As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt equips students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in contemporary life.
An education that is Christian not merely in the sense that devotional exercises are appended to the everyday work of the college, but in the broader and deeper sense that all the classwork, all of the students' intellectual, emotional, and imaginative activities shall be permeated with the spirit and teaching of Christianity.
With more than 90 programs of study, you will have the opportunity to explore your options and find your calling. Our core program provides a foundation for our students' lives and a context for their studies. We approach everything—engineering, nursing, football, choir, EVERYTHING—with the understanding that Christ is Lord overall.More than 90% of Dordt students live on campus, creating a community experience that sticks with our alumni. We encourage our students to attend on-campus worship and attend a local church. You can get involved on campus through clubs, student activities, and more.
Our students are uniquely equipped to do more as Christians in their fields. Your Dordt education will prepare you to take on the challenges of life with confidence.
Dordt takes its name from the historic Synod of Dordrecht, held in the Netherlands in 1618-1619. The Canons of Dort, one of the three significant confessional statements of Reformed churches, came from that synod. The Canons of Dort were a response to statements made by the followers of Jacob Arminius and emphasized the sovereignty of God through his electing grace.
More than 89% of Dordt students live on campus—visit us, and you will see students watching movies, playing games, and studying together. Students enjoy roasting hot dogs and marshmallows at the fire pit behind the B.J. Haan, attending concerts and movies, grabbing coffee at the local Fruited Plain café, and traveling to nearby Sioux Falls and Sioux City on the weekends.
The curriculum is designed to give each student a complete comprehensive education from a solid Reformed, Christian perspective. There are more than 40 majors and 11 pre-professional programs of study. Degrees include two-year associate of arts and associate of science, four-year bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of social work, bachelor of science in engineering and nursing, and a master of education degree.
Dordt is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as a four-year bachelor-degree-granting institution. Our accreditation dates from 1971, with the most recent renewal in 2012 and the next renewal visit scheduled 2022-23. In 1994, Dordt also gained approval from HLC to offer a graduate program, leading to the Master of Education degree. Dordt College also has accredited programs in nursing, education, social work, and engineering. More than 98 percent of our students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and student employment opportunities.
The John and Louise Hulst Library is located in the Campus Center on Dordt College's residential campus. The story is told that when the B.J. Haan Auditorium was built, architects wanted to make the chapel into the campus focal point. However, Dr. John B. Hulst, Dordt's second president, has replied, "No, the center of campus is the library."
At the Hulst Library, we want our space, collections, and services to reflect that sentiment. All of the scholarship, learning, cultural, and social activities that the library supports will help students, staff, and faculty further serve in God's kingdom. The library is not just about books; the library is about people-how they learn, how they use information, and how they participate in a learning community's life.
Dordt is infused with the energy and excitement of an institution that is still young and the confidence of an already well-established institution. Through God's blessing and the hard work of his servants dedicated to Christian higher education, Dordt has grown from the small beginnings of five faculty members, 35 students, and one building, to a vibrant institution of 80 faculty and approximately 1,500 students living and learning on a modern, well-equipped 150-acre campus.
Dordt College began in 1953 as Midwest Christian Junior College. The impetus for a new college was primarily the need for qualified teachers for Christian day schools in the area. When doors opened in 1955, the 35 students and five faculty members held classes in a new four-classroom building set on a former mink farm and surrounded by crops.
The three former presidents of Dordt have provided leadership and commitment to a distinct Christian higher education vision. Rev. B.J. Haan, who served as the first president of the college until his retirement in 1982, worked tirelessly to lay the foundation today more clearly articulated in "The Educational Task of Dordt College." Dr. J.B. Hulst, a founder and early dean of students, was as ardently committed to that vision as his predecessor and supervised the development of a strategic plan for the future of the college, titled "Renewing the Vision." Dr. Carl E. Zylstra, the first non-founder president, presented as his inaugural theme in 1996 "Living the Vision," urging faculty and students to make the continuing educational vision concrete in their teaching, learning, and living. Dr. Erik Hoekstra began his presidency in 2012, promising to continue Dordt's mission of working toward Christ-centered renewal in all areas of life.
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