Barat College of the Sacred Heart was a small Roman Catholic college located in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States, 30 miles north of Chicago. The college was named after Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Barat College was purchased by DePaul University in 2001, but closed in 2005; the faculty and student body were absorbed by DePaul, and the campus and educational inventory were sold.HistoryBarat College began as an academy for young women in Chicago in 1858 and moved to its Lake Forest location in 1904. In 1918, the state of Illinois chartered Barat as a four-year college, and in 1982, Barat became a coeducational institution. To qualify for federal financial programs, governance of the college passed from the Society of the Sacred Heart to an independent Board of Trustees in 1969. In February 2001, because of fiscal concerns, Barat College was purchased by DePaul University, becoming one of DePaul's seven colleges. The college was then renamed Barat College of DePaul University.In February 2004, the DePaul University Trustee Board voted to discontinue operating Barat College despite a 14-11 vote by the DePaul Faculty Council to continue the alliance. DePaul then began to accept proposals for the future of the college, culminating in the proposal for a relationship with the American College of Education. Through its wholly owned Illinois subsidiary, they acquired a substantial portion of the educational business of Barat College, including the library materials, regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and permits and other authorizations from governmental authorities, education agencies, or other third parties.
