Academics

Denison faculty and the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration offer thoughtful guidance to students considering graduate and professional studies. 

Highly regarded by graduate and professional schools, a Denison liberal arts education prepares students to pursue advanced degrees through a range of pathways, including traditional post-baccalaureate study and combined programs.

Students receive individualized advising from career coaches and faculty mentors, supported by resources such as graduate school guides and standardized test preparation materials. Together, these supports help students make informed decisions and move confidently toward their academic and professional goals.

The Denison Internship Program, provided by the Knowlton Center for Career Exploration, offers students a structured opportunity to explore career interests while applying academic learning in professional settings. 

The program connects students and employers in a supportive partnership focused on intentional learning.

Students set clear goals at the outset, reflect on progress throughout the experience, and complete a final self-evaluation. Upon successful completion, internships are recognized with an academic transcript notation, underscoring the value of gaining real-world experience at Denison.

A well-rounded undergraduate experience and rigorous, lab-based learning are essential for preparing careers in health and medicine, including dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychiatry, medicine, and veterinary medicine.

Through the Knowlton Center’s Health Care, Clinical Research, & Wellness Career Community, students receive guidance as they explore pre-health pathways, prepare applications, and pursue internships and research opportunities. Students work closely with Pre-Health advisors and often engage in clinical experiences, volunteer service, or scientific research, including participation as Anderson Summer Scholars.

A comprehensive liberal arts education provides strong preparation for careers in business.

Many Denison graduates enter the workforce directly after graduation, while others pursue an MBA within several years. Through the Knowlton Center, students explore business pathways in areas such as financial services, consulting, marketing, and sales, supported by specialized career coaches, professional experiences, and MBA preparation.

Students also engage in applied learning through the Red Frame Lab, working with real-world clients and industry leaders, and build interdisciplinary foundations through coursework across economics, finance, communication, data analytics, and organizational studies.

Denison’s liberal arts curriculum equips students pursuing careers in law with strong analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills.

Denison graduates are highly successful in gaining admission to law schools nationwide, with admission rates consistently exceeding the national average.

Students benefit from close advising through the Pre-Law program, participate in the Pre-Law practicum, and access robust LSAT preparation resources. Students interested in careers involving the law regularly take courses within Denison’s Legal Studies program and across the full breadth of liberal arts programs at Denison.

With a long-standing strength in science and pre-engineering, Denison offers two pathways for students pursuing engineering careers.

One option combines four years at Denison in the natural sciences or mathematics with graduate study at another institution, leading to a master’s degree in engineering; Denison graduates are regularly admitted to top engineering programs.

A second dual-degree pathway allows students to earn a Denison bachelor’s degree alongside an engineering degree through affiliated programs with Washington University in St. Louis and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Students interested in either pathway are encouraged to consult the Pre-Engineering Director, Steven Doty, early in their academic planning.

Completing actuary courses will prepare you for careers in insurance companies, as financial planners, and in multinational corporations that need to assess and quantify risk.

You’ll learn from a wide curriculum that includes calculus, algebra, finance, microeconomics, macroeconomics, as well as probability and statistics. The courses can be easily completed by students in any major, but are particularly well-suited for math and economics majors.