The Liberal Arts program has been designed to accommodate working adults. All classes during the fall and spring semesters are scheduled on two evenings per week. Some students do find it difficult to balance the requirements of the program with demanding full-time work, and prefer to make some adjustment to their work schedule, either to part-time or to flex-time. Students in the Eastern Classics and Middle Eastern Classics programs have more class meetings per week, and full-time work is not recommended.

Class schedules for programs can be found on their respective Current Students webpage. The Liberal Arts program schedule is available through both campuses, whereas the Eastern Classics and Middle Eastern Classics programs are only offered in Santa Fe. 

VIEW THE SANTA FE SCHEDULE   VIEW THE ANNAPOLIS SCHEDULE

The tuition costs for both online and on campus are the same. With either option you will experience classes with fewer than 20 students, and every class is rooted in the St. John’s tradition of great books and thoughtful exploration alongside your fellow students and our experienced tutors. Some fees may vary for online and on-campus students.

Housing in Annapolis

Limited off-campus housing is available for Graduate Institute students throughout the year. On-campus housing in the residence halls is only available to students during the summer semesters. For more information about housing, please reach out to Kashya Boretsky, Assistant Director for Graduate Student Services at kashya.boretsky(at)sjc.edu.

Housing in Santa Fe

Limited on-campus housing is available to graduate students year-round. Students considering on-campus housing should apply early in the admissions cycle to secure housing, however space cannot be guaranteed. Many graduate students prefer to live off campus in apartments, condominiums, and private rental homes. Incoming and current Santa Fe students may contact the Graduate Institute office for a list of off-campus housing options. Additionally, we recommend that incoming students pay attention to postings on Santa Fe Craigslist, the Santa Fe New Mexican, and the Santa Fe Reporter.

To learn more about the dorms and the off-campus housing resource, contact santafe.giadmissions(at)sjc.edu. Also, feel free to check out our Facebook Group to see the latest housing leads and network with other students over house-share opportunities.

Although some students who attend the Graduate Institute are considering further graduate or professional study, and although the college is pleased with the recognition that its graduate programs have gained in university circles, the primary intention of the Graduate Institute is not to prepare students for scholarly work. Our students—recent college graduates, teachers, executives, writers, professionals, retirees—come from diverse walks of life and are united by a common desire to deepen their understanding of themselves and their world by reading, pondering, and discussing classic texts, regardless of their subsequent plans.

Students in the Liberal Arts program must complete four of the five segments offered. They may do so by starting in any semester and following a number of patterns. Many students attend fall and spring semesters for two years. Others pursue the “fast track” of four consecutive semesters, e.g., summer, fall, spring, summer. Many primary and secondary school teachers attend only during the summers, completing the program over four years. In the Eastern Classics and Middle Eastern Classics programs, the curriculum sequence is fixed, and students normally enroll for three consecutive semesters: fall, spring, summer.

While the Liberal Arts program does not require the study of a foreign language, both campuses make it possible for students to study ancient Greek while enrolled. In Annapolis, a Greek language preceptorial and a follow-up translation preceptorial are regularly offered, whereas in Santa Fe students are welcome to join campuswide study groups informally learning Greek. The Eastern Classics program requires the study of either Sanskrit or Classical Chinese. The Middle Eastern Classics program requires the study of either Classical Arabic or Classical Hebrew.

At St. John’s College mathematics and natural science are regarded as liberal arts that are capable of being understood and questioned by any inquiring mind. For more than 60 years we have been using classic texts to make mathematics and science accessible to non-specialists. Many Graduate Institute students who begin with a fear of math find their tutorial in Euclid and Lobachevsky to be one of their most rewarding experiences.

Yes. While you are not able to take classes in multiple programs in the same semester, each year a few students choose to enter one program after having completed another. These students wish to explore how questions they have grappled with in one tradition—for example, questions about knowledge, justice, eternity, or wisdom—are dealt with in other traditions.

Although it may take time to reclaim the habits of study they once had, many mid-career and non-traditional students find that their greater maturity and experience enhance the excitement and depth of their learning and that their anxieties are soon forgotten.

Previous St. John’s students are able to audit courses. For our future students, we invite you to visit and observe a class either on campus or online, to see the exciting discussions for yourself.

Consistent with the Maryland Fair Access to Education Act, criminal history does not disqualify an applicant from admission to St. John’s College.