Ripon College

Our innovative new curriculum, Catalyst, began rolling out to the first-year class during the fall semester of 2016. The five-course curriculum rigorously develops the 21st-century skills that employers seek while streamlining the path to graduation. Catalyst ensures students have extensive freedom and are able to complete multiple majors and minors, study abroad and hold internships in four years.

Ripon's liberal arts curriculum introduces students to a wide variety of disciplines. About 40 percent of our students complete double or triple majors, while some create special self-designed majors. Hallmarks of a Ripon education are excellent communications skills, both written and oral; critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; and the opportunity to explore serious research pursuits alongside faculty as an undergraduate, no matter what your major.

A Ripon education will take you anywhere! You could study psychology and play basketball at Ripon, and then become a seven-time Grammy winner like jazz singer Al Jarreau (1962). You could become a Nobel Prize winner in economics like Oliver Williamson (1954). You could guide the space shuttle into orbit like Jeff Bantle (1980), a chief flight director with NASA, or become an international opera star like Gail Dobish (1976). Perhaps you'll set records in medical science like neonatologist Dr. John Muraskas (1978), who is on record for saving the world's smallest premature baby, or cover world events, like Richard Threlkeld (1959), former Moscow correspondent for CBS News. You could make your mark in the world of entertainment like Harrison Ford (1964), Spencer Tracy (1924) or Justin Neibank (1978). Or perhaps you'll end up studying at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar like Zach Morris (2002), who also found time to play touch football with former President Bill Clinton and spent an evening at Buckingham Palace with the Queen.

Ripon College offers a four-year graduation guarantee with 31 majors and 42 minors, including a variety of fast-track pre-professional programs. Every student graduates with a concentration in Applied Innovation upon completing the innovative five-course Catalyst curriculum.

Majors include Anthropology, Art History, Biology, Business Management, Chemistry, Chemistry-Biology, Communication, Economics, Educational Studies, English, Environmental Studies, Exercise Science/Athletic Training, Foreign Languages and Cultures, Global Studies, History, Mathematics, Music, Philosophy, Physical Education, Physical Science, Physics, Politics and Government, Psychobiology, Psychology, Recreation Physical Education, Religion, Sociology, Spanish, Sport Management, Studio Art, and Theatre.

Minors include American Studies, Anthropology, ARMS (Ancient, Renaissance & Medieval Studies), Art History, Biology, Business Management, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Coaching, Communication, Criminal Justice, Dramatic Literature, Economics, Educational Studies, Educational Studies-Early Childhood, Educational Studies-Middle School Childhood and Early Adult, English, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Biology, Francophone Studies, French, Health, History, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Law and Society, Mathematics, Military Leadership, Music, National Security Studies, Nonprofit Management, Philosophy, Physics, Politics and Government, Psychology, Religion, Socially Responsible Leadership, Sociology, Spanish, Special Education, Studio Art, Theatre Production, Women's and Gender Studies.

Ripon College offers fast track programs that allow students to get professional degrees sooner in engineering, law and osteopathic medicine. We currently have a fast track program in engineering with Washington University; law with Marquette University, American University, Mitchell Hamline University and St. Thomas University; and osteopathic medicine with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Other pre-professional programs available include: Government Service, Journalism, Library and Information Science, Military Leadership, Ministry, Pre-Med & Health Sciences (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, physical therapy, pharmacy, nursing, chiropractic medicine, sports medicine), and Social Work.

Teacher certification is offered in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle/Junior High, Secondary, and Bilingual/ESL. In addition, Ripon offers licensure in 21 subject areas. Teacher certification programs approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction prepare students for licensure at the early childhood/middle childhood level (grades PK through 5), the middle childhood/early adolescence level (grades 1 through 8), and the early adolescence/adolescence level (grades 6 through 12). The educational studies department also offers PK-12 certification programs in art, foreign language (French and Spanish), music, physical education, physical education and health, and theatre (pending program approval).