Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College have long been intertwined. It was, in fact, a Haverford Board of Managers member whose bequest led to Bryn Mawr's founding in 1885, and ever since the two schools have enjoyed a close, collaborative relationship. For decades, students at both colleges have been able to cross-register for classes and majors; access an integrated library system; and join clubs, attend social activities, eat, and room across the campuses. There are even academic programs and departments that are structured and run collaboratively across campuses.
Academically, the
Bi-Co relationship governs departments such as German and East Asian Languages and Cultures, as well as programs, including Chinese and Japanese languages, Comparative Literature, Education, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Health Studies. The two campuses collaborate to offer comprehensive arts education, with Haverford serving as the home for the Music and Fine Arts departments and Bryn Mawr housing the Theater, Dance, and Creative Writing programs. Administratively, Haverford and Bryn Mawr are served by Bi-College offices of campus safety and dining services, and transportation between the two colleges, including the iconic Blue Bus, is also administered as a Bi-Co partnership.