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Ithaca College began as a music conservatory in 1892, helping young musicians hone their talents into professional-caliber skills. In the decades since, IC has grown into a residential liberal arts college with five schools and over 100 degree programs. Our students gain knowledge and confidence through a continuous cycle of learning, trying, and doing—with access to professional labs, studios, equipment, and research opportunities. As a mid-size, nationally-ranked college, IC offers students opportunities for personalized attention in every academic program and engagement in a wide variety of campus activities. Students join a welcoming community of 6,200 undergraduate and 470 graduate students that offers more than 200 student clubs and organizations. The IC experience continues after graduation as alumni become part of a growing network of professionals—mentors and experts around the world who take active roles in helping students succeed. At IC, our faculty and staff are dedicated to student education and growth. They bring a wealth of knowledge and talent to our campus and work to help advance their respective fields. Through research, projects, and involvement in their communities, they also continue to learn and develop as professionals and thought leaders. Ithaca College sits on South Hill and overlooks the heart of Ithaca, a thriving city full of art, culture, and activity all surrounded by the natural beauty of New York’s Finger Lakes region. In addition to the main campus, IC has satellite programs in New York City, Los Angeles, and London. Vision Statement Ithaca College strives to become the standard of excellence for student-centered comprehensive colleges, fostering intellect, creativity, and character in an active and inclusive residential learning community. To provide a foundation for a lifetime of learning, Ithaca College is dedicated to fostering intellectual growth, aesthetic appreciation, and character development in our students. The Ithaca College community thrives on the principles that knowledge is acquired through discipline, competence is established when knowledge is tempered by experience, and character is developed when competence is exercised for the benefit of others. A comprehensive college that since its founding has recognized the value of combining theory and performance, Ithaca provides a rigorous education blending liberal arts and professional programs of study. Our teaching and scholarship are motivated by the need to be informed by, and to contribute to, the world's scientific and humanistic enterprises.Learning at Ithaca extends beyond the classroom to encompass a broad range of residential, professional, and extracurricular opportunities. Our undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni all contribute to the learning process. Ithaca College is committed to creating an inclusive environment and attracting a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the College community are encouraged to achieve excellence in their chosen fields and to share the responsibilities of citizenship and service in the global community. With more than 100 programs across five schools, you can focus deeply in one field or combine areas to create a custom learning path. Expert faculty guide you to explore, challenge yourself, and use your knowledge for good.IC was founded as a music conservatory, where students learned through continuous cycles of theory, practice, and performance.That approach is still our key to success: learn important concepts, get authentic work experience, and perform at a professional level before graduation. Join our community of creative, talented people as we work together to deepen our understanding of the world, inspire new ideas, and make an impact. Choose from over 100 programs and work closely with mentors who will guide you toward your goals. People come to Ithaca College from all over the world to live with curiosity, explore their potential, and become who and what they want to be. At IC, expert faculty challenge you to think differently and inspire you to explore new concepts. You also learn by doing—through hands-on experience in your field, collaboration with classmates, and professional-level opportunities starting your first day in class. Your courses at IC will challenge you to think differently and push yourself, and a big part your success will mean knowing when to ask for help. We are here to help you find the right academic support and resources to ensure you can learn effectively and do your best. You might say that Ithaca College began with a letter from Berlin. Ithaca-area native William Grant Egbert was a young, homesick violinist studying in Europe when it occurred to him that the best way to live at home and still make a living would be to do what he did best. He could play his violin, and do it in Ithaca, if he taught music on a grander scale. So he wrote a letter to an Ithaca friend, instructing him to sell $50 shares in a new conservatory of music. There weren't many takers. Nevertheless, on September 19, 1892, the first students trooped into four rented rooms in a house on East Seneca Street to begin their lessons. On that first evening, the faculty of the Ithaca Conservatory of Music gave a free concert in the Unitarian Church, the beginning of a tradition of public performances. Conservatory officers busily set about finding boarding—"places carefully selected among Christian families"—for their new students, who studied everything from solfeggio and composition to guitar, mandolin, and even china painting. View full university