With all
your mind
At Calvin, you will learn from inquisitive professors who are deeply committed Christians. With their world-class expertise, you will discover truth and a bold future. Along the way, you’ll ask lots of questions—and love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind.
ACADEMIC OPTIONS
With over 100 majors and programs, you’re bound to find something you love.
Browse by category
- Arts
- Business
- Communication & Media Studies
- Education
- Education (BA, BS)
- Many specializations, including:
- Master of Education (MEd)
- Health Sciences
- Humanities
- Ministry
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
- Social Sciences
- World Languages & Cultural Studies
Apply to Calvin
It all starts here! We accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. All completed applications receive equal consideration.
Start your journey
Visit Calvin
Come visit Calvin and experience campus for yourself! You’ll meet with professors, explore our impressive facilities, sit in on a class, worship with us in chapel and so much more. Find the visit option that works best for you and get a taste for life at Calvin!
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Learn why Calvin’s dedication to faith and discovery have earned it the rank of #1 college in the Midwest.
Costs & Financial Aid
Families from all economic backgrounds—many just like yours—are making Calvin work. Scholarships, grants and loans are the tools that make Calvin possible.
Explore financial aid & Scholarships How much does Calvin cost?Academic Options
So, what would you like to study?
Consider your choices:
Quick facts
90%Faculty who hold the highest degree in their field
175+Students engaged in faculty research
40+Faculty-led study abroad options
TOP 6%Baccalaureate Colleges whose graduates go on to earn research doctorates
Faculty Profiles
Meet the minds who will shape yours
Lew Klatt | English
What he’ll teach you:
Professor Klatt will give you a new appreciation for poetry, even if you don’t think of yourself as a poetry kind of person.
Teaching style:
Rigorous and thought-provoking. Prepare to experiment with language.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Klatt was the Grand Rapids Poet Laureate from 2014 to 2017.
Quote:
“We believe that all of life is redeemed, which means that no corner of the world is off-limits. Your passions and your interests are actually put there by God because, as Paul affirms, ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand.’ We ought to say, then, ‘Okay, Lord, lead me into those good works!’ And that takes the pressure off, because God knows what we need to be doing with our lives.”
Cynthia Slagter | Spanish
What she’ll teach you:
Whether you are a first-time Spanish speaker or life-long learner, Professor Slagter will immerse you in the language, culture, art, history, and beauty of the Spanish-speaking world.
Teaching style:
You’ll be asked to reflect on your learning, and you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Slagter leads the Camino de Santiago interim in Spain.
Quote:
“The way we do faith and learning at Calvin is different. We don’t do faith and learning, we do faith in our learning. We fundamentally challenge the underpinnings of what’s going on.”
Elisha Marr | Sociology
What she’ll teach you:
You’ll reconsider the systems that we live in, and ask questions about pursuing justice in God’s world.
Teaching style:
Professor Marr paints a picture (sometimes literally!) that uses simple imagery to explain complex issues.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Marr recently mentored a group of students and recent alumni who studied racial profiling in police stops here in Grand Rapids.
Quote:
“What we do at Calvin, and I think we do it well, is teach students to be critical, analytical thinkers. That means asking the right questions, knowing where to get valid information and then using it in a positive way. We don’t just impart facts and knowledge—we teach tools students can use to be discerning citizens of the world.”
Kristin Du Mez | History
What she’ll teach you:
An expert on gender and religion, Professor Du Mez will help you uncover new perspectives on how those two forces influenced each other throughout history.
Teaching style:
Hands-on. You won’t just learn history; you’ll learn how to be a historian.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Du Mez is working on a book titled Journey of Faith: Hillary Clinton and the Polarization of American Christianity, as well as a project on evangelical masculinity and the rise of Donald Trump.
Quote:
“We don’t turn out students who have a lot of easy answers, but hopefully we turn out students who have a sense of the complexity of our problems and boldness to try to face those problems—students who can work towards bringing justice, bringing Shalom, and who can do that with real humility.”
Sam Smartt | Communication Arts and Sciences
What he’ll teach you:
Professor Smartt will bring visual storytelling and the craft of filmmaking down to earth, even for the least camera-savvy among us.
Teaching style:
In his “Communicating with Digital Media” class, you’ll use your smartphone in new ways every day.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Smartt is creating a documentary on fellow Calvin professor Larry Molnar’s prediction of a red nova.
Quote:
“One of the best things you’re going to have at Calvin is faculty that want to see you succeed. If you demonstrate a hunger for learning and an aptitude for what you’re doing, you will have faculty who are really pushing you and helping you find opportunities.”
Dave Warners | Biology
What he’ll teach you:
You’ll learn about the natural world, but that’s just the beginning: you’ll be exposed to what justice and Christian stewardship means in the context of our place here in Michigan.
Teaching style:
You’ll research alongside Professor Warners on real, relevant projects like the Plaster Creek Stewards initiative.
Fascinating fact:
Professor Warners and a team of student researchers are cataloging the flora of Grand Rapids in order to update a hundred-year-old book, Grand Rapids Flora.
Quote:
“We’re not a safe haven where students are removed from the world and educated. We really want to be connected to the community, and we want our students to get experiences out in the real world where they can begin practicing how to make a difference.”
Calvin’s Educational Framework
What a Calvin education really gives you
At Calvin, you will learn how to think as a Christian—how to understand complex issues from a Christ-centered perspective, how to defend your beliefs, and how to express your creative solutions in a global culture.
Your Christian faith is deeper and more resilient when you ground it in biblical and theological truth. We welcome questions that seek understanding and challenge you to find your purpose in acts of justice, mercy, and love.
As followers of Christ, we use our hearts, minds, talents, and resources to be attentive and creative citizens of this world. At Calvin, you’ll develop cultural intelligence, become a faithful caretaker of God’s creation, and serve others with sacrificial compassion.
A Calvin education will prepare you for more than a job that pays the bills. It will equip you with the habits, skills, and virtues that you need for a life that’s a response to God’s faithfulness.
Awards & Acclaim
Don’t just take our word for it
“Calvin is ranked #1 overall among Midwest Regional Colleges in U.S. News & World Report's “Best Colleges Guidebook.”
The Princeton Review
“Every accredited college or university offers education, but not every school prepares students for the real world in the way that Calvin does [...] Best of all, perhaps, Calvin provides a fantastic Christian education for little money, compared to other private schools.”
“Calvin students describe the overall academic environment as challenging but supportive [...] Calvin graduates have few problems getting accepted to graduate schools of law, medicine, or business.”
Money Magazine
Calvin ranks as the top private school in Michigan on its “The Best Colleges For Your Money” list, which is compiled based on educational quality, affordability, and career outcomes.