HOUGHTON COLLEGE
HOUGHTON, NEW YORK
The College
Founded in 1883, Houghton College is one of America's most highly regarded Christian liberal arts colleges. Founded by The Wesleyan Church, Houghton attracts students from more than forty denominations. Houghton has an enrollment of 1,200 full-time undergraduate students who represent forty states and twenty-five countries. Most students live in College housing within the distinctly residential environment, while many faculty members live within walking distance of the campus. Houghton's 1,300 acres in the scenic Genesee Valley of western New York offer students various recreational opportunities. The College operates a 386-acre equestrian center and both downhill and cross-country ski facilities.
Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Association of Schools of Music, Houghton's selective admission ensures an academically able student body. Most students represent the top 20 percent of their high school's graduating class, possess SAT or ACT scores commensurate with a competitive college, and are active in their churches and communities. Houghton offers more than forty majors and programs. Students benefit from the instruction and guidance of experienced professors beginning with their first year of study.
Extensive cocurricular opportunities at Houghton include a competitive NAIA intercollegiate athletic program that fields ten teams for men and women, a wide array of intramural leagues, numerous Christian service organizations, student publications, music groups, and student government. Houghton's Artist Series brings well-known classical performers to the campus several times a year. The student-guided Campus Activities Board sponsors regular Christian contemporary concerts and other student-oriented activities. Student chapel services meet three times per week. The Star, the College's weekly student newspaper, offers practical journalism experience.
The residential experience is at the heart of a Houghton education. First-year students and sophomores are required to live in a College residential hall. Juniors and seniors may also choose from several recently constructed town houses and approved community houses for off-campus living.
All resident students are required to participate in the College's board plan. Most students enjoy Houghton's twenty-one-meal-per-week plan, while those living in a town house may opt for a reduced plan.
Year after year, Houghton is commended by numerous national publications. For eleven consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has cited Houghton as one of the nation's best liberal arts colleges. Among other publications that regularly recognize Houghton are Barron's 300 Best College Buys and Fiske's Guide to Colleges, which cite Houghton for solid academics, good social climate, and excellent quality of life.
In addition to its undergraduate programs, Houghton College also offers Master of Music and Master of Arts in Music degrees.
Location
Houghton students benefit from the College's location in the rolling hills of western New York. The College's vast propertyamong the nation's leaders in campus acreageoffers numerous recreational opportunities, while nearby Letchworth State Park is one of the state's natural treasures. The metropolitan cities of Rochester and Buffalo, within an hour and a half's drive of Houghton, offer cultural, entertainment, and shopping venues.
The West Seneca campus of Houghton College is located in a suburb of Buffalo, New York. This campus is used primarily as a residential and instructional location for academic internships and student teaching as well as for the College's adult degree completion program. The College's two campuses are connected via an interactive TV link.
Majors and Degrees
Houghton grants Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music degrees. Majors and programs are available in accounting, adolescent education (grades 712), art, Bible, biology, business administration, chemistry, childhood education (grades 16), communication, computer science, educational ministries, English, environmental studies, French, general science, history, humanities, information technology management, intercultural studies, international relations, mathematics, medical technology, ministerial studies, music composition, music education, music performance, philosophy, physical education, physics, political science, pre-bioinformatics, predentistry, preengineering, prelaw, premedicine, preoptometry, prephysical therapy, preseminary, preveterinary science, psychology, recreation, religion, sociology, Spanish, and writing.
An adult degree completion program (B.S. in organizational management), designed for those with 62-plus credit hours and suitable work experience and who are at least 25 years old, is offered at the College's campus in West Seneca, New York, and at extension sites in Olean, Arcade, and Jamestown, New York.
A 3-2 engineering program is available through cooperation with Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Academic Programs
Most bachelor's degrees at Houghton consist of 125 credit hours. As a traditional liberal arts institution, Houghton requires all students to complete an extensive integrative studies curriculum in addition to courses in their major and minor fields of study. Included in the 54-credit-hour integrative studies requirements are courses in composition, literature, communication, foreign language, social science, history, mathematics, natural science, Bible, religion/philosophy, and fine arts. Lecture and seminar courses with classes averaging 21 students create a positive learning environment and daily interaction between professors and students.
Houghton offers the First-Year Honors Program for approximately 25 students. Students spend the second semester of their first year studying in London, England, with Houghton faculty members. Independent study and honors projects are also available.
The College follows a 4-4-1 calendar. In addition to the fall and spring semesters, the College offers MayTerm, a two- to four-week term where students may enroll in one concentrated course. Both on- and off-campus courses are available during May Term.
Houghton accepts credit from the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students must achieve a final exam score of 4 or higher to receive credit from Houghton. CLEP credit may also be accepted for subject exams only. Students wishing to challenge the College's foreign language requirement may take a College-administered placement test. A portion or all of the foreign language requirement may be waived, although no credit hours are granted.
Army ROTC is offered through cooperation with nearby St. Bonaventure University.
Off-Campus Programs
As a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Houghton is able to offer many off-campus opportunities, including the American Studies Program in Washington, D.C.; the Latin American Studies Program in Costa Rica; the Film Institute in Los Angeles, California; the Russian Studies Program in Moscow; the Middle Eastern Studies Program in Cairo, Egypt; and the Oxford Summer School Program. Houghton also operates the Oregon Extension Program in Lincoln, Oregon, as well as programs in London, Tanzania, and Australia.
Academic Facilities
The Willard J. Houghton Library contains more than 225,000 volumes, 26,000 microfilm titles, and 3,036 periodical subscriptions. The College's online catalog, which uses the Virginia Tech Library Systems software, offers easy access to the College's holdings. Membership in a regional library consortium helps ensure optimum interlibrary loan service.
The Stephen Paine Science Building offers 65,000 square feet of animal, instructional, and research laboratories; a greenhouse; computer facilities; and lecture classrooms.
A comprehensive academic building offers 49,000 square feet of classrooms, learning resource facilities, laboratories, faculty offices, media services, and an interactive TV link with the College's West Seneca campus. Other major facilities include a modern, well-equipped athletic complex; four major residence halls and thirty town houses accommodating more than 900 students; the 1,200-seat Wesley Chapel; the Campus Center; the Stevens Arts Studios; a 386-acre equestrian center; and several outdoor athletic and recreational areas. Houghton's new Center for the Arts features an acoustically designed recital hall, a music library, numerous practice rooms, spacious teaching studios, an instrumental rehearsal hall, and a professional digital recording studio.
The Educational Technology Initiative is a campuswide commitment that provides Houghton students with their own laptop computer and printer and on-campus technical support. Students connect to the College network from their residence hall rooms and many other locations to communicate with professors and fellow students, obtain shared course work and information, and gain high-speed access to the Internet. Students benefit from one of the most accessible and easy-to-use technology programs on any campus.
Costs
Houghton's tuition and fees were $18,660 for the 200405 academic year, including a laptop computer and a printer. Room and board (twenty-one meals per week) totaled $6320. Other indirect expenses, including books, supplies, and travel, averaged $1500.
Financial Aid
Houghton administers more than $15 million in aid annually, benefiting nearly 90 percent of the student body. Traditional federal and New York State aid, including Federal Pell Grants, TAP, FSEOG, work-study, and Federal Perkins Loans, is available for students demonstrating need through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The priority application deadline for financial aid is March1. Houghton also offers merit-based scholarships for excellence in academics, athletics, music, and art. Students should contact the Student Financial Services Office for specific information regarding merit-based scholarships.
Faculty
The College's faculty currently totals approximately 100 members, 80 of whom are full-time. More than 80 percent hold the terminal degree in their discipline. All courses are taught by qualified professors, not teaching assistants or graduate students. All full-time students work directly with a faculty adviser in their area of study. The College maintains a student-faculty ratio of 14:1, with classes averaging approximately 21 students.
Student Government
The Houghton Student Government Association (SGA) consists of elected student representatives. This College-sponsored organization allows students to have a direct impact on their college experience in areas ranging from academics to residence life to cocurricular activities. Most College committees include student representatives.
Admission Requirements
Houghton's competitive admission process seeks applicants who clearly possess the academic and spiritual qualities necessary for a successful experience at Houghton. Candidates for admission should submit a high school transcript indicating at least 16 units of college-preparatory course work. The academic evaluation of each applicant includes a review of the quality of the high school curriculum, grade point average, rank in class, and scores from the SAT or ACT. Other important application materials include the applicant's pastor's recommendation and an essay regarding the student's desire to attend a Christian institution. Transfer students are evaluated on the basis of the above information in addition to the college-level course work completed to date.
The Admission Office responds to applications for admission on or about January1 (for files completed by November15) and on a rolling basis beginning February1 for all other applications. The College subscribes to and supports the national Candidates Reply Date of May1.
Application and Information
For application materials, students should contact:
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