Milligan College

For over 150 years, Milligan has been dedicated to educating men and women to lead and to serve. Our commitment to Christ-centered education has led Milligan to become a growing, well-respected liberal arts college. Because of our emphasis on scholarship, community, and faith, students come from all over the world to experience our distinctively different approach to higher education.

Our 1,200 students come from 35 states and more than 20 nations, so you’ll find students with similar interests as yourself, as well as those of different cultures and viewpoints. Eighty percent live on campus in one of 11 residence halls or student apartments, creating a true collegiate environment.

Students are involved in a variety of service projects and mission work throughout the world. As a Christian liberal arts college, Milligan College seeks to honor God by educating men and women to be servant leaders.

Milligan College defines servant-leadership as a set of dispositions that models, inspires, and advances a shared vision through a commitment to serving others and intentional self-sacrifice rooted in Christian community. Three intertwined spheres form the core values of Milligan’s educational and co-curricular experiences: Scholarship, Community, and Faith.

The values, knowledge, and skills that reside at the intersection of these three spheres form the effective servant-leader. Milligan offers quality opportunities for working adults that are affordable, convenient, and highly respected.

Milligan is one of the South’s premier Christian liberal arts colleges. Our faculty are among the best in their fields and our academic programs are lauded by accrediting agencies and national organizations. The college offers more than 100 majors, minors, pre-professional degrees, and concentrations in a variety of fields, along with graduate and adult degree completion programs.

As a Christian college, the Christian faith is intentionally shared and explored throughout the Milligan curriculum. We encourage students to see God’s hand in all subjects — whether studying accounting, history, or fine arts. This interplay between Christian commitment and academic quality is central to Milligan’s identity and purpose.

The term “liberal arts” is a way of describing a broad education that seeks to prepare students to think, to inquire, and to analyze. As a liberal arts college, Milligan requires all undergraduate students to complete a CORE CURRICULUM, regardless of their major area of study. The core curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad foundation for life-long learning and for further study in specific disciplines. Part of this core is a unique interdisciplinary HUMANITIES PROGRAM that lays a common foundation for learning, as students learn about the historical, philosophical, literary, and artistic basis of our modern society. Learning from a liberal arts perspective prepares one for an ever-changing world.

Faculty are so important at Milligan that the college has the rare distinction of being named not for its founder or location, but for our founder’s favorite teacher, Robert Milligan. We hire respected Christian faculty who value good teaching, discovery, and experiential learning, so students learn from leading thinkers and professionals. 60% of our professors have taught at Milligan for 10 or more years. 80% have terminal degrees. We do not use teaching or graduate assistants, only professors who are qualified, credentialed, and have established teaching experience. Our low student-faculty ratio of 12:1 means lots of personal attention and a better educational experience.

From your first day at Milligan — and for the rest of your life — you’ll experience the great mentoring relationships our faculty have with students and alumni. They are passionate about each student’s success both inside and outside the classroom.

No matter which academic program you choose, you’ll learn what it means to be a servant-leader who understands that success is about using your God-given abilities to touch lives and transform communities.

Milligan is a close-knit community, with a student body of around 1,200 students from 40 states and over a dozen countries and over 150 faculty and staff.

Students soon discover what makes Milligan stand out from other colleges — it’s a Christian community that is genuine and real. We’re not perfect, but we’re a real place, with real people, all learning and serving a real God. Our students come from all over the country and world to discover students with interests similar to their own, as well as those of different cultures, backgrounds, and views. It’s a place with fun traditions, great athletic programs, and lots to do. We are also a community where real friendships are made that last a lifetime. That’s the Milligan difference.

More than 70 percent of our traditional students live on campus in one of 11 residence halls. This is where much of the community life and social involvement on campus occurs. Milligan’s residence halls are designed to encourage greater independence as our students progress through their college years. At the same time, there is a strong focus on learning to live in a community with others. It’s a journey to independence.

The Milligan experience is flavored with fun, time-honored traditions that are enjoyed by generations of Buffs. These are the moments that connect students and alumni, and are never forgotten. Like any good tradition, there is a story behind every one. You can become part of these stories and traditions that make Milligan such a memorable—and fun—place.