Private university in Westchester County offering 45+ undergraduate and 70+ graduate programs with a 100-acre campus designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
Manhattanville offers more than 45 undergraduate programs across arts, sciences, business, education, nursing, and related fields, plus more than 70 graduate and certificate programs. The university includes the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, and School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Graduate offerings include a Master of Arts in Teaching (introduced 1965), Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (approved 2012), and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (introduced 2010). The university maintains the Pius X School of Liturgical Music and the Manhattanville Library Rare Book and Manuscripts Room.
The 100-acre Purchase campus was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and features Reid Hall (1864), the architectural centerpiece named after publisher Whitelaw Reid. Other notable structures include the Lady Chapel designed by Maya Lin, the President's Cottage (Barbara Debs House), historic stables, and a water tower. The university provides on-campus housing and dining. Student life includes athletics through NCAA Division III Skyline Conference competition, publications, and engagement through the Sister Mary T. Clark Center for Religion and Community Service, which coordinates over 30,000 volunteer hours annually through the Clark Scholars program.
Manhattanville welcomes undergraduate applicants including first-time first-year, transfer, and accelerated nursing students. Graduate programs serve career-switchers and professionals seeking advancement. The university offers non-degree courses for high school dual enrollment, summer study, and community learners. Online undergraduate and graduate programs provide flexible access for working professionals. The admissions office emphasizes inclusive excellence and a welcoming atmosphere, with 98% of students eligible for financial aid.
Manhattanville traces its origins to 1841 when the Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) founded an academy on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It received collegiate status in 1917 and became known for pioneering racial justice, admitting its first African American student in 1938—decades before the Civil Rights Movement. The college relocated to its current Westchester County campus in 1952 after the City of New York acquired the original Manhattan site. In 1966, the college removed 'of the Sacred Heart' from its name and became coeducational in 1971. It achieved university status in 2024.