Graduate Institute Master of Arts in Liberal Arts Master of Arts in Eastern Classics Liberal Arts Education Certificate 1
St. John’s believes that real learning can only happen through years of deep reading and serious engagement with other minds, so whether you pursue the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics, or the Liberal Arts Education Certificate, the educational vision is simple: the study of great books and the discussion of those books in great classroom and virtual conversations.
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“It doesn’t matter what our backgrounds are, or how old we are, or what our previous education has been: When we sit around the table together, we’re simply human beings grappling with ideas, posing questions, and responding to the material. The collective bond we form around the great books is profound. St. John’s isn’t about competing, it’s about students and tutors becoming comrades on a remarkable journey.” — Shelley Mason, MALA & MAEC
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WHY GREAT BOOKS? Because they express most originally
and most deeply the ideas that have shaped civilization. These books are both timeless and timely; they illuminate the persisting questions of human existence that bear directly on the problems we face today. Although they span many subjects, these books transcend genres. Plato’s Republic, for example, is both a profound work of philosophy and a brilliant literary work. Euclid’s Elements is a mathematical text with deep philosophical implications. Emily Dickinson’s poems are both great literature and a way of looking into the deepest philosophical, theological, and experiential questions. These authors change our minds, move our hearts, and touch our spirits.
WHY GREAT CONVERSATIONS? Every class has fewer than 20 students, and every class begins with a question—a question formulated to foster a genuine investigation into the meaning of a text, not to elicit a ready-made answer. Where that discussion may travel during the class is unpredictable. It all depends on the moment-to-moment dynamism of human conversation in an encounter with a text of inexhaustible richness. The classroom experience is an adventure—and the graduate students a genuine intellectual community.
Becoming educated is a process of becoming intellectually free so as to be capable of thinking for oneself, engaging in ongoing learning and inquiry, and achieving inner freedom. Our students are professionals enhancing their careers, academics seeking a rigorous immersion in interdisciplinary thought, and adults interested in investigating the roots of current issues through thoughtful inquiry and conversation. At St. John’s, we believe that the life of the mind is crucial to full human flourishing.
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Learn more about the Graduate Institute at sjc.edu/graduate-programs
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PROGRAMS Master of Arts in Liberal Arts Master of Arts in Eastern Classics Liberal Arts Education Certificate HISTORY OF THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE St. John’s College was founded in 1696 and is the third oldest college in the United States. The Graduate Institute was established in 1967 to serve students who desire to explore the persisting questions of human existence by studying classical works of the Western tradition and earning the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts. Since 1994, the Santa Fe campus has offered the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics, a structured reading of literary, philosophical, and theological texts from India, China, and Japan that follows the St. John’s principles of a common curriculum and discussion classes. In 2019, the Graduate Institute made its Liberal Arts curriculum more accessible to professional educators by offering a two-summer Liberal Arts Education Certificate. In 2021, these programs became available to students anywhere in the world. Students have the option for in person classes or online classes with low residency programs to complete the programs.
ONLINE WITH LOW RESIDENCY Students have the option to complete their classes completely online. Just like in-person classes, the online option features dynamic conversations about great books. There are no prerecorded lessons, no lectures, no asynchronous instruction, and no overenrolled classes. The low-residency component of the online degree program includes long weekends each year on either campus, allowing you to connect with your tutors and classmates. Students also have the option to spend one or more semesters on campus if they prefer.
ONLINE CLASSES FALL, SPRING, AND SUMMER TERMS. Complete our programs from anywhere in the world. Students can change from online with low residency to on campus each semester.
FLEXIBLE ON CAMPUS SCHEDULE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION
Flexible class schedules on campus
With our dedication to affordability
evening classes during the fall and
allow working professionals to take
and transparency in pricing, we
spring terms, or Liberal Arts students
want to ensure these graduate pro-
can take their classes exclusively
grams are within reach. St. John’s offers one of the most affordable graduate degrees in the country. We offer generous needbased financial aid and merit scholarships up to the full cost of tuition.
during the summer terms. Students enroll in one segment each term, earning nine credit hours upon completion. Our class schedule accom modates both full-time students and full-time professionals. You may begin the program in the fall, spring, or summer semester, take the segments in a number of different sequences,
sjc.edu/graduate-financial-aid
and take time off between segments. All credits necessary for the degree are expected to be earned within eight years.
EVENING CLASSES. FALL, SPRING, AND SUMMER TERMS. Find the schedule that works for you.
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MASTER OF ARTS IN LIBERAL ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF LAW DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM
The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts program
Students can simultaneously obtain
is organized into five semester-long segments: Politics & Society, History,
the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts
Philosophy & Theology, Literature, and
and a law degree from the Univer-
Mathematics & Natural Science. Students
sity of Maryland School of Law. The
are required to take four segments, but can opt to take all five and can choose
University of Maryland will accept
to graduate with a focus by taking four
nine credits awarded by St. John’s
electives in one subject area. In each seg-
for satisfactory completion of the
ment, there are three classes, two following
Politics & Society segment. Details
a set of common, required texts (listed on the next page), and one elective. The elective gives students a chance to study one book or topic in depth while the
about this program are available at: sjc.edu/dual-degree
required texts offer a broad, common foundation. In small, discussion-based classes, students analyze and explore timeless texts of Western civilization, providing a common ground for inquiry and conversation.
a year or a full-time teacher
Although the curriculum is divided into
who wants to earn the degree
these five areas of study for convenience, it transcends disciplinary boundaries. The books studied in any one of the segments
by taking classes only in the summer, our MALA program is able to adapt to
have important things to say about many
your particular circumstance.
different aspects of our lives, and most of
Students may spend semesters
them could appropriately have been read in other segments as well. Students may also opt to study Ancient Greek and Latin.
on both the Annapolis and Santa Fe campuses if space is available.
The MALA degree is designed to provide this rigorous engagement with the liberal arts in the most flexible manner possible. Whether you are a full-time student who wants to complete the degree in a little over
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POLITICS & SOCIETY
Plutarch, Lives of Lycurgus & Solon Plato, Republic Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle, Politics Aquinas, Summa Theologica Machiavelli, The Prince Hobbes, Leviathan Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of Inequality Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts Marx, German Ideology Tocqueville, Democracy in America Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws Declaration of Independence Articles of Confederation U.S. Constitution Madison, Hamilton, Jay, The Federalist Papers U.S. Supreme Court Decisions
HISTORY
The Bible, Samuel I, II Herodotus, Histories Thucydides, Peloponnesian War Polybius, Histories Tacitus, Annals Augustine, City of God Livy, History of Rome Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Vico, The New Science Kant, Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View Kant, The Contest of Faculties Marx, The German Ideology Nietzsche, The Use and Abuse of History Husserl, The Vienna Lecture: “Philosophy and the Crisis of European Humanity” Heidegger, The Age of the World Picture
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PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY
The Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Job, Matthew, Romans Plato, Meno Plato, Phaedo Plato, Symposium Aristotle, Metaphysics Aristotle, De Anima Augustine, Confessions Aquinas, Summa Theologica Descartes, Meditations Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals Kierkegaard, Philosophical Fragments Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
LITERATURE
Homer, Iliad Homer, Odyssey Aeschylus, Agamemnon Aeschylus, Libation Bearers Aeschylus, Eumenides Sophocles, Oedipus Rex Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus Sophocles, Antigone Euripides, Hippolytus Euripides, Bacchae Aristophanes, Frogs Aristotle, Poetics Chaucer, Canterbury Tales Shakespeare, King Lear Selected English poetry and short fiction
MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE
Lucretius, On the Nature of Things Plato, Timaeus Aristotle, Physics Euclid, Elements Ptolemy, Almagest Galileo, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems Descartes, Discourse on Method Bacon, The New Organon Newton, Principia Darwin, The Origin of Species Lobachevsky, Theory of Parallels Freud, Selected case studies Jung, “The 1912 Lectures on the Theory of Psychoanalysis”
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THE MASTER OF ARTS IN EASTERN CLASSICS Students pursuing the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics examine the thought of India, China, and Japan. The goal of the program is a introductory survey to the breadth and richness of these traditions and an exploration of how the conversation among them lends insight into the fundamental and enduring questions of humankind. All classes are discussion-based, and students study either Classical Chinese or Sanskrit to develop a basic grasp of how ideas are expressed SCHEDULE Students earn the degree in three consecutive semesters of study: fall, spring, and summer. Classes are held during the afternoon and evening.
in one of the original languages. The Master of Arts in Eastern Classics is available on the Santa Fe campus. Low residency requires students to be on campus at the beginning of the fall semester and then for graduation at the end of the summer semester.
“I deeply appreciate how St. John’s gives me the opportunity to read books that have inexhaustible insights into humanity. Even better, I also have abundant opportunities to talk with fellow students and tutors who are more than happy to explore these wonderful books with me.” – Naoto Yoshizawa, MAEC
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LANGUAGE TUTORIAL
Chinese and Sanskrit Texts and translation assignments will vary by tutor.
FALL SEMESTER
Seminar Confucius, Analects Mo Tzu, Basic Writings* Hsun Tzu, Basic Writings* Han Fei Tzu, Basic Writings* Mencius, Works* Chuang Tzu, The Book of Chuang Tzu Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching The Rig Veda Brhadaranyaka Upanisad . . . Katha Upanisad . Kena Upanisad . Mundaka Upanisad .. . - Sutra The Nyaya The Vaiśesika Sutra . . The Padarthadharmasamgraha Tattva-Kaumudî* The Yoga Philosophy of Patañjali -The Bhagavadgita Preceptorials (Electives) (required) The Grand Scribe’s Records - Mahabharata
SPRING SEMESTER
Seminar Kalidasa, Kumarasambhava, . Śhakuntala, -Anandavardhana, Dhvanyaloka - Purva Mimamsa Charvaka Early Buddhist Discourses* The Lotus Sutra* - Nagarjuna, The Philosophy of the Middle Way* - Sutra* Vimalakirti
- - on Gaudapada, The Great Karika the Mandukya Upanishad . Sankârâkarya’s Commentary on the Vedanta Sutras - - - Commentary on Ramanuja’s the Vedanta Sutras Jayadeva, Gita Govinda Diamond Sutra The Heart Sutra - of the Hui-Neng, Platform Sutra Sixth Patriarch “The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean” Chu Hsi, Chu Tzu ch’uan-shu and Chu Tzu wen-chi “Wang Yangming Inquiry of the Great Learning” “Instructions on Practical Living”* Preceptorials (Electives) (sample offerings) Dream of the Red Chamber Dogen, Moon in a Dew Drop Yoga-Vasistha
SUMMER SEMESTER
Seminar The Tale of the Heike Kukai, The Meanings of Sound, Word, and Reality; The Difference Between Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism; Attaining Enlightenment in This Very Existence Sei Shonagon, The Pillow Book* Kamo no Chomei, Record of the Ten-Foot Square Hut - Dogen, Shobogenzo* - Essays in Idleness* Kenko, - Journey of Bleached Bones in a Basho, Field, Kashimo Journal, Knapsack Notebook, Sarashina Journal, The Narrow Road to the Deep North Preceptorial (Electives) (required) Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji *selections
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LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION CERTIFICATE Providing education for teachers was the original mission of the Graduate Institute at St. John’s College. Many teachers earn a master’s degree at St. John’s by taking classes over four summers, but for those seeking a great books qualification in just two PEDAGOGY AND EDUCATION PRECEPTORIALS Plato, Republic Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education Rousseau, Emile
summers, the Liberal Arts Education Certificate is a powerful alternative. Teachers enrolled in the program will participate in classes along with other St. John’s graduate students, reading and discussing foundational texts of the Western tradition while taking an elective focused on texts about education
Augustine, De Magistro
and pedagogy.
Dewey, Democracy and Education
Teachers completing the two-summer
Oakeshott, The Voice of Liberal Learning
will receive 18 hours of transferable
Liberal Arts Education Certificate degree graduate-level credit. They may also return to finish the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts degree by completing two additional semesters of study any time within eight years of enrolling in the program.
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STUDENT LIFE St. John’s College is located on two spectacular campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland, and another in Santa Fe, New Mexico. On both campuses, students immerse themselves in a vibrant graduate community and local culture. In Annapolis, students explore cobblestone streets lined with restaurants and shops near the Chesapeake Bay. The campus is located just 30 minutes from Washington, DC. In Santa Fe, students indulge in the arts, the opera, and the great outdoors that make New Mexico world-famous. Oncampus housing is available for students year-round in Santa Fe and during the summer semester in Annapolis. The Graduate Institute attracts students of varied ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Some students enroll shortly after graduating from college, often seeking a foundation in classic texts that they missed in more conventional undergraduate programs. Other students are actively engaged in careers; some already hold graduate degrees. Still other students turn to the Graduate Institute in retirement or during a hiatus from their careers, seizing the opportunity to use their leisure for serious reflection. Although the Graduate Institute offers considerable professional gain to students, particularly present or prospective teachers, students are also generally motivated by the intrinsic rewards of reading great books and discussing them with others who care deeply about the issues they raise. 14
THE FACULTY Students are assisted in their understanding of the great books by faculty members that are referred to as “tutors” rather than “professors.” The title “tutor” is used to signify that our faculty’s chief role is not to profess or lecture in their area of expertise, but to guide the students through the program of study. The tutors guide discussions by asking questions, supplying helpful examples, and encouraging students to explore the implications of their statements. During class, a tutor spends a great deal of time actively listening as students work through the difficulties of a particular text. Tutors raise issues or objections along the way but always encourage the students to find answers for themselves.
ASSESSMENT Students regularly meet with faculty in and out of the classroom, but their work is formally assessed by the faculty during a student conference. The conference takes the form of a conversation about the student’s work in which the tutors present their perceptions of the student’s progress and the student says how he or she thinks the work is going, how the tutors might provide additional help, or how the classes might be made more useful. Although the college does create a transcript with letter grades, students are encouraged not to work for grades but for the intrinsic satisfaction of learning. There are regular written assignments in addition to reading and discussion. Students who wish to undertake a more extensive piece of written work may submit a proposal to write a Master’s Essay. Upon completion, the essay is read by a committee of three tutors, who also conduct a public oral examination of the student. 15
EDUCATORS St. John’s has great opportunities for teachers, including the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Master of Arts in Eastern Classics. These degrees are designed to fit a teachers’ schedule with options of evening classes in person or online during the school year, and summer classes in person or online. The two-summer Certificate in Liberal Arts Education trains teachers to bring classic books into their classroom curricula. All teachers qualify for special scholarships from 1/3 tuition up to full tuition.
NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES The Graduate Institute attracts many students recently out of college. Some of these students are a bit disenchanted with the education they received in their BA studies and want to round out their education with a good grounding in the classics, or “fill in the gaps” before they go on to PhD studies or a career. Our need-based financial aid makes the program affordable for many of these students. In fact, many are pleased to find out that they receive aid when they did not as an undergraduate student.
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VETERANS
MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS Many mid-career professionals who are attracted to the Graduate Institute are searching for a new path in life. They may have been working in a career for several years but are ready to try something new. St. John’s is a place where these students find their next step. Our generous financial aid packages make this a reality for many working adults.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS International students provide welcome perspectives and experiences to our already diverse community of learners. Our unique and rigorous graduate programs attract many international applicants every year, and our commitment to a generous financial aid program makes our unique academic programs within the reach of most qualified applicants.
St. John’s is a militaryfriendly school that attracts a large number of veterans each year. Veterans attending our graduate programs find that their hard-earned experiences fit perfectly into our collaborative and fully engaged community. Yellow Ribbon funding is provided to every qualified applicant.
RETIREES Many of the retirees who find their way to St. John’s College want to do something challenging in their retirements. Some of these students have had St. John’s on their radar for many years, waiting until their kids grew up or their career wound down enough for them to take the time to dive into a graduate degree.
Enrollment Terms and Priority Deadlines Application Priority Requirements: Deadline:
Admissions Decision Returned:
Fall (Liberal Arts and Eastern Classics)
February 15
Within 4 weeks
Spring (Liberal Arts)
November 1
Within 4 weeks
Summer (Liberal Arts)
April 1
Within 4 weeks
THE APPLICATION The purpose of the admissions process is to determine whether applicants have a clear understanding of the program for which they are applying, a serious commitment to the work of that program, and sufficient ability and preparation to undertake that work. Applicants are not judged against one another; they are considered entirely on their own merits. The Graduate Institute welcomes applications for admission from qualified individuals with a bachelor’s degree; no particular field or major is required. There is no application fee and we do not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). International students whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. Test scores may be waived on a case-by-case basis.
THE APPLICATION St. John’s offers one of the most affordable graduate degrees in the country. In addition to an affordable tuition, the college offers need-based financial aid and merit scholarships up to the full cost of tuition.
Apply online at sjc.edu/graduate
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IN ADDITION TO THE APPLICATION, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SUBMIT:
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ESSAYS In assessing applications, greatest weight is given to the essays, in which applicants discuss their previous education, their interest in the Graduate Institute, and their reflections on a book of particular importance to them. The essay is usually six to nine pages and demonstrates the applicant’s ability to express themself in a thoughtful and articulate manner.
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LETTERS OF REFERENCE The two letters of reference are also carefully weighed. They should be from academic sources, and, when possible, written specifically for the Graduate Institute. Exceptions can be made for those candidates who have been out of college for many years. In that case, letters from supervisors or work colleagues will suffice.
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TRANSCRIPTS Transcripts are required from every institution where applicants have earned college credit. These should be official transcripts sent electronically from the registrar’s office or mailed directly from the registrar’s office in a sealed envelope. Undergraduate grades, especially those of applicants who have been out of school for some time, are not the primary or sole factor in judging the present ability of applicants to undertake the work of the Institute. The essays discussing the applicants’ previous education and subsequent less-formal educational experiences are considered in interpreting and assessing transcripts.
Cost and Financial Aid St. John’s offers one of the most affordable graduate degrees in the country. In addition to an affordable tuition, the college offers need-based financial aid and merit scholarships up to the full cost of tuition. • Domestic students are required to file the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov • International students are required to file the CSS Profile at cssprofile.collegeboard.org Special grants are available for educators. The Teacher’s Grant offers up to 50% of tuition to full-time teachers, and the National Educator’s Grant is an automatic grant of 30% of tuition to any student who has been working full-time in the education field—including principals, counselors, school librarians, curriculum developers, and others. The Hodson Trust Teacher Fellowship Program in Annapolis (with matching grants in Santa Fe) offers up to 70% of tuition, fees, room, board, and books. The Graduate Institute also welcomes veterans and their dependents. Once admitted to the college, veterans need to send a copy of their VA Certificate of Eligibility to the college.
For more information on cost and financial aid available at St. John’s College, please go to sjc.edu/graduate-financial-aid
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Annapolis 800-727-9238 | Santa Fe 800-331-5232 gradadmissions@sjc.edu sjc.edu
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual assault/offenses and harassment, in federally funded education programs. Title IX provides no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. In accordance with Title IX, St. John’s College policies and practices forbid sex discrimination of any kind, including sexual harassment and sexual assaults or offenses. For a full statement of the college’s policies, see the Sexual Misconduct and Harassment Policies and Sexual Intimacies Policy on our website.