Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA

Moravian College is a private college in Bethlehem, PA, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees that blend liberal arts with professional programs. Dating back to 1742, Moravian holds the distinction of being the sixth oldest college in America, was the first to educate women, and the first to educate Native Americans in their own language. The school was founded on the belief that education is essential for all without regard for gender or social standing.

“Not the children of the rich or of the powerful only, but of all alike, boys and girls, both noble and ignoble, rich and poor, in all cities and towns, villages and hamlets, should be sent to school.”

–John Amos Comenius

Quick facts:

  • Founded: 1742
  • Number of students: 2,073 undergraduate students, 522 graduate students (2018 enrollment*)
  • Popular majors: Nursing, business, psychology
  • Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
  • Athletics: Moravian Greyhounds NCAA Division III Landmark Conference (Centennial Conference for football)

About Moravian College:

The College educates a socially and religiously diverse group of students from a variety of socioeconomic, religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds and from about 25 states and 10 foreign countries. Moravian’s two campuses book end a mile-long stretch of the beautiful and iconic Main Street in Bethlehem. The Main Street, or North Campus, is the center of daily life for most students, housing most of the buildings and administrative offices, while the Hurd, or South Campus, is tucked into historic downtown Bethlehem. The Brethren’s House, built in 1748, contains offices and meeting rooms for the College’s Priscilla Payne Hurd Center for Art and Music.

President Bryon L. Grigsby, a 1990 graduate of Moravian College, has led the school through through a number of transformative initiatives that have improved and developed the academic programs, upgraded facilities, and greatly enhanced the technology infrastructure on campus since he was brought on in 2013. You’ll often see President Grigsby around campus with his two rescued greyhounds, Mo & Benny, beside him.

Students at the college were prepared to learn remotely with the school’s recent COVID-19 shutdown and learning from home. Upon enrollment, every incoming student is given a MacBook Pro and an iPad to level the educational playing field and allow increased connectivity in the classroom and around the world. The school will reopen in the fall with updated scheduling, safety policies, and procedures in place to ensure the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff.

“Moravian College has always been here to provide the educational needs of the residents of the Lehigh Valley. Moravian remains a leader in health-care, education, business and produces many of the area’s entrepreneurs. As an Apple Distinguished Campus, Moravian provides students with all the skills they need to enter the workforce and have successful and fulfilling lives.”

Byron L. Grigsby, President, Moravian College

Moravian College is a member of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) along with Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lehigh University, Lafayette College, and Muhlenberg College. Students (and faculty) from each institution have the ability to take classes at the other member institutions.

Moravian is also a member of The New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U), a national consortium of selective, small to mid-size independent colleges and universities dedicated to the purposeful integration of liberal education, professional studies, and civic engagement.

Learn more about Moravian College and the other schools in Lehigh Valley.