Continuing Education
Undergraduate Courses in the Arts & Sciences
Bryn Mawr College invites qualified members of the community to take courses in the undergraduate college. Students who enroll in the Continuing Education Program come from a variety of educational backgrounds, ages, and experience. Their purposes for continuing education include:
- Updating their background in a field
- Exploring a new field
- Preparing for graduate study
- Pursuing a topic of interest
- General educational enrichment
- For highly qualified advanced high school students, supplementing the curriculum available at their high school
The aim of the Continuing Education program is to provide individuals the opportunity to take courses, for full academic credit, who do not wish to undertake a full college program leading to a degree. A Continuing Education student may apply to take up to two undergraduate courses per semester, (regular enrollment and other resources permitting) and has the option either to take the course(s) for academic credit or audit. Students may not receive a degree through the Continuing Education program. If a Continuing Education student wishes to matriculate as an undergraduate, they must apply through the Admissions Office.
Alumnae/i who have earned one or more degrees from the College are eligible for a 50-percent tuition discount on courses, plus their application fee is waived.
The Details
The possibilities for study include courses in more than thirty fields. Continuing Education students may enroll in any open course for which they are qualified. Instructors, times and locations for each semester’s course offerings are in the TriCo course guide.
Course descriptions and prerequisites are provided in the college catalog.
Some matters to keep in mind as you browse the course list:
- be sure you have satisfied any prerequisite to the course you plan to take;
- allow enough time in the registration process to secure permission from the instructor teaching any course you want to take;
- Continuing Education students or auditors may not take courses at Haverford or Swarthmore College.
- Continuing Education students are not allowed to enroll in courses which are oversubscribed. Some courses fill to capacity every single semester and so are not open to Continuing Education students: Biology 101-102, 110, 111, 112, and 113; Chemistry 103,104, 211, 212; Physics 101-102 (post-baccalaureate section); and all creative writing classes. Many other courses will also be oversubscribed each year and therefore not open to Continuing Education students, or only as space is available. These include most sociology and psychology classes. To ensure that students are properly placed in the courses they choose, the faculty member offering the course must give permission.
- There are some courses that are open to Bryn Mawr undergraduate students only, these include but are not limited to the Emily Balch Seminar, and Independent Studies.
- the vast majority of classes meet during the day: Bryn Mawr does not offer a night school.
- All participants must be at least 18 years of age prior to the start of the semester in which they hope to be enrolled.
Dates when classes begin for each semester are listed in the academic calendar.
Although applications are accepted on a “rolling” basis, please make inquiries and return your application as soon as possible as it takes at least fifteen working days to process an application. If you have any questions about specific courses or the application process, please email registrar@brynmawr.edu.
- Complete and return an application together with a non-refundable $50 application fee. Forms are available here or in the Registrar’s office on the lower level of Guild or by calling 610-526-5142. The application form is also available as a web form here.
- The Application fee: Please use the online payment option here. Please see additional payment options below.
- Submit all required supporting documentation including transcripts and letters as appropriate. See application for specific requirements.
Please send all materials to:
Sara Forrest
Assistant Registrar
Eugenia Chase Guild Hall
Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
OR via email: registrar@brynmawr.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Continuing Education students are not eligible for federal or state student loan programs of for Bryn Mawr aid.
Senior citizens and alumnae/i who have earned one or more degrees from the College are eligible for a 50-percent tuition discount on courses; the application fee is waived for alumnae/i. The special discount does not apply to alumnae/i who are matriculated graduate students.
Options for Payment can be found here. Please note that the online payments and Prepaid Tuition Options are not available to Continuing Education students.
The College has a fair and equitable refund policy based on Federal regulations. Under the policy the refund will be a percentage of tuition, fees, room and board based on the period of attendance and the receipt of Title IV funds. The actual calculation of the refund will be made in the Controller's Office based upon the date of withdrawal. For specific dates and amounts of refund and/or a copy of the policy, please take a look at the administrative staff of your program or the Controller's Office.
There is a full tuition refund if you withdraw on or before the first day of class.
Contact Us
Office of the Registrar
Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: 610-526-5142
Fax: 610-526-5139
registrar@brynmawr.edu