Small Colleges and Universities in Arkansas
Arkansas is located in the southern region of the United States and features a diverse geography of thick forests, fertile plains, and verdant mountains and valleys. The Gulf of Mexico greatly influences its climate, which tends to consist of hot, humid summers and cold but slightly drier winters. Precipitation and snowfall are plentiful throughout the state, though rainfall tends to be greater in the south and snowfall greater in the north. It is known for its extreme weather and is considered to be part of Tornado Alley, with tornadoes being a common and sometimes devastating occurrence. Its agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs, soybeans, cotton, rice, milk, hogs and cattle. It is widely considered to have a favorable business climate, with many global companies based there including Wal-mart, and it has recently seen the addition of automobile parts manufacturing operations that support auto plants in nearby states. It’s also home to some excellent higher education options, including a number of small liberal arts colleges and private universities.
Established in 1834 and located about two blocks north of downtown Clarksville, this school is one of the oldest in Arkansas. Although it consists of only around 700 students, its students body is represented by more than 25 states and 20 foreign countries. It is often considered to be a top tier school in the South according to many reputable publications, and is often cited as being a great value as well, sometime placing at the very top for its region in that regard. It boasts an excellent student-faculty ratio of about 14 to 1, with most classes averaging around 15 students. Although it considers itself a small school, it aims to offer a lot to its students in terms of individualized attention from professors and access to over 40 clubs and organizations on campus. There are also plenty of opportunities for students to participate in internships and off campus study.
Having a student body consisting of approximately 1,700 undergraduates, this school is a private, interdenominational Christian liberal arts college located in Siloam Springs. Despite being relatively small, its students come from 42 states and 49 countries. It is often ranked highly in the region for its academics, having placed third in the 2010 publication of US News and World Report among baccalaureate colleges in the South. In keeping with conservative Christian lifestyle regulations, new students are required to sign an agreement that prohibits profanity, pornography, extramarital sex, tobacco, alcohol, and gambling, among other things. The most popular of its 47 undergraduate majors include Engineering, Graphic and Web Design, Digital Media Arts, Biology, Family and Human Services, Business Administration, and Early Childhood Education. Through its Professional Studies program, working adults with previous college credit can earn their bachelor’s degree in a year and half in organizational management, business information systems, or early childhood education. It boasts a student-faculty ratio of 13 to 1 and an average class size of 20 students.
This private liberal arts Christian university associated with the Churches of Christ is located in Searcy and has a student body that consists of around 6,000 students who come from all 50 states and 49 foreign countries. Nearly 40% of students will have participated in one of the school’s study abroad programs by the time they graduate, which are located in Italy, England, Greece, Zambia, Australia, France/Switzerland, and Chile. It is also home to the Harding American Studies Institute, which aims to supplement students’ education by attempting to elaborate on the fundamental values of democracy as it pertains to the United States. The American Studies Institute hosts a distinguished lecturer program that has welcomed former and current Presidents, important world political figures, and prominent individuals in the business world as speakers. Most students participate in intramural sports, and are active members of on-campus social clubs and local churches.
Located in Batesville and founded in 1872, this liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest independent colleges in Arkansas. Consisting of only approximately 600 students, it prides itself on being a close-knit teaching and learning community with high-quality academic offerings. It is often ranked highly in the region for its academics and for being a great value, according to many reputable publications. Many of its students are enrolled in pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-medical, pre-veterinary, and pre-physical therapy tracks. It boasts the distinction of having 14 out of the last 21 Carnegie/CASE Arkansas Professors of the Year, and has a favorable student-faculty ratio of 12 to 1. Its students also have access to exceptional housing options in the nine student residence halls clustered into the three “Houses” that make up the school’s residential system. For additional security, academic buildings and residence halls have digital key card access.
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