Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

The Mission

The mission of Lycoming College is to provide a distinguished baccalaureate education in the liberal arts and sciences within a coeducational, supportive, residential setting.

Guiding Principles

Lycoming College is committed to the principle that a liberal arts education provides an excellent foundation for an informed and productive life. Consequently, the Baccalaureate degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) is conferred upon the student who has completed an educational program incorporating the two principles of a liberal arts education known as distribution and concentration. The objective of the distribution principle is to ensure that the student achieves intellectual breadth through the study of the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural and social sciences, and modern or ancient languages and their literatures. The objective of the concentration principle is to provide depth of learning through completion of a program of study in a given discipline or subject area known as the major. The effect of both principles is to impart knowledge, inspire inquiry, and encourage creative thought.

Lycoming College promotes individual growth and community development through a combination of academic and co-curricular programs in a supportive residential environment that seeks to foster self-awareness, model social responsibility, and provide opportunities to develop leadership skills. Students are encouraged to explore new concepts and perspectives, to cultivate an aesthetic sensibility, and to develop communication and critical thinking skills. The college is committed to promoting racial inclusiveness, gender equality, and an appreciation of cultural diversity. Through a holistic approach, Lycoming College encourages students to become ethical, informed, and engaged individuals.

Expected Student Learning Outcomes

Institutional Expected Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, a Lycoming College graduate will

  • have achieved depth of learning in at least one field of study
  • have demonstrated intellectual breadth through the study of the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural and social sciences, and modern or ancient languages
  • have enriched his/her education through the completion of one or more enhanced academic experiences
  • understand cultural diversity
  • be able to communicate effectively in both written and oral forms
  • be able to think critically
  • have demonstrated information literacy skills and technological competence appropriate for his/her discipline

Expected Student Learning Outcomes for Individual Programs

The learning goals for each program are found at https://www.lycoming.edu/learning-goals/.

The Baccalaureate Degree

Lycoming College is committed to the principle that a liberal arts and sciences education is the ideal foundation for an informed and productive life. The liberal arts—including the fine arts, the humanities, mathematics, the natural and social sciences—have created the social, political, economic, and intellectual systems that help define contemporary existence. Therefore, it is essential that students grasp the modes of inquiry and knowledge associated with these disciplines.

Consequently, the baccalaureate degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) is conferred upon the student who has completed an educational program incorporating the three facets of the liberal arts known as General Education, the major, and electives. Students will complete approximately one-third of their work in each of these areas. The objective of the General Education Program is to ensure that the student achieves breadth in learning through the study of the major dimensions of human inquiry: math and languages, arts and humanities, social and natural sciences.

The objective of the major is to provide depth of learning through completion of a program of focused study in a given discipline or subject area. Elective study affords students the opportunity to develop secondary interests, work in areas complementary to their primary discipline, or explore new fields of study. The combined effect of General Education courses, concentrated study in the major, and electives is to impart knowledge, inspire inquiry, and encourage creative thought. The program enables students to think critically, judge rationally, communicate effectively, and develop an awareness of the diversity of cultures and an enthusiasm for learning that will last throughout their lives.