Saint Mary's College

Saint Mary's College, in South Bend, Indiana, provides its roughly 1,600 all-female students a solid liberal arts tradition combined with a range of areas for subject concentration. It is a Catholic institution, sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who founded the college in 1844. Its undergraduate degree programs include arts, business administration, fine arts, music, and science, along with over 30 majors and a student-designed major program. The college is across the street from the University of Notre Dame, and full-time students are permitted to take certain classes there. The two schools also offer a five-year engineering dual degree program; students earn a bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's in four years, and a second bachelor of science in engineering from Notre Dame after a fifth year of study. The college has recently begun to offer four graduate degrees, including a doctorate in nursing practice. Student athletes -- they're called the Belles of Saint Mary's -- participate in eight Division I sports, including basketball, cross-country, and soccer. Most students live on the bucolic, 100-acre campus, and are required to live in one of the five residence halls for at least six semesters. Nearby South Bend offers a mix of fine and performing arts and outdoor activities, including whitewater rafting on the St. Joseph River, which runs through the middle of downtown.