“If Plato were to return and take a professorship, I’d bet my copy of ‘The Republic’ that he would settle in to teach at College of the Atlantic.” Colman McCarthy | Washington Post

Mission

College of the Atlantic enriches the liberal arts tradition through a distinctive educational philosophy — human ecology. Read More »

History

In 1969, COA’s founders intentions were clear: COA would be the first college in the US to have, as its primary focus, the relationships between humans and the environment. Learning was going to be active.Read More »

Governance

Responsible citizenship requires collaborative attitudes and skills. This is the main rationale for COA's commitment to participatory governance and consensus building. It is exemplified here by creative ways of running meetings, resolving disputes, utilizing computer technologies, and working in partnerships with outside communities. Read More »

What Can I Major In?

All students design their own major at COA. All students major in human ecology at COA. Wait a minute. What’s going on here? Read More »

Outside Perspectives

College of the Atlantic is ranked highly for its academic program, environmental commitment, diversity of student body, generous financial aid packages, campus beauty, and food. Read More »

Our Students

Start counting:

• 4 COA students had leadership roles at the UN climate change conference last year.
• 2 students released music CDs this year.
• 2 students received Goldwater Scholarships for their work in math and science.
• 10 students are continuing work on novels in an ongoing advanced novel tutorial. Read More »