What is ExCo?

The Experimental College (ExCo) is the largest student-run academic department in the nation. At Oberlin, it functions as both an accredited division of the college and a student organization. ExCo sponsors for-credit courses taught by Oberlin students, administrators, townspeople, and faculty. Run by a small committee of paid students, ExCo exists to give members of Oberlin College and Conservatory, and of the larger Oberlin community, the opportunity to learn the invaluable skill of teaching and to push the boundaries of education in innovative ways. ExCo also allows students to learn underrepresented and nontraditional materials, giving them a chance to broaden their horizons past the typical college academic experience.

Since ExCo’s original charter in 1968, the ever-changing course catalog has served as a unique record of which topics Oberlin students are engaged with, interested in, or experts on. These courses reflect the current academic, cultural, social, political, and intellectual trends of the Oberlin community.

A given semester’s ExCo offerings are advertised during an ExCo Fair, typically held during the first week of classes.