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Academics

Bates College
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Bates College?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

9:1
Student to faculty ratio
19
Average class size
82%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Bates has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
69
10-19
152
20-29
85
30-39
52
40-49
3
50-99
2

Honors Programs

Bates College has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Bates' website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Bates College:

91%
First-year retention rate
82%
4-year grad rate
90%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Bates College's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
Political Science and Government, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Environmental Studies
32
38
44
50
56
62

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Women's Studies 3
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 3
  • African-American/Black Studies 3
  • Women's Studies 3
  • European Studies/Civilization 2
  • African-American/Black Studies 1
  • Latin American Studies 1
  • Latin American Studies 1
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 1
  • European Studies/Civilization 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 37
  • Neuroscience 28
  • Biochemistry 27
  • Biochemistry 5
  • Neuroscience 2
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 2
Engineering
  • Engineering, General 1
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 19
  • Rhetoric and Composition 2
  • Rhetoric and Composition 2
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Foreign Languages
  • Chinese Language and Literature 3
  • Japanese Language and Literature 2
  • French Language and Literature 1
  • French Language and Literature 1
  • Chinese Language and Literature 1
  • Japanese Language and Literature 1
  • German Language and Literature 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
History
  • History, General 17
  • History, General 5
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 19
  • Mathematics, General 12
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization 4
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 2
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 37
  • Environmental Studies 3
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 14
  • Religion/Religious Studies 2
  • Philosophy 1
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 12
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 8
  • Chemistry, General 5
  • Physics, General 1
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 1
Psychology
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 46
  • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 4
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 62
  • Political Science and Government, General 43
  • Sociology, General 18
  • Political Science and Government, General 11
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 9
  • Sociology, General 2
  • Anthropology, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 9
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 4
  • Art/Art Studies, General 3
  • Music, General 3
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
  • Dance, General 1
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