Male student holding is hands up as he walks across commencement stage

About

Welcome to St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Theresa Delgado

Founded in 1870, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the foundation of and oldest division in St. John’s University.  St. John's College offers three undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of Fine Arts.  Students can choose from thirty-two majors and supplement their undergraduate experience from forty minors across the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics.  The Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences offers masters and doctoral degrees in thirty-two  fields.  We also offer dual degree programs in business, law, and education; combined undergraduate and graduate programs, certificate programs in multidisciplinary fields, and digital badge micro-credentials at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

A liberal arts education at St. John's provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for successful careers, global citizenship, and a fulfilling life.  Informed by our Catholic and Vincentian mission and values, our core curriculum promotes holistic human flourishing  ̶  the development of the whole student  ̶   in the form of their intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual selves.  Our College is committed to a broad understanding of academic excellence that values teaching, experiential learning, and an inclusive sense of student belonging.  We strive to open up space on our campus for diverse perspectives and global learning experiences, so that students may become both self-actualized and attuned to the needs of others.  We are inspired by the life and works of St. Vincent DePaul to ask the essential Vincentian question, what must be done?  We interpret this question as a call to service that propels us to understand and improve the world around us, with an emphasis on social justice and the needs of the poor.  Our faculty are accomplished teacher-scholars who combine their scholarly and creative activity with their teaching to create an enriching learning environment.  Students in the College form a vibrant, diverse community of learners engaging actively with issues both inside and outside of our classrooms.  Undergraduate and graduate students conduct research, create visual and digital art, serve their community, treat patients, study abroad, intern for industry and government leaders, and so much more.  It's no wonder our career and graduate school placement rate is nearly 95% within six months of graduation.  We invite you to learn more about all we have to offer!

Teresa Delgado, Ph.D., Dean, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

About

Mission

St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commits itself to academic excellence as expressed in the University’s Mission Statement, and the Catholic, Vincentian, metropolitan, and global character of a St. John’s education. St. John’s College emphasizes student learning as an active process and offers a holistic education with special attention given to compassionate concern for others, to cultural diversity, and to the challenges of an interdependent world. The college provides a university-wide core curriculum, which serves as a foundation for a distinct and unified undergraduate education. Required courses in theology and philosophy play a pivotal role in creating the integral vision of Catholic and Vincentian education that stands at the center of the St. John’s University experience. Critical thinking, as evidenced through verbal, written, quantitative, and analytical skills, is expected of every student. St. John’s College offers undergraduate majors in the liberal arts and sciences. These majors provide students with broad academic underpinnings that have developed through the centuries and challenge students to apply their knowledge in academic, professional, and social contexts. Graduate programs offer quality education through a commitment to research, rigorous standards, and innovative application of knowledge. Through these programs, St. John’s College educates the leaders of tomorrow. 

Vision Statement

In keeping with its mission, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will provide a student-centered education in a socially diverse environment. We will develop in our students a critical consciousness and ethical perspective, preparing them for service and leadership roles in the local, national, and international spheres. Through research, students and faculty will exemplify the highest standards of scholarly inquiry and expression, contributing to the creation, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge.  St. John's College will serve the University with graduate and undergraduate offerings in the arts and sciences that reflect the global perspectives of our continually changing world, prepare students for careers in their fields, and instill a devotion to life-long learning. 

Resources

As an undergraduate or graduate student at St. John’s, you will have access to the extensive resources of both the University and New York City – plus a faculty comprised of recognized researchers and authors who typically hold the highest degrees in their fields. Numerous special degree programs and internship offerings are also available, as well as a rigorous honors program for qualified students.

Student Support

Freshman entering the college are advised by representatives from the University Freshman Center who place special attention on successful adjustment to college life as well as to important academic choices.  Beginning in the second year students are advised by the College office and by faculty advisors in major departments.  Advisors are a source of direction in terms of specific degree requirements, appropriate use of electives, career goals and special academic opportunities.  Undecided majors are advised by the Deans office staff and are encouraged to try out likely areas of interest.  All students must select a major area by the beginning of junior year.

Common Goals

Preamble

The Common Learning Goals of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Science (St. John’s College Common Goals) consist of five learning standards. The St. John’s College Common Goals are to be met by every student in the College within their respective programs of study. Each program in the College is characterized by a set of program goals and outcomes, which are regularly assessed and map onto the St. John’s College Common Goals.


The St. John’s College Common Goals relate to University’s Strategic Themes (or Pillars). The University’s Strategic Themes are:
1)    Student Success: Reimagining the Student Experience to Deepen Connection, Engagement, and Belonging 
2)    Academic Distinction: Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Research 
3)    Mission, Equity, and Inclusion: Building a Community of Belonging
4)    Institutional Resources: Growing and Optimizing Institutional Assets
5)    The St. John’s Identity: Elevating our National and Global Stature


The St. John’s College Common Goals relate to Strategic Themes one, two and three by virtue of their direct relationship to student learning. The St. John’s College Common Goals provide a unifying standard to improve student learning by setting a standard for department program goals and placing this standard within the broader context of the University’s Strategic Themes.
 

Communication Skills

Demonstrate the ability to think, speak, and write cogently, clearly, and effectively.

Information Literacy

Locate, access, evaluate, and comprehend information in electronic, print, archival, and/or material sources, and develop an awareness of how that information is situated, produced, and used, including discipline-specific publishing standards.

Critical, Creative, and/or Quantitative Thinking

Create, synthesize, analyze, compare, and evaluate ideas, sources, data, and diverse and/or global perspectives as part of an ongoing process of scholarly inquiry and creativity.

Research Skills and Professional Development

Integrate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate applied and adaptive learning skills, and demonstrate ongoing professional development skills through research, internships, and projects.

Social Justice

Utilize skills in communication, information literacy, critical thinking, and research and professional development to understand and evaluate areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

Liberal Arts Faculty Council Meeting #351
15 February 2022

Liberal Arts Faculty Council Meeting #352

22 March 2022

Liberal Arts Faculty Council Meeting #358

21 March 2023

University Core Curriculum

The core, based in our Catholic and Vincentian traditions, provides a unique foundation emphasizing the dignity of the human person and the diversity of human communities, the objectivity of moral values, and ongoing critical self-reflection on the relationship between faith and reason.

Students entering St. John's in the Fall 2023 will follow a new 39-credit core. These resources will help students who entered the University both before and after the Fall 2023 semester.