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Founded as Regents College in 1971 and chartered as a private, nonprofit institution in 1998, the College was renamed Excelsior College in 2001. Excelsior means “ever upward” in Latin, and it reflects the aspirations of our students and graduates.

Excelsior College is an accredited, recognized leader in removing obstacles to the educational goals of the adult learner. We provide efficient and affordable access to higher education through multiple avenues to degree completion.

An Adult Learner Focus

Excelsior College revolutionized adult higher education by recognizing learning wherever and whenever it occurs.

A leader in online and distance learning, Excelsior College awards degrees at the associate and bachelor’s levels in liberal arts, nursing, business, technology, and health sciences, and at the master's level in liberal studies, nursing, and business. Certificate programs are also offered by the Schools of Business & Technology, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Nursing.

Customized Flexibility Makes the Difference

Students have educational paths that are as unique and diverse as they are. Detours and rest stops are a fact of life. Our committed, national faculty members, and caring, professional staff help working adults overcome barriers to achieving personal, professional, and academic success.

As a proven leader in the assessment and validation of student knowledge through the application of a rigorous yet flexible and individualized approach, we work with each student to discover how best to avoid back-tracking on their road to success.

Our Mission

Excelsior College provides educational opportunity to adult learners with an emphasis on those historically underrepresented in higher education. The College meets students where they are - academically and geographically, offering quality instruction and the assessment of learning.

A Pioneer in Distance Learning

We offer busy students around the world the advantage of both earning credit at a distance and applying previously-earned college-level credit toward degree or certificate programs.