Working well with others is perhaps the single most important skill in today’s competitive global job market. Our uniquely collaborative and interdisciplinary culture opens up possibilities for students to pursue interests outside of their major and connect with classmates across disciplines. This often leads to students completing double majors, which can make them stand out in the job market. In fact, over one-third of Swarthmore students complete a double major during their time at Swarthmore. Including our engineers. The flexibility of a liberal arts curriculum, where you can take more classes outside of your major than in it, allows for that.

Ninety-five percent of the Class of 2025 participated in a research opportunity or internship during their time at Swarthmore. What does that look like in practice?

We provide more than $800,000 each year for undergraduate research — supporting meaningful experiences beyond the classroom that can help shape your career. You might contribute to a textbook, academic journal, scientific finding, or research paper while you’re an undergraduate. It also means that you can travel to other institutions and organizations around the world to help solve a problem you’re deeply interested in.

Our robust Career Services provide students with direct industry experience. From alumni-powered micro-internships and resume reviews to interview prep and funding for summer internships, Swarthmore helps put your passion into practice.

Your Swarthmore experiences will teach you how to apply your knowledge beyond the classroom. For example, a political science and economics major recently participated in the Expanding Diversity in Economics (EDE) Summer Institute at The University of Chicago, where she had the opportunity to meet and network with the likes of Nobel laureates, Federal Reserve chairpeople, and global leaders in finance.

Our tight-knit community, 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and average class size of 17 means our students have leadership opportunities that are uncommon at peer institutions. Here, your voice is not only heard – it’s amplified.

Sometimes that means a professor is deeply interested in your interpretation of the latest reading, so you get to lead next week’s discussion. Or a dean reaches out about a research opportunity because they know what you care about. Or maybe your campus job manager shows you a career path you suddenly find fascinating, and then Career Services is there to help you find an internship in a city you’ve always dreamed of exploring.

The closeness of the Swarthmore community means students, resources, and opportunities are always connected and readily available.

When you graduate from Swarthmore, you become part of a global community of 20,000+ alumni. Curious, passionate, and eager to connect with fellow Swatties, these global citizens know better than anyone how well-prepared our students are. Learn more about our alumni community at swarthmore.edu/alumni – including ways to connect, network, find affinity groups, attend regional events, or volunteer.

When you come to Swarthmore, you’re free to uncover and explore everything that inspires you, whether you’re an engineer with the heart of a poet, a painter who dreams in code, or a film buff with an eye for environmental justice. You get to define what it means to be a Swattie, and create a Swarthmore story that’s entirely your own.

We know where the journey begins, and we can’t wait to help you get to where you’re going.