College of William and Mary

william and mary online degrees

Earning a Degree at The College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary appears in our ranking of 60 Great Value Colleges for Music Majors (Undergraduate).

The College of William and Mary is a highly regarded public research college and offers students degree options in the arts, sciences, business, education, and law. Degrees are offered within five academic departments that include the Mason School of Business, School of Law, School of Education, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Those departments are located at the college’s main location of Williamsburg, Virginia. The school also has a School of Marine Sciences in Gloucester Point, Virginia. Some of the most popular majors at The College of William and Mary include those in the social sciences, biological sciences, business, marketing, management, and interdisciplinary studies.

The college offers its students a low student-to-faculty ratio of just 12-to-1, which is one of the lowest ratios at public universities in the United States. One of the primary focuses of the college is its undergraduate programs in the area of the arts and sciences. Additional programs are offered in fields like marine science and American colonial history. An engineering degree is offered as a joint program with Columbia University, and there are also some degrees offered at a location in Washington, D.C. Most graduate programs at the university are in STEM fields, and the college awards almost 600 master’s degrees and more than 280 doctoral degrees each year. The college also has around 1,500 undergraduates receive their degrees each year.

One of the interesting facets of study at The College of William and Mary is the way the college designs its undergraduate programs. Students don’t need to declare a major immediately and will participate in a diverse curriculum that will introduce the student to many topics that cover the arts and sciences. Students may then focus on a specific area for their major in something like music or education or consider an interdisciplinary degree in an area like Environmental Science and Policy, Africana Studies, or Film & Media Studies.

Students interested in online learning at The College of William and Mary may choose from the Master of Business Administration or the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Students may also earn a Certificate in Military & Veterans Health, Policy & Advocacy. In addition to the online programs offered by the college, the school also offers some of its classes in hybrid formats where students will conduct some of their learning online and attend traditional classes for other learning segments. The college is currently working on expanding its online learning opportunities.

About The College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary was a royal college from its inception in 1693 to 1776 when the fledgling United States declared independence from Britain. After that time the college operated as a private institution, and it would become a public school in 1906. The college is the second-oldest in the country after Harvard. The student population is around 8,400 with students attending classes at the college’s Williamsburg, Virginia campus. The college counts as its alumni several U.S. presidents, as well as four signers of the Declaration of Independence. The suburban campus covers around 1,200 acres in Virginia. The official colors of The College of William and Mary are green and gold, and the school’s teams are nicknamed the Tribe.

The College of William and Mary Accreditation Details

The Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges is the regional accreditation organization for The College of William and Mary. The school was last reaffirmed by its regional accreditor in 2016. Departments and programs within the school are also accredited. Organizations granting approval to the college include the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Council of the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The school’s law programs are also accredited by the American Bar Association. Education degrees offered by the School of Education are accredited by the Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) organization and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

The College of William and Mary Application Requirements

When applying to The College of William and Mary, the school recommends that students submit the Coalition Application or the Common Application by the deadline of November 1st for Early Decision I or January 1st for Early Decision II. In addition to the application, students must also send a Secondary School Report that includes a high school transcript and a letter of recommendation from a counselor, as well as a Midyear School Report, which is a form that must be filled out as soon as the applicant receives his or her first semester grades from the final year of high school. Students must also submit their standardized test scores and an application fee of $75. Applicants may request a fee waiver if they meet the waiver’s requirements. Students seeking enrollment in creative and performing arts programs may need to submit additional items like portfolios or attend audition sessions.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate Virginia residents will pay $18,375 for tuition, $5,966 for fees, and $12,236 for room and board if they choose to live on campus. The school estimates students will spend approximately $3,589 on books and travel. Out-of-state students attending The College of William and Mary will pay $38,735 for tuition, $6,537 for fees, and the same room and board as in-state students. The school estimates books, travel, and incidentals to cost $3,862. Meanwhile, graduate students will pay $15,760 for in-state tuition or $33,354 for out-of-state tuition. Students may also need to calculate their living costs while enrolled in graduate school to determine the full cost of attendance. The school estimates books and supplies will cost graduate students $1,750 per year.

Students may qualify for grants, scholarships, and loans when they attend The College of William and Mary, and students who wish to receive aid must submit a FAFSA form prior to the academic year in which they want to enroll. Students who choose to enroll in a study abroad session may apply their financial aid to the costs associated with their study abroad session. The college attempts to cover 100 percent of demonstrated financial need to in-state students with loans, grants, and scholarships. The college reminds students that a FAFSA form must be submitted each year to continue receiving financial aid assistance. Students in degree programs at The College of William and Mary should apply for financial aid even if they don’t think they’ll qualify as need-based students because the school offers several scholarships based on academic achievement.