Dickinson College

In 1783, Benjamin Rush, a revolutionary in both spirit and life, established Dickinson College with the intent of providing a different kind of liberal-arts education.

Here, students are encouraged to be actively engaged with the wider world and challenged to think differently and act boldly. Dickinsonians are guided by a core set of tenets—to be decisive, useful, curious and unafraid to take risks.We produce critical thinkers who see how everything is connected. Graduates forever ready to make a difference.This is how we’ve taught successful graduates of all kinds, from lawyers to researchers to writers to CEOs. Dickinson’s brand of liberal arts has been around for more than 200 years for one reason—it works.

Dickinson College was created explicitly for high purposes: to prepare young people, by means of a useful education in the liberal arts and sciences, for engaged lives of citizenship and leadership in the service of society. Founded by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the college was chartered in 1783, just days after the conclusion of the American Revolution with the specific purpose of preparing the citizens and leaders who would ensure the success of the new democracy. It was to offer a distinctively original form of American education—one that was rigorously rooted in the traditional liberal arts and was, at the same time, innovative, forward-looking and ultimately useful. It was a revolutionary education designed for a revolutionary age.

As we face the challenges and complexities of the 21st century, Dickinson continues to seek direction from this revolutionary heritage within a contemporary context. A Dickinson education prepares its graduates to become engaged citizens by incorporating a global vision that permeates the entire student experience, creating a community of inquiry that allows students to cross disciplinary boundaries and make new intellectual connections, and encouraging students to be enterprising and active by engaging their communities, the nation and the world.Dickinson offers a liberal arts education that is distinctive in purpose and approach. Our founders intended Dickinson graduates to use their liberal arts education as a powerful agent of change to advance the lot of humankind. We expect no less today.

One of the foundations of our curriculum is the ability to pursue your passions and interests.Maybe you’re interested in wildlife conservation? You can do field work in Kenya and Tanzania to examine how land-use practices among the Maasai sustainably manage both wildlife and an economic livelihood. Perhaps you’d like to trek coast to coast across Britain, studying historical, literary and physical elements along the way. Or explore the effectiveness of rainforest restoration in Queensland, Australia. At Dickinson, we give you the freedom to discover whatever it is you’re passionate about and to go with it.

You have the freedom to partner on projects and papers with your professors. You have the ability to design your own research project. And once you decide on a major you’ll have opportunities to pursue independent studies, write a thesis or complete a capstone project.It’s all up to you. We’re here to provide the foundation to translate your passions into a purpose that’s designed to make you successful in whatever you choose to do.

Sometimes it’s a single chair a student has moved to a quiet place to work alone. Other times they’re in twos and threes where a couple of students have spent time catching up on The Daily Show. The red chairs are not only a school tradition; they also represent our strong sense of community. And it’s that type of engagement that allows our students to comfortably take a seat anywhere.Perhaps you speak German but need help with your grammar. We have language residences where students live and speak foreign languages. Or maybe you’re excited about new technology.There’s a learning community focused on living with scientific and technological advances.

We currently have 58 general and special-interest residential options, including traditional residence halls, houses and apartments, themed areas and community-based housing. And with a student body that hails from 41 states and territories and more than three dozen countries across six continents, you’ll find as many living scenarios as you will viewpoints.

After completing your secondary education, you'll find a that liberal-arts education is a wonderful opportunity to continue the next four years of your studies in an environment with a 100-percent commitment to undergraduate education. In contrast with universities in the U.S., liberal-arts colleges offer small class sizes with very close faculty-student interaction. You'll be delighted with the ease of finding a mentor to share your interests and thoughts and to challenge you in your studies.

In the United States, liberal-arts colleges give you an opportunity to study in a wide variety of academic areas. At Dickinson, you can ground yourself for a future in anything from business—through our unique international business & management program—to government, diplomacy or policy research, through our international relations program. Students graduating with a major in computer science go on to in-demand jobs such as computer security and systems analysis.The opportunities are completely open to your willingness to take advantage of all the opportunities Dickinson has to offer you!

The internationalization you'll find at Dickinson College prepares you and your peers for a complex world where a perspective on the many rich cultures, languages, arts and political processes allows you to move freely outside of the confines of your own neighborhood and geographic boundaries. Taking full advantage of the cross-disciplinary perspective of a liberal-arts education gives you an unparalleled comfort level and unique approach in the board room, the laboratory, the news room, the hospital, the courtroom, the political arena or even just the dining room.