About the College

Degrees Offered

Hood offers 30 bachelor’s degrees, 21 concentrations, 45 minors, and pre-professional preparation in medicine, veterinary science, dentistry and law. Hood’s Graduate School serves the needs of Frederick and surrounding regions with 20 master’s degrees, four doctorates, 12 post-baccalaureate certificates and numerous Skill Accelerator professional development badge programs. The graduate programs provide leading-edge content in business, STEM, the humanities, healthcare and education.

Our Location

Hood is located in a fantastic college town; students are within walking distance of historic Downtown Frederick, featuring an eclectic selection of shops, restaurants, galleries, museums and parks. Our proximity to Washington, D.C., Baltimore and the I-270 technology corridor provides students countless internship and research opportunities.

Accreditations

Hood College is accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education.

Hood College is an approved institutional member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). State regulations require legal authorization for post-secondary institutions to offer distance degrees, certificates, and courses to students who live outside the institution's home state. Hood College has been an NC-SARA member in good standing since 2018.

Our undergraduate business and MBA programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, the premier organization that accredits business schools that have a teaching focus.

The bachelor’s degree in computer science is ABET accredited, which is a demonstration of its commitment to providing students quality education. The Department of Computer Science and Information Technology has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through 2027 by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The counseling programs have received accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The nursing program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and the Maryland Higher Education Commission; the BSN is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The social work program is accredited for undergraduate social work education by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The nutrition science program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Active and Inclusive Community

College is about more than books and tests. You’ll refer to the next four years as your Hood experience, not just your Hood education. And that’s because you’re about to embark on life-changing experiences, where what you learn, who you meet and how you live will help define the person you’ll become. We have more than 50 clubs and organizations and more than 500 campus events each year.

Diversity

Inclusivity is an essential component of our mission. At Hood, 41.5% of our undergraduate student body self-identify as members of under-represented racial or ethnic populations. Our undergraduate students hail from 25 states and 12 countries. We hold annual events celebrating cultural traditions and develop opportunities for the campus community to participate in initiatives and activities that promote awareness of cultural, social, economics, racial, gender and other forms of diversity in our society.

Athletics

The College has experienced a 30% increase of student-athletes, with a significant investment in upgraded facilities and additional sports: esports, men’s volleyball and women's ice hockey. In 2022, men’s basketball won the MAC conference championship; in 2023, men's golf MAC conference championship.

Land Acknowledgement

Hood College was established on lands in harmony with tribes of the Algonquian and Iroquois language families. Many tribes, including the Piscataway, Susquehannock and Tuscarora tribes passed through and resided in this region. Hood College recognizes this past and offers humble respect to the indigenous peoples of the past, present, and future connected to this place.