The Graduate Institute

St. John’s College is not like other colleges and universities. Whether you are pursuing the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics, or the Liberal Arts Education Certificate, our radical vision of education is simple: the study of great books and the discussion of those books in great classroom conversations.

Our Pedagogy

The Graduate Institute is a home for students seeking a lifelong commitment to the thoughtful inquiry into fundamental human questions.

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Master of Arts in Liberal Arts

From Aristotle to Aquinas, Wordsworth to Woolf, Herodotus to Hegel, students pursuing the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts explore some of the greatest thinkers of all time. The interdisciplinary degree includes five segments—Literature, Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Philosophy & Theology, Politics & Society, and History.

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Master of Arts in Eastern Classics

On the Santa Fe campus, students pursuing the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics examine the great books of India, China, and Japan in an Asian studies program that provides an introduction to the breadth and richness of these traditions.

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Liberal Arts Education Certificate

For teachers seeking a great books qualification in just two summers, the Liberal Arts Education Certificate explores foundational texts of the Western tradition while studying pedagogy to bring back to the classroom.

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Combined Degrees

St. John’s offers a combined MA/JD degree program with the University of Maryland Carey School of Law.

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Graduate Student Life

On both the Annapolis and Santa Fe campuses, students immerse themselves in a vibrant intellectual community and local culture. The Graduate Institute attracts students of varied ages, backgrounds, and experiences.

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Flexible Schedule

Graduate students at St. John’s often take classes in the evenings and summers. Many work full time while completing their degree. For the MALA, start in fall, spring, or summer. For the MAEC, start in the fall.

MALA Schedule MAEC Schedule