Liberal Education

Dr. Benjamin Rush founded Dickinson College with a grand, yet pragmatic goal: He hoped to prepare promising students to become leaders in the newly chartered United States.  

This was a tall order in 1783 America, a fledgling nation in the wake of the Revolutionary War. Bold revolutionaries such as Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and John Dickinson, a signer of the United States Constitution, laid the foundation for the new democracy; the next generation of Americans would need to further these democratic ideals in the New World. Dickinson College was founded to meet this noble goal. 

Chartered just days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, Dickinson College forged a new frontier in higher education—one that broke from the traditions of Old World institutions. Under Rush’s model, students not only acquired knowledge, but also learned how to use that knowledge in a rapidly changing world.  

The backbone of this revolutionary educational model is a solid foundation in the liberal arts. This “liberal education” teaches students to embrace new ways of thinking, solve problems creatively and address important social issues purposefully. Because of this, Dickinson students are poised to contribute in fields including law, medicine and health services, scientific research, the arts, business and finance, public service, education, community service, environmental studies, the military and religion.  

Dickinson’s forward-thinking approach is evident today in lively discourse between students and faculty; in student and faculty writings and research; and in the shimmering façade of Dickinson’s state-of-the-art Rector Science Complex. Moreover, the college’s firm commitment to sustainability’s triple bottom line—fiscal, social and environmental—is manifest in the sustainable systems instituted throughout the campus and in coursework and programs put forth by our pioneering academic departments. 

Today’s Dickinson students also enjoy a truly global education—a benefit that was unimaginable in Rush’s day. More than half of all courses at Dickinson maintain a global focus, and globally minded policies and practices are observed campuswide, and the majority of Dickinson students study or research abroad. When they return to Dickinson, they bring a rich global perspective that informs and enriches the entire on-campus community. 

Dickinson today remains committed to a revolutionary course of study that pursues, in close cooperation with its students, new knowledge and promotes generous connections across disciplines. A Dickinson liberal-arts education offers students the opportunity to completely and passionately engage in the pursuit of knowledge, talent and character for a noble purpose—to be useful through leadership and high accomplishment.