“A tiny, fiercely interdisciplinary liberal arts college on the edge of Acadia National Park where every student designs their own degree in human ecology.”
Founded in 1969 on the rocky coast of Maine, College of the Atlantic (COA) is one of the most distinctive small colleges in the United States. It awards a single degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology, which every student customizes by designing their own interdisciplinary course of study. With roughly 350 students and 35 faculty on a 38-acre oceanfront campus in Bar Harbor, the experience is intensely personal: classes average 12 students, there are no traditional departments or preset majors, and the curriculum is built around three resource areas (Arts and Design, Environmental Sciences, and Human Studies) rather than disciplinary silos. COA is best known for environmental studies, marine science, sustainable food systems, climate policy, and socially engaged art. The campus sits immediately next to Acadia National Park and looks out on Frenchman Bay, and the college operates two organic farms, two offshore island research stations (Great Duck and Mount Desert Rock), and a remote wilderness center in northern Maine. Every student is required to complete a 10-week full-time internship and a senior capstone project, and a majority spend time abroad in COA programs in Mexico, France, or through the EcoLeague consortium. The community is deliberately international, activist, and tight-knit. About 22% of students come from outside the US, including more than 60 Davis UWC Scholars from 40+ countries, and the college is consistently cited for sustainability leadership: it was the first college in the US to achieve net-zero carbon emissions (2007). International students in particular find COA attractive because of the Davis UWC partnership, the lack of a standard test requirement, and the unusually flexible self-designed curriculum, though non-UWC international applicants should be aware that aid is limited and admission is need-aware for them.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Decision I
Binding. Decisions by Dec 15; deposit due Jan 10.
Early Action
Non-binding. Decisions by late January.
Early Decision II
Binding. Decisions by Jan 30.
Regular Decision
Non-binding. Decisions by April 1.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$47,997 – $49,887
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
One of three core resource areas at COA. Covers ecology, marine biology, climate science, conservation biology, GIS, and field-based environmental research, with heavy use of Acadia National Park, Frenchman Bay, and COA's island research stations as living laboratories.
Studio arts, writing, film, photography, ceramics, and design taught through a human-ecological lens that emphasizes social and environmental engagement. Students frequently combine art practice with science or policy work.
Humanities and social sciences including history, philosophy, anthropology, economics, political science, literature, and education. Home to the college's strengths in sustainable food systems, international studies, and socially responsible business.
A small, selective two-year Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) program in Human Ecology. Candidates complete nine courses and a substantial independent research thesis developed in close collaboration with faculty.
4 years
The only undergraduate degree at COA. Every student designs their own course of study across Arts and Design, Environmental Sciences, and Human Studies, anchored by the required Human Ecology Core Course, a 450-hour internship, a senior capstone project, and 40 hours of community service. Students graduate with transcripts full of narrative evaluations alongside (optional) letter grades.
4 years
COA owns and operates two offshore research stations at Great Duck Island and Mount Desert Rock, where students live and conduct fieldwork on seabird colonies, seals, and whales in the Gulf of Maine. Highly unusual level of hands-on field access for an undergraduate college.
4 years
Students work and study at COA's two college-owned organic farms (Beech Hill and Peggy Rockefeller Farms), combining agroecology, food policy, and entrepreneurship. Many graduates go on to run farms, food nonprofits, and sustainable food businesses.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $47,997
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
