Profile: Belhaven College

Belhaven College is a Christian liberal arts college dedicated to helping people grapple with the complex issues of life and to preparing them for positions of leadership in a rapidly changing society. A community of professors and students working together in a Christian environment, Belhaven emphasizes the importance of the individual. In addition to a strong traditional liberal arts program, Belhaven provides an atmosphere in which students can find purpose and meaning in life. Academic preparation and Christian experience go hand in hand at Belhaven.

Each student is encouraged to develop and grow to the best of his or her potential and to face the future with confidence and determination. Interwoven into academic preparation is a curriculum that emphasizes personal values and constructive attitudes toward work, other people, and the quality of life.

Belhaven strives for excellence in higher education. The College is dedicated to the belief that only the Christian liberal arts institution can educate men and women capable of totally purposeful action and direction.

Belhaven College has a rich heritage of prominence in education dating back to 1883. Eight bachelor's degrees and four master’s degrees are offered. In addition to traditional majors, programs of general studies are available. There are also pre-professional programs in the ministry, medicine, dentistry, law, nursing, and medical technology.

Belhaven College has a long and productive history of relationship with the Presbyterian Church. Until 1972, the College was owned and operated by the Synod of Mississippi, Presbyterian Church in the United States, through a Synod-elected board of trustees. In 1972, the Synod gave ownership of the College to a self-perpetuating board of trustees. The College has a covenant relationship with the Synod of Living Waters of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and seeks to deepen its relationship with various other Presbyterian bodies. Faculty and staff members are drawn from various denominations, with the primary Presbyterian denominations represented being the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Presbyterian Church in America, and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The College receives both financial support and students from these three denominations.