Rhodes College: A Tradition of Excellence in Liberal Arts Education

Rhodes College, a residential college committed to excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, stands as a nationally ranked institution. Its highest priorities are intellectual engagement, service to others, and honor among ourselves. The college is situated on one of the country’s most beautiful campuses in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, an economic, political, and cultural center, making Rhodes one of a handful of national liberal arts and sciences colleges in a major metropolitan area.

The Rhodes Promise: Experiential Learning at Its Core

The Rhodes Promise ensures that every student will have at least one high-impact, hands-on learning experience. This may take the form of independent research with a faculty mentor, a fellowship or internship with leading partners like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or study abroad/community-based learning that makes a difference locally or globally. These experiences complement the academic environment at Rhodes, equipping students with practical skills and real-world insights.

A Metropolitan Setting: Real-World Opportunities in Memphis

Located in the heart of Memphis-an economic, cultural, and biomedical hub-Rhodes pairs a nationally ranked liberal arts education with real-world opportunities. On its beautiful Collegiate Gothic campus, students work alongside professors in small classes and labs, contribute to meaningful research, and gain professional experience with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and world-class institutions. Rhodes is more than a place to study; it is a place to belong-where mentorship, curiosity, and service prepare graduates to be perceptive thinkers, creative problem solvers, and leaders ready to change the world. At Rhodes, you’ll go beyond the classroom. Beyond the expected. Beyond brilliant.

Academic Excellence and Rankings

Rhodes consistently ranks among the top liberal arts institutions in the United States, recognized for its academic rigor, commitment to student success, and vibrant campus community. U.S. News & World Report and other publications provide various types of numerical rankings and lists to help students and their families narrow their college search. These rankings evaluate institutions on factors including graduation rates, first-year retention rates, financial resources, student-faculty ratio, borrower debt, and peer assessment.

U.S. News & World Report recently released its rankings for colleges and universities around the country, and Rhodes College tied for 55th for Best Liberal Arts Colleges among thousands. News & World Report’s recently released rankings placed Rhodes at No. 55 for National Liberal Arts Colleges.

Rhodes has consistently ranked on “best colleges” lists for the last decade. Earlier this year, Forbes named the college to its list of America’s Top Colleges. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and Money recently named Rhodes to its Best Colleges lists.

Specific Rankings and Recognition

In addition to its overall ranking, Rhodes has received recognition in several specific areas:

Service Learning: Rhodes is ranked among the top schools for service learning, reflecting its commitment to community engagement. U.S. News & World Report ranked Rhodes No. 15 for Service Learning.
Undergraduate Teaching: The college is recognized for its strong focus on undergraduate education and the quality of its teaching. U.S. News & World Report ranked Rhodes No. 28 for Undergraduate Teaching.
Most Innovative Schools: Rhodes has been lauded for its innovative approach to education and its willingness to embrace new ideas. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Rhodes among the "most innovative schools".
Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects: Rhodes ranked No. 53 for Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects.
Best Value Colleges: The Princeton Review designated Rhodes as one of its “Best Value Colleges”.

Faculty and Mentorship

At Rhodes, faculty encourage students to become perceptive thinkers, creative problem solvers, and lifelong learners. Faculty actively mentor students, involving them in research and creative activity, guiding them in fellowships and internships, and helping them explore professional and academic projects. Students learn to formulate and articulate big ideas and contribute to critical discussions in the classroom.

Experiential Learning and Career Preparation

Rhodes provides ample opportunities through community service, undergraduate research, internships, and fellowships in Memphis and far beyond. Students learn to formulate and articulate big ideas and contribute to critical discussions in the classroom. Students also apply knowledge learned in the classroom into the community, with more than 80 percent engaging in community service.

The Princeton Review ranked Rhodes among the “Top 20 Best Schools for Internships.” In 2017, The Princeton Review ranked Rhodes #16 for Best Schools for Internships and #16 for Best Career Services.

Read also: Rhodes Scholarship Requirements

Study Abroad

The Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report listed Rhodes as one of the Top Colleges in the United States for Students Who Study Abroad. Rhodes offers a number of its own study abroad programs, including European Studies, a fall semester program in which students travel to various locations in Europe while studying at the University of Oxford.

A Diverse and Engaged Student Body

Rhodes enrolled 1,780 students for Fall 2025, including 509 first-year students who represent 37 states and 27 countries. The Rhodes student body represents 46 states, the District of Columbia, and 43 foreign countries. Additionally, a significant percentage are minorities, and many are multicultural and international students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1 and the average class size is 14.

The Foundations Curriculum and "Search"

At the core of the Rhodes academic experience is the Foundations Curriculum, which gives students freedom to follow their academic interests and aspirations while developing the critical-thinking and communication skills that are fundamental to a liberal arts education.

First required for entering freshman, The Search for Values in the Light of Western History and Religion, known affectionately as "Search," is a two-year, intensive study of the literature, philosophy, religion, and history of the West from Gilgamesh to modern times. Throughout its history, Search has embodied the College's guiding concern for helping students to become men and women of purpose, to think critically and intelligently about their own moral views, and to approach the challenges of social and moral life sensitively and deliberately.

Campus and Architecture

The campus covers a 123-acre tract in Midtown, Memphis across from Overton Park and the Memphis Zoo. The architecture of Rhodes College is the legacy of President Charles Diehl. Every building on the Rhodes campus is built from three types of stone: the walls are sandstone from Arkansas, the roofs are slate from Vermont, and the door/window frames and decorative carvings are crafted from Indiana limestone. Additionally, each slate roof is built at a precise angle and every structure (except for the visual arts building) has leaded stained-glass windows.

Traditions and Student Life

Central to the life of the college is its honor code, administered by students through the Honor Council. Tradition holds that students stepping on the Seal of Rhodes College, located in the Cloister of Southwestern Hall, will not graduate on time, if at all.

Rites of Spring is Rhodes' annual three-day music festival in early April that typically attracts several major bands from around the country. Rhodes' mascot is the lynx, and the school colors are cardinal and black. The Lynx compete in NCAA Division III in the Southern Athletic Association.

Notable Programs

The Mike Curb Institute for Music

This year, Rhodes’ Mike Curb Institute for Music made its fourth appearance in a row on Billboard’s Top Music Business Schools. In 2006, Mike Curb purchased Elvis Presley's first home for Rhodes, with the idea that it would be used by the college as an extension of the Curb Institute. The Audubon Sessions is a student-produced house concert series that takes place at 1034 Audubon Drive.

Mock Trial Program

The Marcus D. Rhodes College provides an undergraduate mock trial program that has won four national championships and participated in ten national final rounds. Every spring, Rhodes hosts one of the AMTA Opening Round Championship tournaments in the Shelby County Courthouse in downtown Memphis.

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