The American College, a 136 year old, NAAC re-accredited with "A" grade, autonomous institution affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, is known for its focus on academic excellence and social relevance. Its pioneering role in the development of college autonomy in India in 1978, its successful early implementation of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) under autonomy bear testimony to the position that the college currently enjoys. Today, the College offers 34 undergraduate, 15 postgraduate, and 10 MPhil programmes. PhD programme is offered in 7 disciplines. American College has many firsts to its credit. Washburn Hall is the first student hostel on the campus in South India and the first college in India to use computers. The Daniel Poor Memorial Library is the first library in the southern part of Tamilnadu to be fully automated, and pioneered the use of Bar Code in libraries. The College has an autonomous Centre - Study Centre for Indian Literature in English and Translation (SCILET) that receive international attention. The American College has a Satellite Campus on a sprawling 58 acre land at the foot of the Western Ghats on the outskirts of the city with two state-of-the-art buildings designed in chettinad style. Current student strength of the American College is about 7000.