Converse College has been preparing women to be strong leaders in their professions and in their communities for over 100 years. Here, women come first – in the classrooms, science labs, and music rehearsal halls; on our playing fields and in our student organizations. This commitment to our students ensures that throughout their Converse experience and beyond, they will be involved, prepared, and accomplished.

In 2004, Converse was selected to appear in a new admissions guidebook and Web site called Colleges of Distinction, which profiles colleges throughout the United States that "excel in engaging students, offering great teaching, providing a vibrant campus community and resulting in successful outcomes for their students."

In recognition, Converse is ranked #2 Best Value for Southern Colleges and Universities in the U.S. News and World Report 2004 rankings. The College is also featured in the book, The Best 201 Colleges in the Real World. To learn more about Converse College, read Converse: The Mission, The Vision. In addition,



The College of Arts and Sciences offers 33 majors in fields from business, biology, and education to politics, theatre, and interior design. In each major, students are encouraged to perform independent research or creative work, internships, and honors work.

The School of Education and Graduate Studies

Converse offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for those who want to prepare for challenging careers in the field of public or private education. Undergraduates pursue programs that lead to positions as teachers of early childhood, elementary, hearing impaired, and other students with disabilities (such as learning disabilities or mental disabilities). Converse has the only fully-developed and accredited teacher preparation program for the Hearing Impaired in South Carolina. Graduate programs include the MAT for college graduates seeking initial certification as teachers, the M.Ed. for experienced teachers, and the Ed.S. for those who want advanced preparation to become public school leaders--principals, supervisors, or curriculum specialists. Converse has the only master's degree in South Carolina for those preparing to teach gifted and talented students and one of the few Ed.S. degrees for marriage and family therapists in this region. We also offer the Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) degree for those seeking advanced study in such fields as Engish, History, or Political Science.

The Petrie School of Music

In addition to offering a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, Converse College offers aspiring musicians a solid foundation in music theory, composition, history, therapy, education and performance through the The Carroll McDaniel Petrie School of Music. Today, you can find Converse musicians in major symphony orchestras, opera houses, chamber music ensembles, church positions, Broadway and recording studios.  Our graduates are making a powerful difference in the music industry, broadcasting, education and music therapy.

Converse College is many things: rich in history and tradition; a place with the faculty, resources, and reputation to get you where you’re headed in life; and a community where people matter most of all.