The Dominican Experience

You’ve got tenacity, ambition and big dreams. So do we. Together, we’ll go where the work is great and difficult, where it matters most. Even if that means going first.

This isn’t learning just for learning’s sake. It’s about changing the world.

Your professors, your mentors, your partners.

Our average class has just 16 students. Our student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. Your professors won’t just know your name. They’ll know your interests and goals. They’ll collaborate with you on research and portfolio-worthy projects. Hear what our students have to say:

Learn by doing. Then, do even more.

You’ll acquire the skills in highest demand and of most critical need, and you’ll put them to work—not after graduation, now. Dominican students edit magazines, launch startups, compose music, code software, and more. What high-impact learning looks like:

Honors Program

Achieve your most ambitious goals. Explore life’s biggest questions. Access rare opportunities.

Undergraduate Research

Don’t feel like waiting until graduate school to do serious research? Here, you don’t have to.

Hands-on Learning

From the arts to healthcare, hands-on learning is a hallmark of the Dominican experience.

Breakthrough Discoveries

DU Students traveled to Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan city in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, to explore one of the world’s wonders—and lead groundbreaking research.

Executives In Residence

Get career advice from your professor—a former Fortune 500 executive.

Study Abroad

Explore the world and gain a global outlook with long- and short-term experiences to fit your schedule.

Quintessential campus. Uncontainable energy.

This is a classic college campus with amazing architecture spread over 30 wooded acres. What’s more, it’s packed with state-of-the-art technology and 16 laboratories, an art gallery, a fashion studio, two theaters, four residence halls, a fitness center, tons of cool hangouts and more.

Your Happy Place

From clubs to events, there are countless ways to get involved and find your community here. And no matter your interests or passions, you’ll find support to pursue them here.

Campus Tour

Take a virtual spin around our beautiful grounds. And come visit us in person soon!

We play to win. We play for one another.

Your teammates become your family, your role models, your allies. Dominican Stars support one another on the court, in the classroom and in life. They excel in their studies and spread their high-energy DU Stars spirit around campus.

These Stars Shine Bright

Come out and cheer on your 13 varsity teams—and catch some of that Stars energy. ​

You know you can change the world. So do we.

Driven by our Dominican Catholic social justice mission, we serve and accompany communities in need. It’s part of how we live out the ideals of our Dominican founders “to pursue truth, to give compassionate service, and to contribute to the creation of a more just and humane world.”

Travel With Purpose

Alternative break trips, like students’ visit to Bethlehem Farm in West Virginia, combine service, sustainability and mission-driven work.

Ministry En Lo Cotidiano

Develop your leadership skills through internships at faith-based organizations serving the Latino community.

Create a More Just World

As a student at Dominican, you’ll serve your community, find your voice and build the knowledge you need to make a difference in the lives of others.
Students seated at a table under Hispanic flags

Chicagoland’s Premier Catholic HSI

Dominican University is a nationally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, advancing opportunity and ensuring the social mobility of our Latine students.
Three students at a desk with books in background

A Space to Be in Community

Designed by students, Dominican’s Center for Cultural Liberation supports and celebrates students from historically marginalized backgrounds, fostering an inclusive campus climate that educates and challenges.
A group of black students outside facing camera

A Shared Vision of Unity

The Beloved Community is a faith formation and leadership development fellowship for students who are interested in learning from the experiences of Black communities and the spiritualties of African-descended peoples in and around the city of Chicago.

Relationship-centered support—every step of the way.

At Dominican, you’ll find unparalleled support resources that will help you chart a path for the next four years and beyond while empowering you to create lasting change. You’ll learn alongside a diverse group of fellow trailblazers who have the vision to imagine a better world and the courage to help you build it.

Four students walking on campus

First (fearless) Generation

We know what it’s like to go first. Around half our students are the first in their families to go to college. Here, it’s a point of pride and celebration.
Students and faculty in outdoor setting

STEM Summer Science Institute

Experience the best way to jumpstart your STEM studies and prepare for college life. Conduct hands-on experiments, begin academic research and connect with your future classmates—all before the start of your first semester.

A Welcoming Community

Dominican’s residence halls are designed to help you thrive academically, socially and personally.

See you in the 606.

Immerse yourself in Chicago’s architecture, art, lakefront beaches, blues, theater, parks and amazing people. Also known as The 606 for its zip code prefix, the city is just 20 minutes away by train.

Group of students walking in Chicago

Let’s get real. Real students. Real stories. Real success.

Eddie Rivera

Finding Life-Changing Opportunities

After meeting with federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Eddie Rivera turned his passion for advocacy and service into a host of new opportunities.

Funding for Creative Projects

Timiya Ray '20, a graphic design major and student athlete, received a university grant to pay for studio time to record an R&B album.

Making an Impact

At Dominican, first-generation student Grettel Gomez Reyes found a diverse community where students engage in meaningful social justice work.

Setting You Up for Success

With help from his professors, Jokari Mitchell fine-tuned his resume, improved his interviewing skills and landed an internship—which soon turned into a full-time position.

Doing Undergraduate Research

Madison Fette, a chemistry major, researched nanoparticles with a professor, and they plan to publish their work.

Gaining Hands-on Experience

Developing a Mars mission for a NASA design challenge, Anusha Mody got unique experience—and a step closer to her dream job.

Let’s keep the conversation going!