Information presented from the 2023 - 2024 Academic Catalog.

Program Guidelines

Denison Seminars are innovative, specially designed courses offered each semester focusing on topics that integrate and transcend traditional departmental, programmatic, and/or divisional boundaries. Denison Seminars are liberal arts courses that are directed toward a broad and diverse audience. Students earn 4-credit hours in Denison Seminars, and they have no prerequisites.  Enrollment in Denison Seminars is limited to juniors and sophomores.  Courses are capped at 16 students. 

Many Denison Seminars include a travel component. Students are normally charged a fee of $900 for a course with a travel component outside of North America, and $530 for a course with travel within North America.  Fees are automatically waived for those students with significant financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office.  Due to the unique nature of Denison Seminars, students normally may take no more than one (see Additional Points of Interest).

Denison Short-Term Seminars are typically 2-credit courses (credit applied in the fall semester following completion of a summer or break experience).  The short-term seminars are advertised in the fall semester and are enrolled via contacting the instructor.  Students pay all costs unless they are determined to have very significant need by the Financial Aid Office.  Those with very significant need will pay a deposit fee, normally $500, to enroll in the experience.  

Every effort is made to make Denison Seminars, Denison Short-Term Seminars, and other faculty-led travel seminar opportunities affordable for every student.

Special Enrollment Conditions

  • Enrollment: Preference is given to sophomore and junior students who have not had a prior Denison Seminar and are not concurrently enrolled in a Denison Seminar.  Students who have already taken a Denison Seminar or are enrolled in one may take a second or subsequent seminar if there are seats available in it after the close of the registration period. In addition, students may petition the Academic Standing Board to request that they be given, as an exception, the same preference in registration as those students who have not had a seminar even if the petitioner has taken a seminar before.
  • Add and Drop Deadlines for Denison Seminars Including a Travel Component: The add/drop dates for Denison Seminars are adjusted in order to manage travel arrangements.  The add deadline for a Denison Seminar with a travel component is two weeks before the first day of classes.  The drop deadline for Denison Seminars is the last day of the second week of classes.