<p>Just out of curious, why is Dartmouth called Dartmouth College versus Dartmouth University? It's not a liberal arts school, right?</p>
<p>its because the emphasis is on the undergraduate experience, unlike many other schools offering graduate programs. I can honestly say I've never seen a graduate student on campus....</p>
<p>That is what I think anyway. </p>
<p>But yes, technically it is a university.</p>
<p>There's also Dartmouth College v. Woodward - the state wanted to forcibly take over the college and rename it Dartmouth University, so I guess after the college won they decided they'd never call themselves Dartmouth University, even though that's what they are.</p>
<p>history of Dartmouth College</p>
<p>
[quote]
In 1815, Dartmouth became the stage for a constitutional drama that had far-reaching effects. Claiming its 1769 charter invalid, the New Hampshire legislature established a separate governing body for the College and changed its name to Dartmouth University. The existing Trustees, under the leadership of President Francis Brown, challenged the action and insisted on the validity of the charter and Dartmouth's continuance as a private institution free of interference from the state. The case was argued in the United States Supreme Court by Daniel Webster, a graduate in the Class of 1801, who would go on to become a member of Congress and Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison and Millard Fillmore. The landmark decision handed down by Chief Justice John Marshall in February, 1819, affirmed the validity of the original charter. The Dartmouth College Case, as it has come to be known, is considered to be one of the most important and formative documents in United States constitutional history, strengthening the contract clause of the Constitution and thereby paving the way for all American private institutions to conduct their affairs in accordance with their charters and without interference from the state.</p>
<p>Dartmouth</a> - About Dartmouth - History</p>
<p>Government</a> Documents: The Dartmouth College Case</p>
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</p>
<p>I gotta say, that is a really neat story.</p>
<p>Ok, this is going to sound like a really dumb question...but what's the difference between a LAC and Dartmouth? From what I've read, Dartmouth has a pretty extensive core curriculum (if that's what it's called--there's a bunch of subjects you have to take classes in), a broad range of offered classes...Do you have to apply to separate schools for your major or something? I guess I'm just confused on the difference between Dartmouth and, say, Amherst which, I believe, is considered a LAC.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and my AP USH teacher loves the Darmtouh v Woodward case. It also comes up a lot in our Academic Bowl tournaments!</p>
<p>I like to say that Dartmouth is basically an LAC with some grad schools tacked on. I wouldn't say we have a core curriculum (it makes me think of UChicago's scary curriculum), but the distributive requirements are rather extensive and a bit of a pain in the behind sometimes. You do not apply to a particular school (though I think this might be different for engineering majors since they don't get a BA) - your degree is from the college, and you submit your application for a major to the relevant department.</p>
<p>LACs don't have grad programs, and are typically much smaller; many are less than half the size as Dartmouth. Chicago and Columbia are know for their core, but distributives exist in nearly every college, with exceptions being schools like Brown & Amherst.</p>
<p>if you're an engineering major you need not apply to a specific school either ... you are accepted to the undergraduate school and then you DO earn a BA in Engineering Sciences ...</p>
<p>after that if you want a BE you enroll in Thayer School of Engg, but all ENGS majors from the college are automatically accepted (i think it's all, there may be some low gpa qualifier).</p>