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About the Middlebury Institute

About Middlebury Institute Online

The Middlebury Institute is a graduate school of Middlebury College and a training ground for developing and implementing practical solutions. We’re home to leading experts in global security, sustainability, development, education, and language services. Whether you study with us in person or online, you are a part of a learning community that is both global and local. You’ll work closely and collaborate with professors who have a passion for teaching at the graduate level, and they bring both extensive academic expertise and years of professional experience. When you earn a graduate degree from the Middlebury Institute, you’ll be prepared to be a leader in high-demand global industries and organizations.

Why The Middlebury Institute of International Studies?

Middlebury Institute is home to some of the world’s leading experts in sustainability, global security, development, education, and language services. They will be your mentors, teaching you how to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.

Intercultural Competence

We foster students’ ability to effectively listen to, communicate with, and take action in communities with a range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds, a vital skill in today’s global landscape.

Sustainability Initiatives

We promote the responsible use of our resources in practical applications and in the education and engagement of our students. We hope students take these values into their lives and workplaces.

Global Partnerships

For more than 50 years, the Institute has sought opportunities to partner with other institutions to expand our ability to achieve common goals.

Diversity

Our online programs welcome students and faculty of diverse backgrounds, ensuring learners benefit from a wide range of perspectives and voices while earning their degrees.

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The Middlebury Connection

In addition to the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Middlebury operates:

  • The Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad in 17 countries and 38 cities around the globe
  • The Middlebury Language Schools, which celebrated their centennial in 2015 and educate 1,500 students each summer in Vermont and California
  • The Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, founded in 1920 and offering summer classes in Ripton, Vermont; Oxford, England; and Santa Fe, New Mexico

Accreditation

Middlebury and its schools and programs are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Middlebury Institute for International Studies Fast Facts

53 countries represented

30% of student body made up of international students

45 native languages spoken

12:1 student-to-faculty ratio

Our Mission

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies educates professionals to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.

Our Vision

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey provides international and professional education in areas of critical importance to a rapidly changing world.

Our Values

We translate knowledge into meaningful action to address local and global needs. Our decisions and practices are driven by responsibility for our impact on one another and the future. We value and honor diversity, with a special emphasis on cultural and linguistic diversity. We commit to co-creating a thriving, inclusive community that respects and celebrates the voices of all members.

Our History

The Institute was founded in 1955 as the Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies by Gaspard Weiss, in collaboration with his wife, Louise Weiss, and cofounders Frank Elton and Sybil Fearnley. Weiss and his colleagues envisioned a graduate school that would promote international understanding through the study of language and culture. While the Institute’s name and programs have evolved, its core identity as an innovator and leader in international professional education has remained constant.

In 2015, the Institute was renamed as the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Our rich heritage as a leading international professional graduate school continues to inform our mission and curriculum as we move forward as part of a global network of programs for future leaders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore our FAQ page to find answers to questions you may have about the online programs.

Yes, you are welcome to visit campus. Prospective students should schedule a campus visit. Current students should contact their academic advisor.

We are proud to have a 12:1 faculty-to-student ratio.

Yes, absolutely. Online programs at the Middlebury Institute are explicitly designed for busy working professionals, including those with personal and professional responsibilities. The asynchronous format lends itself well to the flexibility you need to succeed in the program you select.

They will not. There’s no difference in the diplomas presented to graduates of the online and in-person programs.

Middlebury Institute was founded in 1955. Learn more on the about us page.

Middlebury and its schools and programs are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Learn more on the about us page.

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