St. John's distinctive liberal arts curriculum and educational practices have long given it a highly respected place among American colleges and universities. Its strong commitment to collaborative inquiry and the study of original texts make St. John's College an incredibly vibrant community of learning. Through close engagement with the works of some of the world's greatest writers and thinkers—from Homer, Plato, and Euclid to Nietzsche, Einstein, and Woolf—students at St. John's College grapple with fundamental questions that confront us as human beings. As they participate in lively discussions and throw themselves into the activity of translating, writing, demonstrating, conducting experiments, and analyzing musical compositions, St. John's students learn to speak articulately, read attentively, reason effectively, and think creatively.
All classes at St. John's College are small, and students take active responsibility for their education, formulating questions, and developing their thoughts in dialogue with one another. Faculty at St. John's College share the College's dedication to an education that privileges intellectual engagement over rigid expertise. They regard themselves as guides and mentors whose task is not to transmit information but to pose questions that further students' ability to develop as thinkers in their own right. Every student's contribution receives serious consideration as classes delve into discussions of foundational works of philosophy, literature, history, theology, politics, economics, psychology, music, mathematics, and the laboratory sciences.
By immersing themselves in these investigations, by examining their ideas in conversation with faculty and fellow students, and exploring their written work insights, students acquire formidable skills and cultivate enduring critical analysis and thinking habits. They learn to take themselves and others seriously as reasoning and feeling beings, work together as collaborators and colleagues, and lead fruitful lives of independent reflection and shared activity. In addition to the undergraduate program, St. John's students may earn a master of arts degrees through the Graduate Institute.
St. John's College faculty are dedicated to teaching and are readily available to students. All classes are small (13 to 19 students), ensuring that every student has a voice. The overall faculty-student ratio is 1 to 8. Paper conferences, informal study groups, the "Take a Tutor to Lunch" program, and a wide variety of extracurricular activities provide any number of occasions for students to interact with faculty members.
St. John's College students pursue all manner of activities outside the classroom. The College has a lively theatrical tradition, a host of musical groups ranging from madrigal singers to lunch-time jam sessions, art and photography clubs, language study groups, and an active intramural sports program. In Annapolis, the sailing and rowing teams compete in several regattas each year. Other intercollegiate offerings in Annapolis include the fencing team and the croquet club. In Santa Fe, the Search and Rescue team allows students to develop their backcountry skills and contribute an essential service to the region.
St. John's draws students from all 50 states and some 20 foreign countries. The diverse backgrounds and experiences they bring to the College deepen and enrich their shared investigations.
Statistics show that St. John's College students excel in their endeavors both at the College and after graduation. Almost 70 percent of St. John's graduates pursue advanced degrees—many enter the nation's leading humanities, science, business, law, and medical programs. St. John's College is in the top two percent of all colleges in the nation for alumni earning PhDs in the humanities, and in the top four percent for earning them in science or engineering.
One of St. John's College's many striking features, however, is that there is no typical St. John's graduate: St. John's graduates pursue all manner of careers. They become authors, winemakers, musicians, filmmakers, teachers, astrophysicists—whatever they choose.
As students work in and across disciplines, wrestling with philosophic, literary, musical, mathematical, and scientific texts, they acquire habits of mental flexibility and focus, develop their powers of intellect and imagination—and so become effective problem solvers, leaders, thinkers, and communicators. St. John's College alumni span the globe as learners and leaders, as individuals passionate in their pursuit of truth.
Life at St. John's is active and engaging. Undergraduate students gain critical thinking skills and learn to innovate and succeed in a changing world.
Recent college graduates, public and private school teachers, military members, professionals, and retirees all pursue master's degrees at the Graduate Institute they explore the great works of Western and Eastern civilizations.
The value of St. John's education lasts a lifetime. The College is committed to affordability, and more than half of its students receive financial support.
St. John's College provides a broad education that helps its graduates succeed in diverse careers, from traditional paths to cutting-edge fields. St. John's graduates thrive in areas like education, business, communication, mathematics, software design, the sciences, health professions, social services, and the arts—often while trailblazing new and creative ways to make an impact. They are leaders, entrepreneurial thinkers, and thoughtful problem-solvers in every occupation, including those they invent.
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