11 Open Curriculum Schools: Colleges Without Core Requirements
What’s Covered:
- What Is an Open Curriculum?
- 11 Colleges and Universities With an Open Curriculum
- What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Open Curriculum Schools?
When choosing a college, many students consider the flexibility of the curriculum. Some schools offer an open curriculum, allowing students to design their own academic path without required core classes. Some students find that this academic freedom supports career exploration, while others believe that it makes learning more engaging by allowing them to focus on personal interests. Students with clear goals may simply prefer to skip unrelated requirements.
If you want more control over your education, an open curriculum might be the right fit. Read on to learn how it works and explore 11 colleges that offer strong programs.
What Is an Open Curriculum?
An open curriculum has few, if any, distribution requirements (also known as core requirements or general education requirements).
Understanding Open Curriculum
Students in open curriculum programs typically have the option to design their own distribution of course load, programs of study, majors, and/or concentrations.
This doesn’t necessarily mean full freedom, as students are often required to take a writing course and fulfill specified major requirements; however, an open curriculum program is typically more flexible than a program with core requirements.
A common misconception is that students in open curriculum programs don’t choose majors or concentrations. This is generally not true—open curriculum programs simply give students more freedom in selecting the courses that contribute to their distribution requirements and/or their major requirements.
It’s important to note that some open curriculum colleges and universities require students to write a proposal or thesis about their work, particularly if they design their own majors or programs. This is because, in many cases, a board of advisors must approve the included courses to ensure that students are receiving a quality and comprehensive education.
Who Thrives in an Open Curriculum?
Open curriculum programs can be beneficial to self-motivated students. If students are undecided about their majors, these programs can provide them the freedom to explore different possibilities. On the other hand, if students are secure in their majors, these programs can allow them to focus on their interests.
Who Struggles in an Open Curriculum?
That said, an open curriculum program may not be the best option for students who lack motivation or aren’t self-starters, as they’re unable to fully take advantage of the freedom and flexibility of an open curriculum.
Curious about which schools offer an open curriculum? Read on to find out more.
11 Colleges and Universities With an Open Curriculum
1. Amherst College
Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
Acceptance Rate: 9%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1500-1560/33-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,914
Amherst College has no core curriculum. Students must complete one first-year seminar and the requirements for their majors. Additionally, as students select their courses, they can choose from courses housed at Amherst or at any other school in the Five College Consortium, which includes many other colleges listed below.
Learn more about Amherst College and see your chances of acceptance.
2. Brown University
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Acceptance Rate: 5%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1510-1560/34-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,910
Famous for its open curriculum, Brown University has only one curriculum requirement: a single writing course. Beyond that, students are the architects of their own education. That said, Brown acknowledges that most undergraduates sample courses in a diverse range of topics housed in the university’s various colleges before focusing on an academic concentration.
Learn more about Brown University and see your chances of acceptance.
3. Grinnell College
Location: Grinnell, Iowa
Acceptance Rate: 15%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1430-1520/31-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,788
At Grinnell, students design their own curriculum rather than choosing a prescribed major. The only requirement is that students must take one first-year tutorial, choosing from among 35 possible topics, which have previously included themes such as “Kendrick Lamar,” “Coping with Climate Change,” and “Exploring the Magical World of Calvin and Hobbes.”
Learn more about Grinnell College and see your chances of acceptance.
4. Hamilton College
Location: Clinton, New York
Acceptance Rate: 14%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1460-1530/33-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,037
Hamilton is known for its “Proseminars,” small classes that maximize interaction between students and instructors while promoting writing and critical-thinking skills. Students must pass at least three writing courses and complete their concentration requirements. Students must also complete one quantitative and symbolic reasoning course.
Lastly, Hamilton students must meet a physical education requirement. This is done by completing a physical fitness assessment and taking three lifetime activity classes, which may include activities like:
- Aerobics
- Basketball
- Frisbee golf
- Jogging
- Pickleball
- Rock climbing
- Swimming
- Yoga
Learn more about Hamilton College and see your chances of acceptance.
5. Hampshire College
Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
Acceptance Rate: 70%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 716
Hampshire College students can build personalized concentrations, providing students the opportunity to pursue their own questions and research, and make a lasting impact on the world. Hampshire is organized around “Learning Collaboratives,” rather than schools or colleges, which are groups of academic resources centered around real-world concerns facing society. They are:
- Environments and Change
- In/Justice
- Media and Technology
- Time and Narrative
Students also advance through a three-part divisional structure—as opposed to traditional school years—working and being mentored by advisors as they design and follow their own academic path. Students at Hampshire also have access to the Five College Consortium schools mentioned above.
Learn more about Hampshire College and see your chances of acceptance.
6. NYU | Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Location: New York, New York
Acceptance Rate: 9%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1480-1550/34-35
Undergraduate Enrollment (at Gallatin specifically): 1,600
A small school within New York University, Gallatin allows its students to build an individualized program of study, known as a concentration. The program emphasizes research, writing, and critical thinking, preparing students for academic and professional success. Students enhance their education through global study, internships, and civic engagement. Flexible degree requirements lead to a final oral exam, the Senior Colloquium, where students reflect on and present their learning.
Learn more about NYU and see your chances of acceptance.
7. Smith College
Location: Northampton, Massachusetts
Acceptance Rate: 21%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1450-1520/32-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,549
Smith College, a private liberal arts women’s college, has no distribution requirements, except one writing-intensive course. Students design their curriculum under the guidance of an advisor and must simply meet the requirements of their major. Smith College is part of the Five College Consortium, which means students experience no shortage of courses and experiences to choose from.
Learn more about Smith College and see your chances of acceptance.
8. University of Rochester
Location: Rochester, New York
Acceptance Rate: 4%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1420-1500/32-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,580
While the University of Rochester has a few requirements, it has a more open curriculum than many other colleges. Students must complete one required writing course, all of the courses for their chosen major (which will fall under the humanities, the social sciences, or the natural sciences and engineering), and one cluster (a set of three related courses) in each of the areas of learning that does not house their declared major.
Learn more about the University of Rochester and see your chances of acceptance.
9. Vassar College
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1460-1520/33-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,462
Vassar has some requirements, but the curriculum is more open than at most schools. There are nine multidisciplinary programs and six interdepartmental programs. Students may choose a concentration in a department, direct their own learning in an independent program, or pursue a multidisciplinary and interdepartmental program. Students must complete a first-year writing seminar as well as their major requirements.
Learn more about Vassar College and see your chances of acceptance.
10. Wake Forest University
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Acceptance Rate: 22%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1420-1500/32-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,490
Wake Forest offers an open curriculum option to a small number of high-achieving students. While the general university population is required to meet standard core requirements, students have the opportunity to apply for the open curriculum. Once accepted, open curriculum students design an individualized course of study with an advisor and must have their plans approved by a committee.
Learn more about Wake Forest University and see your chances of acceptance.
11. Wesleyan University
Location: Middletown, Connecticut
Acceptance Rate: 16%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1300-1500/31-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,805
Wesleyan has no core requirements. Students choose courses under the guidance of advisors and create “customized itineraries” in three academic divisions: the humanities and the arts, the social sciences, and the natural sciences and mathematics. That said, there are some checkpoints along the way. For example, students must complete at least two courses in each of these divisions by the end of their sophomore year.
Learn more about Wesleyan University and see your chances of acceptance.
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance at Open Curriculum Schools?
You likely noticed that many schools that offer open curriculum programs are highly selective. That said, your personal chances of acceptance at these schools may be higher or lower than the general acceptance rate.
To find out your personal chances of acceptance at each of these colleges and universities—along with any other colleges and universities you may be interested in—use CollegeVine’s free chancing engine. It takes your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars into account to estimate your odds of acceptance at hundreds of different colleges across the country. The engine will also provide tips for improving your profile!
