student collects water samples from creek

Master the Art of Learning by Doing

Our deep curiosities invite us to better understand the world.

We put in the long hours for those in need. We pull on the muck boots and head out into the wetland. We learn new languages to land the internship overseas. We lose ourselves in library indexes, and find ourselves looking up at the work of the architectural legends. Simply put, the Grinnell academic experience goes way beyond what gets printed on your diploma. This is you taking an active role in your own education. Here, that means in a way that’s cross-disciplinary, career-oriented, and for the greater good.

  • Global Health excursion to Kronborg Castle in Denmark

    Off-Campus Study

    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.

    Find Opportunities
  • Grinnell College umbrella on a street in China

    Course-Embedded Travel

    When your class gets very specific — like discussing methods for preparing an exhibition of Haitian artists— it might just call for a trip to their studios in Miami. Through course-embedded travel, you can travel for 7 to 14 days with expert faculty to dive into a particular subject. Many 200- and 300-level courses get into international perspectives, which may be perfect opportunities to travel to a related site, in the U.S. or abroad, either during a break or over the summer.

    Explore near and far
  • Students on the set of Friends

    Industry Treks

    Whether you’re checking out the startup scene in Silicon Valley or studying human rights and international relations in New York City, Treks redefine the field trip. These excursions let you get a feel what’s really happening on the ground floor of all types of organizations, industries, and ecosystems today.

    Read about the L.A. media trek
  • Luc Moisan at his Grinnellink internship at the Eldridge Street Museum in Brooklyn, N.Y.

    Internships

    Acquire and apply new skills. Gain irreplaceable experience. Uncover a fresh perspective and turn meaningful connections into a powerful professional network. For these reasons and more, internships are a critical part of your experience at Grinnell. By the time you’re ready to go out into the real world, you’ll have plenty of mentors and workplaces waiting for you.

    Jump Right In
  • Ruilin Yu, Juliet Torres, Neal Fleming

    Externships

    For as few as three days or as long as two weeks, externships give you the chance to test out career fields, explore the differences across industries, and build a bigger network.

    Get Out There
  • Two students make bird feeders out of pinecones

    Service and Community-Based Learning

    The Center for Careers, Life, and Service offers you opportunities to apply your classroom conversations to real, systemic social problems that face communities today. In partnership with faculty, we work with about 100 organizations in our local, regional, and global communities. These endeavors can even grow into paid employment opportunities, research projects, and career-defining experiences.

    Get Started

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Life at Grinnell

Grinnell, Iowa: An unexpected setting for bringing the world together.

Live Grinnellian

After Grinnell

You’re now part of a powerful network of thinkers, change-makers, and society-shapers.

Stay Connected

Majors and Concentrations

Where the humanities, social studies, and sciences converge.

Areas of Study

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