Classical Christian Liberal Arts Education

At Patrick Henry College, students receive a broad-based education that stresses content, the imitation of excellence, the pursuit of knowledge, and the exercise of the whole range of talents that God has given, in the light of the truth that He has revealed in the inerrant Bible. The 75-credit core curriculum—consisting of courses in logic, rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics, geometry, music, science, history, literature, theology, apologetics, economics, foreign languages, constitutional law, and political theory—lays a common foundation for advanced learning in each of five major programs. Within the context of the classical liberal arts as a time-tested framework, courses mirror the trivium’s emphasis on knowledge (grammar), understanding (logic), and application (rhetoric).  The culmination of a PHC student’s education is an apprenticeship in which to apply the “rhetoric” of creative performance in the field of study.  Regardless of major, students are invited to explore the interconnectedness of all the disciplines reflecting the truth that in Christ “all things hold together.”  (Colossians 1:17)

Student & Graduate Profile

• Enrollment – Enrollment for Fall 2007: 329 degree-seeking students (94% on campus), most of whom live in the College’s colonial-style residence halls
• Admissions – Rigorous application process emphasizing academic preparation, community outreach and civic involvement, faith and purpose, and analytical/writing skills; Entrance examination scores for incoming freshmen in Fall 2007 had a mid-range of 1230-1400 for the SAT, with 50% of students scoring between 640-740 on Critical Reading (681 average), 580-670 on Math (623 average), and 600-700 on Writing (653 average).
• Student Body – Compared to freshmen at other baccalaureate institutions, incoming students at PHC are 16% more likely to have tutored another student, 26% more likely to have spent three or more hours a week doing volunteer work, 27% more likely to have frequently revised their papers to improve their writing, 31% more likely to have socialized with someone of another racial/ethnic group, 36% more likely to have worked on a local, state, or national political campaign, 37% more likely to have frequently explored topics on their own that were not part of a class, 56% more likely to have spent more than ten hours a week studying or doing homework, and 60% more likely to spend three or more hours a week reading for pleasure. (source: HERI’s CIRP Freshman Survey, The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2007)
• Graduates – Since its founding in 2000, the College has graduated over 200 students, approximately 17% of whom either attended or are currently attending graduate schools. Alumni have been accepted into graduate programs at institutions such as Harvard Law School, Duke University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Catholic University of America, and the University of Dallas. Well over 50% of all graduates work in their field of study, holding jobs that range from managing editors at publishing companies and teachers at classical Christian schools to analysts at intelligence agencies, law clerks, legislative assistants (state and federal government), and staffers at federal departments.

Faculty Credentials

Patrick Henry College has 16 full-time faculty, 15 of whom possess earned terminal degrees in their field (1 is ABD), and 21 part-time faculty (including administrators), all of whom possess a master’s degree or higher. PHC’s faculty includes both prolific scholars and experienced practitioners, such as:

• Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Provost, longtime educator, cultural commentator, and author of over 100 published articles and 17 books on subjects ranging from classical Christian education and postmodernity to literature and vocation;
• Dr. David Aikman, former foreign and senior correspondent with Time Magazine, a broadcaster and columnist (Christianitiy Today and Charisma and Christian Life), and author of numerous books; and
• Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, who holds ten earned degrees and is the author of more than 40 books in five languages on the topics of human rights and Christian apologetics.

Academic Programs & Apprenticeships
Five Major Programs

• Classical Liberal Arts – students study pedagogy, classical languages, and topics in history, literature, philosophy, and biblical studies; apprenticeships are devoted to developing curricula in different disciplines and gaining teaching experience
• Government – students are offered a well-grounded program of study beginning with four required introductory courses and numerous specialized courses within four tracks (American Politics & Policy, International Politics & Policy, Political Theory, and Strategic Intelligence), all of which invite students to interact with historic and contemporary political thinkers, discipline classics, and primary sources; students receive individualized guidance from faculty members as they conduct research and writing projects and on-the-job, applied training from field specialists
• History – students take advanced courses in historical research, historiography, and American, European, and World history,   with an emphasis on graduate school preparation as they engage in specialized research under the guidance of history faculty
• Journalism – tracks in Political Journalism and Liberal Arts provide students with extensive writing experience, developing professional competency in a variety of core journalistic tasks and exploring how the historical and Christian foundations of journalism shape contemporary practice
• Literature – students engage in rigorous discussion and workshop criticism, interacting extensively with critical scholars as they study linguistics, theory, genre, and major historic and contemporary authors; students read and write literary criticism as well as their own creative and scholarly works under the supervision of published authors and critics

Internships – Patrick Henry College’s location, one hour northwest of Washington, D.C., presents ample internship and scholarship opportunities for students, who consistently are offered internships at the White House, federal departments, U.S. Court System, U.S. Congress, an array of think tanks and non-profits, Washington Times, National Geographic, USA Today, NBC and Fox affiliates, Defense Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency, National Archives, published authors, private K-12 classical schools, and many others.

Intercollegiate & Intramural Culture – Students participate in an array of intercollegiate scholarship and educational opportunities, including award-winning delegations at National Model United Nations (NMUN), fellowships with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), and championship forensics with the National Forensics Association (NFA), National Educational Debate Association (NEDA), National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA), and American Collegiate Moot Court Association (ACMA). Intramural activities include an active Student Government Association, drama troupe, chorale, and numerous student-run organizations ranging from filmmaking teams to literary societies. Campus-wide events include daily Chapel, biannual Faith & Reason Lectures and weekly discussion groups with faculty.

Institutional Memberships

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA)
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
• Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (VACRAO)
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
• Association of Classical & Christian Schools (ACCS)
• Virginia Humanities Conference (VHC)
• Other institutional memberships include, inter alia: National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA, accredited member), and Association of Christians in Student Development (ACSD)

Certification & Accreditation

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has authorized Patrick Henry College to offer degrees, courses for degree credit, or programs of study leading to a degree, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the Commonwealth’s coordinating body for higher education and is located at 101 North Fourteenth Street, Richmond, VA 23219. The Council’s phone number is (804) 225-2600.

Patrick Henry College is a member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS; PO Box 328, Forest, VA 24551; Telephone: 434.525.9539; e-mail: info@tracs.org), having been awarded Accredited status as a Category II institution by the TRACS Accreditation Commission on April 17, 2007; this status is effective for a period of five years. TRACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).