About us

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College history

Saint Joseph's was founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy. At the heart of Saint Joseph's College is a Catholic liberal arts tradition and educational mission for men and women of all faiths and all ages. The college, which also administers a traditional four-year residential curriculum, is situated on 350 acres along the shore of Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine, a half-hour from Portland, Maine's largest city, and two hours north of Boston.

In 1976, Saint Joseph's introduced distance education to serve the needs of busy adult learners who wanted to earn a degree through off-campus study. Since then, more than 9,400 adult learners from 50 states and 22 countries have earned their degrees from Saint Joseph's.

Online learning at Saint Joseph’s

The Graduate & Professional Studies Division offers you a convenient and manageable way to earn a degree. Right now, more than 2,500 students like you – with families, demanding schedules and active lives – are pursuing their online degree through Saint Joseph's College. You can start your program in any month of the year and set a pace that suits your life and family. Throughout the program, your personal academic advisor will guide you.

Programs

Online education, offered through the Division of Graduate & Professional Studies includes:

• Certificate Programs
• Continuing Education Courses
• Associate’s degrees
• Bachelor’s degrees
• Master’s degrees

Accreditation

Saint Joseph's College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc., a non-governmental, nationally recognized organization. Accreditation of an institution by the New England Association indicates that the college meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer group review process. An accredited school or college is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

The Nursing Program is also approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing, Augusta, Maine, and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Washington D.C.

The Long-Term Care Administration program is also accredited by the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long-Term Care Administrators.

Mission

The Division of Graduate & Professional Studies is characterized by our benchmarks of excellence: quality curricula, effective support services and dedication to excellence.

In extension of the Mission of Saint Joseph's College of Maine, the Division of Graduate & Professional Studies offers quality academic programs that are dedicated to meeting the needs of the adult learning community. The Division of Graduate & Professional Studies continuously strives to maintain and strengthen its position as a leader in distance education by creating and supporting a community of learners in an environment embodying the principles of the Sisters of Mercy of Saint Joseph's College of Maine.