Our History
In 1924, the Dominican Sisters of Saint Mary of the Springs, who are now known as the Dominican Sisters of Peace, purchased an estate in New Haven, Connecticut, in an effort to found a women’s college. A charter was signed on July 13, 1925, and the first classes at Albertus Magnus College were held on September 24, 1925 in Rosary Hall, the mansion on the property.
Since 1926, the College has acquired several mansions, which are used for student
residences and administration. Rosary Hall now houses the College library. The latest
constructions on campus include the Tagliatela Academic Center, Bree Common and the
renovated Walsh Hall, which includes the St. Catherine of Siena Chapel. The Cosgrove,
Marcus, Messer Athletic Center opened in 1989. This indoor sports and recreation center
houses a pool, a gymnasium and indoor track, racquetball and volleyball courts, weight
and dance rooms, and a new fitness center. The Center is part of the athletic complex
featuring a soccer field, an outdoor track and tennis courts.
Albertus Magnus College became co-educational in all its programs in 1985. In the
same year, the Continuing Education Division expanded its offerings for adult learners
to include a pioneering Accelerated Degree Program (ADP). In 1994, the College introduced
New Dimensions, an alternative educational delivery system focused on business, also
for adult learners and including undergraduate and graduate courses.
In 1992, Albertus Magnus offered its first graduate program, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Since then, the College has added seven graduate programs: Master of Arts in Art Therapy, the only degree of its kind in Connecticut; Master of Arts in Leadership; Master of Fine Arts in Writing; Master of Science in Human Services; Master of Business Administration; Master of Science in Education; and Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership.
Today, Albertus has approximately 500 full-time traditional (day) undergraduates and 1,000 adult undergraduate and graduate students from eight U.S. states and two international countries.
The College's Board of Trustees was reorganized in 1969 so that 80 percent of its members are lay people; the others are members of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. The College remains true to its Dominican heritage and continues to be dedicated to the search for truth in all its dimensions.