Mars Hill College

Mars Hill College was the historic name of the institution now known as Mars Hill University, a private university in Mars Hill, North Carolina. The school traces its founding to 1856 and operates in the Blue Ridge Mountains just north of Asheville, serving undergraduate and graduate students from western North Carolina and beyond. Its identity has long been shaped by a liberal arts tradition and by close ties to the surrounding mountain region.

The institution offers a broad academic program that includes more than 30 majors and graduate degrees in areas such as education, criminal justice, management, and social work. Its campus includes the Bailey Mountain Preserve, a wooded tract used for recreation and environmental learning, and the university sponsors programs in the arts, athletics, and community engagement. Mars Hill’s location in Madison County and its regional role are central to its mission: the university emphasizes personal attention, residential learning, and preparation for professional and civic life in Appalachia and the wider Southeast.