Open Curriculum
Wesleyan emphasizes student choice. The drive to explore freely and seek connections across courses generates the intellectual excitement that fuels learning over a lifetime.
Our open curriculum balances a strong academic foundation with the opportunity to create a unique-to-you combination of disciplines, fields, and subject matter areas. Our General Education Expectations provides a framework for exploration—instead of a rigid set of requirements that hem in your creativity and curiosity.
Students work with faculty advisors to create a plan and adjust it each semester as they discover new interests or go deeper into subjects they love. By the end of their first two years, students need to complete at least two courses in each of Wesleyan’s three academic divisions, with each course coming from a different department. In their last two years, they take at least one more course in each division to round out their education.
I knew I was interested in studying theater when I first came to Wesleyan, but I wanted to take full advantage of the open curriculum—I liked the variety in my schedule, and it seemed like a great way to become well-rounded. I had no intention of minoring in religion, but I enjoyed every single class I took, and over time I discovered connections to my theater work, especially the ideas of ritual and performance. Through the open curriculum, I was able to find something I had not expected to be interested in, then pursue it. 鈥�
The Wesleyan Approach to Education
Wesleyan stands apart from other institutions of higher education by empowering you to take ownership of your academic journey. Our courses emphasize active engagement and the freedom to experiment, allowing you to explore, create, and shape your educational experience.
Learn While Doing
At Wesleyan, hands-on learning extends far beyond the lab. While many students are familiar with applying classroom concepts in science labs, we take this approach across disciplines, offering hands-on learning in every field.
I'm exploring talents and abilities that I couldn't recognize before, picking up new skills, satisfying my curiosity, and putting myself on a pathway to help others. 鈥�
