Welcome to College of the Atlantic

At COA you hold in your own hands the freedom, and responsibility, of building your educational path. Each student designs their own course of study, pursuing their unique interests and goals through a wide range classes across the sciences, arts, humanities, and social sciences. At COA, you don’t have to choose just one area of study; in fact, we hope you’ll pull together different disciplines and get excited about the surprising connections between them.

A COA education isn’t just about learning—it’s also about transforming thought into action to make a difference in the world, starting now. We believe that tomorrow’s problem-solvers will need to work across multiple disciplines, collaborate, innovate, and think far outside the box.

College of the Atlantic was founded in 1969 based on a unique idea: human ecology. A human-ecological perspective explores the relationships between humans and our environments, and stems from the premise that the world’s most pressing problems require solutions that cross the boundaries of academic disciplines and seek fresh combinations of ideas. Our approach is interdisciplinary and experiential, and encourages students not just to investigate complex issues, but also to work collaboratively for positive change.

With just 350 students, 35 faculty, and around 70 staff members, you’ll soon recognize all of the faces on campus. We believe this kind of close-knit, supportive community is an ideal environment for fostering creative collaboration and intellectual risk-taking.