students in classroom

Academics

We prefer defining our own path for discovery.

This is your education. Imagine what happens when you have the freedom to explore combinations of academic interests, issues within society, and other parts of the world? When it happens alongside the support and resources you’ll find at Grinnell, we think you uncover an intellectual journey that’s never done before.

The Academic Experience

At Grinnell, you plot your own academic path. With no core curriculum, general education, or distribution
requirements, you’re free to explore and specialize as you choose. From the First-Year Tutorial and First Year-Experience: Connections through Mentored Advanced Projects and advanced seminars, you’ll discover what it means to learn like a Grinnellian.

Experience Academics at Grinnell

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    Majors & Concentrations

    Some set a plan in stone. Others set a few ideas in motion.

    Working alongside your advisers, you’ll choose from over 500 courses across our many divisions and departments. You don’t have to declare a major until the second half of your sophomore year. So you’ve got time to explore your options, or you can focus your interests from the get-go.

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    Global

    Studying abroad for a semester is just the start.

    At Grinnell, global understanding goes beyond a single experience. Every place, every point in time, and every culture, brings with a unique point of view and version of the human experience. On campus, Grinnellians study these experiences and use them as lenses for approaching our disciplines, communities, and our impact on others. You’ll have access to global programs for language development, intercultural exchange, and community engagement, for here or wherever your studies take you.

Academic Resources

At Grinnell, you never have to go it alone. As you grow your interests and advance further in your area of study, you’ll have multiple advisers, resources, and networks to support you, every step of the way.

Learn more

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    Libraries

    A growing world of information, waiting for you to explore.

    The expert faculty and staff at our three libraries are available to help connect you to the resources and you need to dive even deeper into inquiry.

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