Four-Year Independent Institutions

Additional information on these colleges and universities can be obtained from the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Baltimore Hebrew University
Baltimore Hebrew University is Maryland’s premier institution of Jewish higher education. The university confers A.A., B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees, including an M.A. in Jewish Education and a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies. In conjunction with the Baltimore Institute for Jewish Communal Service, the university offers students the opportunity to pursue a double master’s degree resulting in an M.A. from Baltimore Hebrew University and a second degree: an M.S.W. from the University of Maryland School of Social Work; an M.A. in policy studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County; or an M.A. in Jewish Education from Baltimore Hebrew University. The university is accredited by the Middle States Association and authorized by the Israel Ministry of Education.

Baltimore International College
Founded in 1972, Baltimore International College is a regionally accredited, independent college offering specialized baccalaureate and associate degrees and a certificate program through its School of Culinary Arts, School of Business and Management, and Division of Evening Studies. The college’s programs include technical, hands-on experience as well as academic courses. Internships at college-operated establishments or externships at various approved locations are part of each degree program. The college has an urban campus in Baltimore, located 2 blocks north of the city's famous Inner Harbor, and a historic, 100-acre Virginia Park campus 50 miles northwest of Dublin in Virginia, County Cavan, Ireland.

Binah Institute of Advanced Judaic Studies for Women
Binah Institute of Advanced Judaic Studies for Women is an independent institution of higher learning. Binah offers a rigorous, in-depth educational experience in all facets of the traditional and classical study of Judaism, combined with a strong foundation in general education that emphasizes critical thinking. Additionally, Binah provides quality academic and professional training programs through various options and tracks.

Capitol College
Capitol College is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian college of engineering, engineering technology, computers and management. Academic programs are offered in electrical engineering, electronics engineering technology, computer engineering, computer engineering technology, software engineering, management of information technology, management of telecommunications systems, telecommunications engineering technology, and software and internet applications. Students work closely with the faculty on the closely-knit campus. Cooperative education experiences are available. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, computer and library facilities. Residential living and a full extracurricular agenda enrich student life.

College of Notre Dame of Maryland
The College of Notre Dame of Maryland is a four-year, Catholic, liberal arts college for women located on a 58-acre wooded campus in northern Baltimore City. Notre Dame’s student population includes women of traditional college age studying full time in a curriculum which offers 45 programs of study, and employed men and women who study on weekends in graduate and undergraduate degree programs. The Weekend College program offers seven undergraduate majors and two bachelor of science degrees. The Center for Graduate Studies offers five master’s degree programs.

Columbia Union College
CUC is a four-year co-ed college operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Founded in 1904, CUC offers accredited two- and four-year degrees in over 30 areas, including nursing, business, computer science, education, respiratory therapy, history, and communication. CUC’s 11:1 student/teacher ratio promotes individualized instruction. Through the cooperative education program, students are placed in jobs related to their majors. Co-op students earn an average of $8.25 an hour and graduate with work experience. CUC offers campus ministries programs, national honor societies, internationally recognized musical groups, intramural sports, and NCAA Division II sports.

Goucher College
Founded in 1885, Goucher is an independent, coeducational liberal arts college located on 287 acres in Towson, eight miles north of downtown Baltimore, with over 1,300 students from 40 states and 15 foreign countries. Bachelor of arts degree programs in 18 departments and five interdisciplinary areas, all integrating coursework with real-world experience through internships, study abroad and independent projects. Master of arts in teaching, information services management, historic preservation, creative nonfiction, women’s studies, and arts administration offered as well as a master of education in conjunction with Sheppard Pratt Health System. The Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program provides students with the necessary courses to enter medical school. The Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies offers professional certificate programs in fund raising, public relations, meeting planning, and historic preservation; the Goucher II program for men and women beginning or resuming a college career; and informal, noncredit courses.

Hood College
Located on a 50-acre campus in the historic district of Frederick, Hood College is a private, selective liberal arts college. The curriculum offers 28 majors leading to the bachelor's degree and master's degrees in nine fields. Hood is noted for its success in preparing students for careers and for the professions while providing a broad and rigorous liberal arts education. The College supports a Study Abroad Center in Strasbourg, France as well as three residential language houses on campus. Hood is a member of the Public Leadership Education Network, providing internship opportunities for women in Washington, D.C. Hood offers a rich array of academic programs, an Honors Program for selected students, a career development program and numerous research and internship opportunities. Hood's Brodbeck Program is open to talented adult students and includes a Portfolio option allowing adults to present life experiences for educational assessment. Hood enrolls close to 2000 students from 30 states and 20 foreign countries.

ITT Technical Institute
ITT Technical Institute in Owings Mills offers associate and bachelor degrees in business, information technology, electronics technology, and drafting and design.

Kaplan College
Kaplan College, formerly Hagerstown Business College, is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). The campus also offers two bachelor’s degree programs, 12 associate degree programs and eight certificate programs in fields including business, legal studies, allied health, technology and graphic design.

The Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876, is a privately endowed coeducational research university. It was the first true research university in the Western Hemisphere stressing, along with teaching, the advancement of knowledge through research. Hopkins and its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman, exerted profound influence over the subsequent development of institutions of higher education throughout the United States. The university includes eight academic divisions: the schools of Advanced International Studies, Arts and Sciences, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Hygiene and Public Health, Medicine, and Nursing, and the Peabody Institute, a conservatory of music. A ninth division, the Applied Physics Laboratory, is devoted entirely to research and development.

Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola College in Maryland is a Catholic college in the Jesuit tradition offering a broad education in the liberal arts. The curriculum offers 34 disciplines, five pre-professional programs and features a diverse selection of electives designed to expand student skills and talents. Students also may choose to study abroad at one of the College’s overseas campuses in Leuven, Belgium; Bangkok, Thailand; Newcastle, England; Melbourne, Australia; and Alca’la, Spain. Additionally, the College offers an array of co-curricular programs that enrich the students’ learning experience, including intercollegiate and intramural athletics, vocational and personal counseling, career planning and placement, academic and special interest organizations and social activities. Each year, 80 percent of the undergraduate student body chooses to participate in one or more of the nearly 100 community service opportunities in the Baltimore area and in immersion programs in Mexico, the Appalachian states and cities throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Maryland Institute, College of Art
The Maryland Institute, College of Art is the oldest independent, degree-granting, fully accredited art college in the nation. Faculty include accomplished artists, designers, writers, and art historians. The urban campus includes well-equipped, spacious studios, gallery spaces, and a computer graphics lab. B.F.A. students can major in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, general fine arts, general sculptural studies, ceramics, fiber, photography, graphic design, illustration, or interior architecture and design. A five-year B.F.A./M.A. in Teaching program and a fifth-year capstone M.A. in Digital Arts are also available. M.F.A. programs are offered. The Art Education program offers a low-residency studio M.F.A. program for art educators and a low-residency Master of Arts in Art Education. MICA also offers a one-year Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in studio art. Additional programs are offered in Greece, Italy, Mexico, Canada, England, Japan, Scotland, and New York.

McDaniel College
Founded in 1867 as Western Maryland College, McDaniel College was one of the first coeducational colleges in the nation. The tradition of liberal arts studies rests comfortably at the college which has exemplary teaching as its central mission. Today 1,500 undergraduate students from 23 states and 19 countries prepare for lives of leadership and service. A flexible curriculum, strong teaching, and ideal location provide students with an outstanding learning experience. First-year seminars help students acquire important learning skills. A January Term provides opportunities to engage in concentrated coursework beyond conventional study and students conclude the academic program with a capstone experience which synthesizes learning from earlier studies within a chosen major. A branch campus in Budapest gives the college a unique global perspective, and the McDaniel's graduate program in teacher education for the deaf further enriches the diversity of cultures on the Westminster campus.

Mount Saint Mary's University
The second oldest Catholic college in the United States, Mount Saint Mary’s was founded in 1808 and retains a traditional emphasis on academic quality and a caring, personal campus environment. The Mount’s comprehensive core curriculum—based on the values and traditions of Western culture—has received national praise. More than 40 majors, minors and other programs are available to the largely resident undergraduate student population. Graduate programs are offered in business (M.B.A.) and education (M.Ed.) and, through the Mount Seminary, in theology (M.A.) and divinity (M.Div.). Campus life includes strong recreation and community service components, as well as a Division I Athletic Program.

National Labor College
The National Labor College of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies was established as a branch campus of Antioch University in 1974. Since that time, more than 100,000 union leaders have participated in the continuing education programs and over 2,000 students have enrolled in degree programs. The college meets the educational needs of union members not served by traditional educational institutions. The program is a flexible, largely external approach that allows students to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree while continuing their trade union work. The National Labor College offers seven bachelor’s degree programs designed for working union members. The courses of study include: Labor Studies, Labor Education, Organizational Dynamics and Growth, Political Economics of Labor, Union Government and Administration, Labor History and Labor Safety and Health.

Ner Israel Rabbinical College
The Ner Israel Rabbinical College, accredited by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, provides scholastic and moral training for young men interested in becoming teachers and Rabbis in the Jewish Orthodox faith. The College strives to give students a thorough understanding of the traditional studies of the Jewish faith and the philosophical and moral outlooks of Judaism.

St. John's College
St. John’s is the third oldest college in the United States. Students and faculty work together in small discussion classes—without lecture courses, written finals, or emphasis on grades. A rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum is based on great books—literature, mathematics, philosophy, theology, sciences, political theory, music, history, economics—from Homer to Freud, Euclid to Einstein. These works reflect our civilization, challenge our understanding and shape our culture. Students are avid readers, excited by ideas and good talk. St. John’s has a separate campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The common curriculum enables students and faculty to move from one campus to the other.

St. Mary's Seminary and University
St. Mary’s Seminary and University is America’s first Roman Catholic seminary. While it continues to provide new generations of priests with a comprehensive formation program, it has also steadily expanded its role as a national theological center. Thirty years ago, St. Mary’s increased its university dimension by establishing its Ecumenical Institute of Theology. Since then, men and women of all faith traditions have engaged in theological and religious study. Over the years, the Institute has made substantial contributions to interfaith dialogue and harmony. In 1996, St. Mary’s opened the Center for Continuing Formation. The Center regularly brings religious, corporate and community leaders together for exploration of contemporary issues that shape church, community and family life.

SANS Institute
SANS Institute is a non-governmental security organization that develops educational programs for security practitioners, provides public service information for early warning of potential cyber attacks, and conducts extensive research on emerging techniques to protect the infrastructure of the growing Internet-based economy. The Institute offers masters degrees in information security management and engineering.

Sojourner-Douglass College
Sojourner-Douglass College was formerly the Homestead-Montebello Center of Antioch University which was established in 1972. Sojourner-Douglass College began operating as an independent four-year institution on July 1, 1980. Fully accredited by the Middle States Association, it is a full-time adult evening college offering the Bachelor of Arts Degree in the applied social sciences. The community controlled institution has a program designed to aid students in increasing their capacity for self-development and self-expression. The instructional modes place emphasis on the practical application of theoretical principles, assessment of learning through life experiences, and problem-posing dialogue method of instruction and extensive peer interaction.

Stevenson University
Stevenson University is a fully accredited, four-year, coeducational, independent university offering an education that combines strong arts and sciences with leading-edge technologies. The university offers master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees. Stevenson's education prepares students for careers in computer information systems, business, accounting, liberal arts, education, early childhood leadership, science, visual communication design, court reporting, video, nursing, paralegal, and for graduate and professional schools. Degree programs in biology, chemistry, and psychology prepare students for admission to schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, physical therapy, and medical technology. The college’s extensive co-op and internship programs contribute to its excellent placement rate. The student-to-computer ration of 4:1, is among the highest in the state. Stevenson competes in NCAA Division III sports. Its Center for Advanced Technology and Competitiveness (ATEC) provides executive and technical education.

Tai Sophia Institute
The TAI SOPHIA Institute (TAI) makes Acupuncture and the underlying principles of Oriental Medicine available as powerful tools to help Americans better understand and maintain good health. TAI offers an accredited Master's Degree in Acupuncture that combines theoretical and clinical study. Also offered is the School of Philosophy and Healing in Action (SOPHIA), a weekend program designed for laypersons focusing on theoretical perspectives and skills taught in the master's program that can be applied to everyday life in family, community, business, and cultural contexts. Other periodic offerings include an intensive Herb course, Animal Acupuncture, T'ai Chi, Qui Gong, Zero Balancing, and Redefining Health.

Talmudical Academy of Baltimore
Throughout the 20th Century, the Talmudical Academy (TA) expanded to include the full range of primary, elementary, middle, and secondary Jewish schooling. The Academy is located in Pikesville, on the northwest edge of Baltimore, on a 10-acre tract of land just inside the Baltimore beltway (I-695). In the late 1990's, the professional and lay leadership of the Talmudical Academy concluded that the presence of a postsecondary setting would enhance the institution yet further. Thus, a Kollel was established at the Academy. The Hebrew term Kollel signifies the most advanced scholarly study of the Talmud and its companion legal and interpretive literature. In secular terms, the Kollel can be envisioned as the academic setting for undergraduate and post-graduate collegiate study.

Washington Bible College
Washington Bible College and Capital Bible Seminary are located on a 63-acre campus 10 miles from the nation’s capital. Since its founding in 1938, the College and Seminary have prepared students for many kinds of Christian ministries. The College offers A.A. and B.A. degrees with programs in Biblical studies, counseling, church education, sports and recreation administration, missions, music, pastoral ministry, elementary education, and urban ministries. The seminary offers Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, Master of Divinity, Master of Theology degrees and Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and Discipleship.

Washington College
The first college in the U.S. founded after the Revolutionary War and the first college chartered in Maryland, Washington College was established in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington to educate leaders and responsible citizenry for a changing world. In the liberal arts tradition, today's students are trained to think deeply, imaginatively, and creatively as they develop habits of analytic thought, aesthetic insight, ethical sensibility, and clarity of expression. The small-college environment on Maryland's Eastern Shore encourages students to explore various disciplines and to further develop leadership skills through participation in internships and independent study, study abroad, collaborative research, service projects, athletics, and co-curricular and leisure activities.

Women's Institute of Torah Seminary/Maalot of Baltimore
Maalot Baltimore was opened in 1986 in the Pikesville area of northwest Baltimore as an adult education center for Jewish women. The following year, the Institute evolved into a seminary to serve as a religious educational setting for graduates of Orthodox girls’ high schools in the Baltimore area. Maalot Baltimore offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Judaic Studies, and a Bachelor of Science in Jewish Education.

Yeshiva College of the Nation’s Capital
Yeshiva College is a community of scholars dedicated to providing a vigorous and comprehensive education in Classical Jewish Studies. Using a curriculum based on the Great Books of Classical Jewish learning, students are expected to become proficient in the historical and intellectual development of classical Jewish Literature and see it as a basis for Western thought. Yeshiva College offers a Bachelor in Talmudic Law degree, which combines intensive concentration in a major field of study with a comprehensive core curriculum in advanced Hebrew studies, including Biblical Literature, Jewish Philosophy, and Mishna. The program contains two major areas of concentration. A student may major in Classical Talmud, or Contemporary Application of Jewish Law.

Additional education data for states, Maryland counties and major metro areas can be found in the Comparisons Tool .