Like many other North American Colleges, Calvin College was established within a particular ethnic culture. In our case, it was immigrants from the Netherlands who founded the college.

Calvin College has always maintained its academic interest in the Netherlands and the Dutch language. The Dutch program offers, thus, access to the college's historical identity. It also enables students to engage with contemporary Dutch language and culture.

Can Dutch fulfill "core" course (general education) requirements?

Yes. All liberal arts students of Calvin College are required to have taken the equivalent of four college semesters of a foreign language. Dutch is one of the languages you may choose to fulfill this requirement for graduation.

What are some other reasons I should learn Dutch?

Knowledge of the Dutch language grants you a unique access to one of the world's most modern and innovative societies. Consider Dutch accomplishments in these areas:

Art & Literature

• The Low Lands are home to some of the world's greatest artists, including Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Vermeer, and Breugel
• The Netherlands invests heavily in cultural institutions and events. Museums such as the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw are known world wide

• Thriving land of urban and rural delights, with bustling industry and agriculture - even though half of the country is below sea level!
• World leader in water management - including a system of dikes, windmills, canals, high-tech dams and flood gates unmatched anywhere in the world
• The Netherlands is home to a major international airport, Schiphol

• Founding member of the European Union
• Dutch Secretary-General of NATO
• Innovators of pragmatic and effective social policies and welfare networks
• The Netherlands is second only to Japan as an investor in the U.S. economy
• The Dutch language is a vibrant thread in the beautiful tapestry of our world's languages.