside of their planned field of study for the first few semesters. In fact, students are not required to choose a field of study until their second year at Roanoke. Each student has the freedom to explore many academic areas at once. For example, a student can major in Environmental Science, as well as Business Administration, and then take courses in Health and Human Performance or Computer Science as well.

Knowing about the typical characteristics of the liberal arts college experience will help the international student be more prepared for what to expect upon arrival at Roanoke. Your professors will get to know you very well by the end of your first semester. Also, participation and attendance in classes is a very important part of academic protocol. There are many resources to help students succeed academically. For example, free peer tutoring is available several nights a week, and professors maintain office hours so students can come to them for help. The Roanoke College academic atmosphere is flexible and personalized, but students are expected to meet high standards of scholarship.

Want to learn more? Click here to select your academic preferences, and request more info about Roanoke College in Virginia.

National Ranking of Roanoke College: Recognized among the top 130 national liberal arts colleges in the United States by U.S. News and World Report, Roanoke's aim is to give students extraordinary opportunities in and out of the classroom. More than 60 percent of students choose to complete internships in the Roanoke Valley and through the college's Washington, DC internship semester. Students actively participate in 19 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division III varsity sports or in more than 80 student clubs and organizations. Current international students enjoy taking part in the annual International Festival and International Club outings. International students also receive a personalized orientation prior to the beginning of school, and academic advising through the college's Office of International Education.

Location: Roanoke's residential campus, located in Salem, Virginia (population 25,000), was recently listed among the top five safest cities in Virginia. Salem resides within the greater Roanoke metropolitan area (population 250,000). The city of Roanoke has an attractive market square, restaurants and clubs, art galleries, theatre, museums, shopping mall, a civic center, and an airport. Roanoke College guarantees campus housing for all four years, and students can choose from 21 residence halls all wired with internet connections. On-campus housing may be available to international students during breaks and summer (excluding winter break).

We look forward to welcoming you to Roanoke College in Virginia! To learn more, review all of our programs and select the ones that interest you. Then complete the inquiry form, and we'll respond to you directly.