A liberal arts college chartered in 1812, Hamilton College has an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students, representing 48 states and 56 countries, and offers 57 areas of study in the liberal arts, science, and mathematics. Hamilton also offers pre-professional/cooperative programs in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine, and the opportunity to study abroad in numerous foreign destinations. The College's open curriculum gives students the freedom to shape their own liberal arts education within a research and writing-intensive framework. The College also sponsors 29 varsity athletic programs affiliated with the NCAA Division III, in addition to many club and intramural sports offerings. More than 125 other student clubs and organizations in a variety of interests and disciplines help to further enrich student development.