Academics at Dean College
Dean College’s academic majors and programs are designed to provide students with the background and foundation they need to be well prepared for their next step, whether that next step is transfer, graduate school or a career. In addition to learning goals specific to each major, all Dean degree programs build the skills and competencies needed for a lifetime of careers and active citizenship, including critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; written and oral communication; teamwork and leadership; technology and information literacy; quantitative reasoning and scientific inquiry; understanding the human condition, social responsibility, and global citizenship; and defining an evolving personality.
For the Dean College faculty, many of whom hold terminal degrees in their disciplines, teaching is not only their top priority, it is their passion. This is The Dean Difference, found in and out of the classroom, through the personal attention and one-on-one mentorship that is the hallmark of a Dean education.
Our 15 two-year associate degree majors, 5 four-year bachelor's degree majors, and an array of certificate programs are housed within the following 5 schools:
School of the Arts
The Dean College School of the Arts offers bachelor's degrees in Arts and Entertainment Management, and in Theatre. The School also offers associate degrees in Communications, Musical Theatre, and Theatre. Each program is designed to provide students an appropriate balance between theory and practical experience to lead to a successful career in the world of the arts or communications, as a performer, technician, teacher, director, manager, business professional or any other career path. Arts and Entertainment Management students may focus in interdisciplinary studies, the media arts or the performing arts. Communications students have access to state-of-the-art equipment including sound and video production studios and can work in our professionally operating, Arbitron rated radio station, Power 88. Students within the Theatre curriculum may specialize in Theatre or Musical Theatre and can emphasize in performance, directing or technical production.
School of Business
Unlike many other business programs that attempt to narrow student focus from day one, the School of Business at Dean College is designed to help students understand all aspects of business within both a theoretical and practical framework. By taking this approach, Dean’s graduates are prepared not only for an initial career, but also to be flexible, life-long learners who can easily adapt to the constantly changing global business world. Through the associate or baccalaureate degree, Dean students learn how to be successful business people by learning from people who have succeeded in business, not just studied it.
School of Dance
The world renowned Dean College School of Dance is the only school in the Northeast that offers both an associate degree and a bachelor's degree in dance. It is also one of the few programs in the country that offers intensive training in all four major dance disciplines: Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap. The School of Dance offers students conservatory level training within the academic rigor of a liberal arts program, providing graduates unmatched flexibility to pursue careers as professional dancers and teachers or any other career field within the arts world and beyond. The classroom experience is further enriched by additional master classes and performance opportunities throughout the year.
School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the largest school on campus, offering 11 associate degree majors and a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Studies. The School also teaches all the liberal arts general education courses required of all students at the College. This School is divided into two departments: The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, which provides a bachelor degree major in Liberal Arts and Studies, as well as associate degree majors in Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, English, History, Liberal Studies, Psychology, and Sociology; and the Department of Math, Science, and Sport/Fitness Studies, which offers associate degree majors in Environmental Science, Health Sciences, Math/Science, and Sport/Fitness Studies.
School of Professional and Continuing Studies
Students who wish to pursue a program of study at Dean College on a part-time basis will enroll through our School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Students may enroll in baccalaureate or associate degree programs. Additionally, SPCS students may also pursue certificate study or individual courses for professional development, advanced academic standing at another institution, or personal enrichment.
