Birmingham-Southern College

An Overview of Birmingham-Southern College

For more than 150 years, Birmingham-Southern College has been one of the nation's best liberal arts colleges, providing an educational experience that develops students mentally, morally and physically, and prepares students for successful careers. The college is recognized nationwide for its educational excellence and its value.

BSC offers small classes, accessible faculty, a beautiful campus and abundant activities and organizations for everyone to find a niche. Over 50 percent of Birmingham-Southern students go on to graduate school and the College's pre-professional programs have prepared its students for success, increasing students' acceptance rate into graduate schools throughout the world.

An education from Birmingham-Southern is a journey that uniquely prepares you to meet tomorrow's challenges and to make a profound difference in the world.

The Campus at Birmingham-Southern College

BSC is located on a rolling hilltop just three miles west of downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The modern and beautifully landscaped campus has some 50 buildings, including a new Admission Welcome Center, football complex, Urban Environmental Park and Lake, apartments for student living, and 4 suite-style residence halls for men and women.

The college's home city of Birmingham has been voted one of the nation's Most Livable Cities, offers a wealth of internship opportunities, and has vibrant banking, healthcare, and legal industries. It's also home to several shopping malls, a minor league baseball team, a state park, an entertainment district, and an active and varied cultural scene. The BSC Student Government Association sponsors weekday and weekend shuttle buses to several shopping locations in the outlying areas.

Birmingham-Southern is noted nationally for its safety preparedness. The college was the only institution of higher learning in Alabama to receive an "A" for safety preparedness in a "Reader's Digest" survey, and BSC was ranked 9th in the nation overall, making it the highest ranked liberal arts college in America.

Birmingham-Southern Has a Growing Student Body

Birmingham-Southern has about 1,300 students who represent 33 states and 13 foreign countries. More than 85 percent of students live on campus. More than 70 percent engage in service-learning. There are 80+ student organizations and 13 national fraternities and sororities. 50 percent of BSC graduates go on to pursue graduate study. Birmingham-Southern has 23 NCAA Division III men's and women's intercollegiate teams. In just the past twelve years, the College has had 6 Rhodes Scholars and six Truman Scholars.

A High-Quality Academic Program

Birmingham-Southern's challenging, high-quality academic program offers five bachelor's degrees in more than 50 programs of study, including new urban environmental studies and media and film studies majors. Some of the most popular areas of study include music education, fine arts, music, political science, education, philosophy, Spanish, theatre arts, economics, business, biology, religion, history, art, math, nursing, Asian studies, and English.

The 13-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio allows for personal interaction with a distinguished faculty in the classroom and beyond. 100 percent of Birmingham-Southern classes are taught by professors, not teaching assistants. Students work closely with professors who advise them, guide them, and even help them craft their own majors. BSC's innovative curriculum is designed to develop the skills and abilities desired by employers, enabling our graduates to succeed in the workforce. Birmingham-Southern's outstanding pre-professional programs in medicine, law, and education have prepared students for graduate programs and over 50 percent of graduates go on to achieve higher education.

During Birmingham-Southern's unique January Exploration Term learning expands beyond classroom walls. Students can attend a film festival, tackle a service project in the inner city, work with a scientist, put on a play or travel overseas with faculty experts--those are just a few options for e-term. Best of all? The students get to choose.

Student Life Abounds At Birmingham-Southern

As a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Birmingham-Southern offers 23 varsity sports for its scholar-athletes: baseball, football, softball, volleyball, and men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, swimming, and indoor and outdoor track and field.

The college also has 12 national sororities and fraternities and more than 80 other social, honorary, and special interest groups. Other activities include intramural sports; musical groups including three choirs and a marching band; theatre; school newspaper, yearbook, and literary magazine; and several interfaith worship services weekly.

At Birmingham-Southern, students get the best of both worlds -- a small college experience with all the advantages of the big city. Birmingham, Alabama is called the "Magic City" for good reason. It's perfectly-sized -- small enough that students can get across town quickly, but rich with recreational, athletic, cultural and entertainment options. Birmingham has been voted one of the nation's Most Livable Cities, with many internship opportunities for Birmingham-Southern students. It is home to: a slew of outdoor recreational opportunities, including riding the zip line over Birmingham at Red Mountain Park; the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which highlights the city's pivotal role in modern human rights; a top-notch symphony, art museum, ballet and opera company, and an annual film festival; dozens of venues to see popular and classical music, local theatre and traveling shows; and a thriving restaurant scene, boasting everything from barbecue joints and cafes to Gourmet Magazine's pick for 5th best restaurant in America.

Birmingham-Southern -- a Best Value

Best of all, Birmingham-Southern College is a value financially. Last year, the college awarded more than $25 million in federal, state, institutional, and outside aid, including scholarships, loans, grants, and work-study. More than 95 percent of students receive some form of financial aid.

Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, which ranks "the top schools that provide a high-quality education at an affordable price", includes Birmingham-Southern on its 2011-2012 list of the "Best Values in Private Colleges."

Because a Birmingham-Southern education is valued around the world, it opens doors, whether to graduate or professional school or straight into a promising career. Birmingham-Southern College is among the nation's best in percentage of graduates admitted to medical, dental, and other health career programs. Over 50 percent of the college's graduates each year go on to graduate school, and Birmingham-Southern also has an excellent record of job placement for those who choose to begin their careers.

Birmingham-Southern College is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The college is praised for its academic reputation, small classes, interaction with faculty, and beautiful campus and called "an institution that cares for its students and provides them with a high-quality education and opportunities to succeed." "College's That Change Lives" has again selected Birmingham-Southern as one of the 40 colleges that are "outdoing the Ivy League schools and the major universities in producing winners," and "The Princeton Review" includes BSC as one of America's Best 377 Colleges and as one of America's 286 "Greenest Colleges." The Parents & Colleges website ranks Birmingham-Southern College No. 1 on its list of the "Top 10 Most Engaging Greek Life Schools" in the country. The college received high marks for scholarship, leadership, philanthropy, and inclusiveness.

• Area and ethnic studies
• Asian Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Biological/life sciences
• Biology/Biological Sciences
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Business/marketing
• Business Administration and Management
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Education
• Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Elementary Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Secondary Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Education (Multiple Levels)
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Art Teacher Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music Teacher Education
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• English
• English
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Foreign languages and literature
• German
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• French
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Spanish
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Health professions and related sciences
• Pre-Dentistry Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Pre-Medical Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• History
• History
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Interdisciplinary studies
• Interdisciplinary Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Law/legal studies
• Pre-Law Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Mathematics and statistics
• Mathematics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Natural resources/environmental science
• Environmental Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Philosophy and religious studies
• Philosophy
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Religious Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Physical sciences
• Chemistry
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Physics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Psychology
• Psychology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Social sciences
• Economics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Political Science and Government
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Sociology
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Visual and performing arts
• Dramatic/Theater Arts
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Film/Video and Photographic Arts Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Art
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Fine/Studio Arts
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Art History, Criticism and Conservation
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Drawing
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Painting
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Sculpture
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Printmaking
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Fine Arts Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music History, Literature, and Theory
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Music Theory and Composition
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Keyboard Instruments
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Voice and Opera
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied1,798
• Accepted1,155
• Acceptance Rate64%
• Enrolled1,305
• Female Applicants945
• Females Accepted601
• Female Acceptance Rate63%
• Male Applicants853
• Males Accepted554
• Male Acceptance Rate64%
• Applying
• Application Fee$40
• Required for All Essay or personal statement
  Transcript of high school record
  Letter(s) of recommendation
  Minimum high school GPA of 2
  
• Required for Some Interview
  
• Average high school GPA for first-year freshman3.43
• Application Deadlines
• Type Application Closing Notification Date Rolling Admissions
• Fall freshmen February 1st February 15th --
• Out-of-state Fall freshmen Not Reported
• Early decision plan Not Reported
• Other early decision plan Not Reported
• Transfer Not Reported
• Test Scores Accepted
• Test Average School Accepted 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile*
• SAT Critical Reading 500 620
• SAT Math 490 630
• SAT Writing 490 630
• ACT Composite 26 23 29
• * 25th and 75th percentile is the score that 25/75 percent of students score at or below.

• Tuition
• In-state tuition *$29,600
• Out-of-state tuition *$29,600
• In-district tuitionN/A
• * Tuition costs are based on a full academic year typically extending from September to June.
• Fees
• Full-time student fees$1,090.00
• Room and board *$10,220.00
• Room only *$5,900.00
• * Room and board charges vary according to board plan selected (i.e., 12-meal plan, 19-meal plan, etc.) and student level (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
• Other Payment Considerations
• Guaranteed tuition plan offeredNo
• Tuition pre-payment planNo
• Tuition payment plans offeredInstallments
• Student groups that qualify for full or partial waiver of tuitionEmployees or children of employees

• Gender
• Total Undergraduate Students1,305
• Male Student Percentage51%
• Female Student Percentage49%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic/Latino2.53%
• Black or African American7.51%
• White or Caucasian82.76%
• American Indian or Alaska Native.77%
• Asian4.52%
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific IslanderNot Reported
• Two or more races1.15%
• Unknown.77%
• Other Student Statistics
• International BreakoutNot Reported
• Out-of-state Students38% out-of-state student

• Housing
• College-owned housing available Yes
• Housing Requirements None
• Housing options Coed housing , Female-only housing, Special housing for disabled, Male-only housing
• Percentage of undergraduate students who live in college-owned housing 84%
• Student Activities
• Student-run campus newspaper Yes
• Drama / theater group Yes
• Student-run radio station No
• Student-run television station No
• Marching band Yes
• Choral groups Yes
• Student Services
• Legal services No
• Health clinic Yes
• Personal / psychological counseling Yes
• Women's center No
• Student Organizations
• Greek fraternities Yes
• Greek sororities Yes
• Local fraternities No
• Local sororities No
• Other organizations Yes
• Most popular organizations Black Student Union, Southern Bouldering Club, Student Government Association, Multi- Cultural Awareness Organization, BSC Chapter of Habitat for Humanity
• Campus Security and Safety
• 24-hour emergency telephone / alarm services Yes
• 24-hour patrols by trained officers Yes
• Students patrols Not Reported
• Late-night transport / escort services Yes
• Electronically-operated dormitory entrances Yes
• Other vehicle safety inspections for students, emergency phone stations throughout campus

• Men's Sports
• Sport Intramural Intercollegiate Scholarship
• Baseball No Division 3 No
• Basketball Yes Division 3 No
• Cheerleading No Division X No
• Cross-country running No Division 3 No
• Football Yes Division 3 No
• Golf No Division 3 No
• Lacrosse No Division 3 No
• Racquetball Yes No No
• Soccer Yes Division 3 No
• Softball Yes No No
• Swimming No Division 3 No
• Tennis Yes Division 3 No
• Tennis Yes No No
• Track No Division 3 No
• Ultimate Frisbee Yes No No
• Volleyball Yes No No
• Water polo Yes No No
• Women's Sports
• Sport Intramural Intercollegiate Scholarship
• Baseball No No No
• Basketball Yes Division 3 No
• Cheerleading No Division X No
• Cross-country running No Division 3 No
• Football Yes No No
• Golf No Division 3 No
• Lacrosse No Division 3 No
• Racquetball Yes No No
• Soccer Yes Division 3 No
• Softball No Division 3 No
• Swimming No Division 3 No
• Tennis Yes Division 3 No
• Tennis Yes No No
• Track No Division 3 No
• Ultimate Frisbee Yes No No
• Volleyball Yes Division 3 No
• Water polo Yes No No

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty107
• Full-time Percentage76%
• Part-time Percentage24%
• Female Percentage42%
• Male Percentage58%
• Student:Faculty Ratio13:1 or 305 students to 107 faculty