Undergraduate
Education

The academic experience at the Krieger School helps students explore a variety of interests, build a community, and research with pioneers in their field.

of a woman speaking with her hand gesturing as a row of classmates look at her.

How You Learn at the Krieger School


Whether at the civic-focused SNF Agora Institute, Hopkins’ Washington, D.C. building next to Capitol Hill, state-of-the-art research laboratories, or on a boat during a Costa Rica intersession trip, undergraduate education takes place in stimulating environments that are culturally diverse and rich in their global dimensions.

Student Stories

Cierra Gladden in front of the Centre Theater marquis

Community from Film

Film and media studies student Cierra Gladden created her thriller short, “Sundown,” and made new steps in finding community and supporting diverse voices in film.

a church in Mexico with religious statues in alcoves surrounded by gold decoration

Religion and Colonization in Mexico

The Experiential Research Lab “Holy Conquest: Religion and Colonization in 16th-Century Mexico” travelled to Mexico during intersession to get in-person experience with the art.

Paul kneeling with a series of water testing tubes on rocks next to the Chesapeake Bay

Saving the Bay from Dead Zones

Molecular and cellular biology major Paul Gensbigler is helping to answer unresolved questions about the kinds of bacteria removing nitrogen from the Chesapeake Bay.

group of students wearing purple nitrile gloves stand outside around a small bucket of dirt

Sparking the Imagination in First-Year Seminars

From the journey of the earthworm to signs of racial inequity, First-Year Seminars cover a range of topics that inspire new college students.

Krieger School Highlights

Dean Chris Celenza with students looking at rare book in JHU's Special Collections as part of First Year Seminar Course, "Books, Authenticity, and Truth."

First Year Seminars

First-Year Seminars are intimate courses designed to help students interact closely with faculty and other students right away. Capped at just 12 students and graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory instead of with letter grades, the courses cover multiple areas of study or research.

closeup of hands typing on laptop keyboard

Impactful Writing

Writing is not just writing. It’s also critical analysis, persuasive expression, self-reflection, and storytelling. Krieger School undergraduates enhance these skills in the recently reimagined University Writing Program.

candid shot of three students on campus on sunny day

A Flexible Curriculum

Krieger School students can tailor their courses to fit their passions and goals. Students have a year to choose their major, and take courses across departments and divisions that encourage exploration.

collage of two photos: student pipetting; student flipping pages of rare book

Research and Research Labs

Students research in rare-books spaces, libraries, science labs, museums, and in the field. This can be related to Experiential Research Labs, which start in person and end with in-person trips and projects. The Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity and Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research provide year-round research resources.

JHU's 555 Penn building with a view of the U.S. Capitol in the background.

The Hopkins Semester

The Hopkins Semester is a semester-long, mentored, immersive experience for students in their junior or senior year. The first Hopkins Semester students will live in Washington, DC. and use the new JHU building near the U.S. Capitol as a base to explore policy and international studies in one of the world’s most important cities.

Overhead view of study floor in the Brody Learning Commons on Homewood campus.

Focus with Faculty

Students work closely with faculty in research in scholarly efforts at places like the SNF Agora Institute, Alexander Grass Humanities Institute, Mind/Brain Institute, Center for Government Excellence, Center for Visual Arts, Center for Africana Studies, and more. See all of our centers, institutes, and programs.