by our College Data Analytics Team
Area Studies is taught at colleges nationwide, but only at some does it account for a large share of the degrees the school grants. To top this list, a school awards a larger share of its degrees in area studies than other colleges that offer the major.
To build this ranking, College Factual compared the degree focus of the 139 schools in the United States offering area studies.
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Below are the most focused area studies schools at the bachelor’s degree level, ranked by the share of degrees awarded in the major.
Leading the list of the most focused area studies schools is Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fort Worth. About 100% of the degrees Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary awards are in area studies, or about 29 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wesleyan University is one of the most focused area studies schools, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Middletown, Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 6% of the degrees granted here, or about 47 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Wesleyan University
Bowdoin College is one of the most focused area studies schools, landing the #3 spot this year. Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Brunswick. At this school, roughly 6% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 27 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Bowdoin College
Dickinson College came in at #4 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Carlisle. Area Studies accounts for around 5% of the degrees granted here, or about 22 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Dickinson College
Williams College came in at #5 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Williams College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamstown. At this school, roughly 3% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 17 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Williams College
Oberlin College placed #6 for area studies by degree focus. Located in the town of Oberlin, Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit university. About 3% of the degrees Oberlin College awards are in area studies, or about 22 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Oberlin College
Barnard College ranked #7 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Set in the city of New York, Barnard College is a private not-for-profit institution. At this school, roughly 3% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 27 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Barnard College
Smith College comes in at #8 for area studies focus this year. Smith College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Northampton. About 3% of the degrees Smith College awards are in area studies, or about 19 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Smith College
Connecticut College placed #9 for area studies by degree focus. Set in the city of New London, Connecticut College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 3% of the degrees Connecticut College awards are in area studies, or about 11 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Connecticut College
Scripps College placed #10 for area studies by degree focus. Set in the suburb of Claremont, Scripps College is a private not-for-profit institution. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 6 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Scripps College
Wellesley College landed the #11 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Located in the suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 14 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Wellesley College
Amherst College comes in at #12 for area studies focus this year. Located in the city of Amherst, Amherst College is a private not-for-profit university. About 2% of the degrees Amherst College awards are in area studies, or about 11 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Amherst College
Brandeis University placed #13 for area studies by degree focus. Located in the city of Waltham, Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 17 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Brandeis University
College Of Coastal Georgia ranked #14 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Located in the city of Brunswick, College Of Coastal Georgia is a public university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 7 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for College Of Coastal Georgia
Vassar College placed #15 for area studies by degree focus. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar College is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 12 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Vassar College
Hobart William Smith Colleges comes in at #16 for area studies focus this year. Located in the town of Geneva, Hobart William Smith Colleges is a private not-for-profit university. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 7 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Hobart William Smith Colleges
Franklin And Marshall College ranked #17 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Franklin And Marshall College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lancaster. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 10 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Franklin And Marshall College
Pitzer College placed #18 for area studies by degree focus. Pitzer College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont. About 2% of the degrees Pitzer College awards are in area studies, or about 5 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Pitzer College
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill landed the #19 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a public university. About 2% of the degrees University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill awards are in area studies, or about 98 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Mount Holyoke College comes in at #20 for area studies focus this year. Located in the suburb of South Hadley, Mount Holyoke College is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 9 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Mount Holyoke College
Occidental College landed the #21 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Occidental College is a private not-for-profit university. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 7 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Occidental College
Colby College placed #22 for area studies by degree focus. Set in the town of Waterville, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 9 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Colby College
Trinity College comes in at #23 for area studies focus this year. Located in the city of Hartford, Trinity College is a private not-for-profit university. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 9 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Trinity College
Dartmouth College ranked #24 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hanover. About 2% of the degrees Dartmouth College awards are in area studies, or about 21 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Dartmouth College
Furman University landed the #25 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Set in the suburb of Greenville, Furman University is a private not-for-profit institution. About 2% of the degrees Furman University awards are in area studies, or about 8 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Furman University
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s most focused area studies list:
These schools also award degrees in area studies and are worth a look:
Explore the most focused area studies schools at other degree levels:
This list is compiled by College Factual. Schools are ranked by degree focus — the share of the school’s total degree completions that are in the program, drawn from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
