Resident Degree Program

At Prescott College, students work in collaboration with faculty to individualize their studies and create a degree program that reflects their passions and interests. The Prescott College curriculum gives every student the ability to tailor coursework to match their college goals and prepares them for the real world.

Small class size, a field-based curriculum, and real-life experiences distinguish Prescott College as a leader in undergraduate education.

Why do students choose Prescott College?

• Our educational philosophy: We stress "learning by doing" and self-direction.
• Interdisciplinary learning: Our curriculum fosters critical abilities, empathy for ethical, environmental, and social issues, and the ability to understand diverse perspectives.
• Field-based classes: From creative writing to mountaineering, study at Prescott College often takes place in locations beyond the classroom.
• Small class size: Prescott College maintains an authentic student to faculty ratio of 10:1 in on-campus classrooms and as low as 5:1 in many field-based studies.
• We are committed to ecological literacy and environmental problem solving.
• Our innovative calendar system includes opportunities for extensive field experiences.
• Prescott College offers individualized instruction -- with guidance from the faculty, each student designs a personalized learning experience.
• Prescott College is ideally located in a beautiful Arizona mountain community surrounded by national forest at an elevation of 5,200 feet.

Read what some current students have to say about Prescott College.

Educational philosophy
Prescott College subscribes to the philosophy of experiential education or "learning by doing."  We believe that doing is as important as reading and discussing. 

Interdisciplinary Learning

In cooperation with an outstanding faculty, Prescott College students are able to work in such interdisciplinary fields as human development, ecopsychology, abstract art, environmental education and interpretation, teacher education, human ecology, agroecology, creative writing, outdoor adventure education, management, counseling, and wilderness leadership.

Field-based courses
Our faculty recognize that some of the most important lessons are learned in situations that require action. Many courses have strong field components and some are conducted entirely in the field. Internships, apprenticeships, independent studies, community service, and study abroad are encouraged so that students may study and live in cultural contexts outside their normal experience.

Small classes
At Prescott College our classes are small, allowing students more opportunities for participation in classes and interaction with faculty. Small classes encourage students to think critically and express themselves clearly and enable faculty to meet individual interests and needs of students.

At Prescott College students and teaching come first. Students are taught by full-time faculty members, not graduate assistants. Faculty members are role models and mentors and often become life-long friends and colleagues.

Ecological Literacy
Prescott College has a mission to educate students of diverse ages and backgrounds to understand, thrive in, and enhance our world community and environment. We regard learning as a continuing process and strive to provide an education that will enable students to live productive lives of self-fulfillment and service to others. Students are encouraged to think critically and act ethically with sensitivity to both the human community and the biosphere.

Calendar System
Prescott College has a unique and innovative block and quarter academic calendar. Blocks are approximately four weeks in length and take place during September, January, and May. A 10-week quarter follows each block. During the block, students enroll in only one course and learn through deep involvement in the subject. Many block courses are conducted partially or entirely in the field and can take students to the Grand Canyon, the Sea of Cortez, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and throughout the Southwest and the world.

Personalized Learning Experiences
At Prescott College we believe education should be a personalized journey. The College offers an innovative curriculum, often with interdisciplinary courses. We encourage students to tailor their curriculum to suit their needs and to include off-campus internships, work study, faculty-student research projects, group and independent study, community service, and study abroad.

Location
Prescott and the College are surrounded by 1,408,000 acres of National Forest, with more than 796 miles of trails. With four mild seasons and unsurpassed natural beauty, Prescott offers a diversity of outdoor activities, including rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and nearby canoeing, rafting, kayaking, and snow skiing. The old mining town of Jerome, the red rocks of Sedona, shopping in Phoenix, and the Grand Canyon are all within a day's trip.