Written by Sarah Felton
As a liberal arts college, Geneva seeks to cultivate well-rounded students that are knowledgeable in both the sciences and the humanities. As a Christian institution, the College also presents a Christian worldview; professors must make a profession of faith and are encouraged to integrate their faith within the course content. Old and New Testament survey courses appear alongside core classes like "Intro to Natural Science" and "PoliSci: Great Issues." Even so, Geneva intentionally strives for diverse religious views within the student body, maintaining a percentage of professing non-Christian students. The faculty cultivates genuine relationships with its students—which is easier to do with an average class size of 17. Professors welcome office visits and make themselves available for counsel, not only concerning academics but also life plans and difficult times. It is not uncommon for students to dine at a professor’s home.
Academic rigor at Geneva is largely up to the ambition of the student. Those who are content with B's and C's can achieve them with little effort, while those who self-motivate and strive for excellence can claim A's. Some programs, such as engineering, allow no room for slacking, while other programs, such as student ministry, have a reputation for being easier. Class registration is completed online at scheduled times, depending on credit hours. While classes do fill up—especially electives like bioterrorism and fiction writing—the majority of the time, students can enroll in the classes they desire—and if not, most professors will write students into necessary courses. Elective space varies by major. Some, like writing, allow a lot of freedom, while majors like biology are less flexible. Geneva also recently began a highly popular humanities study abroad program in Rome, just one among several study abroad options, from Scotland to Los Angeles to Australia.