Explore Two Millennia of Eastern Thought
Two millennia of Eastern thought. One year of deep study. In the Master of Arts in Eastern Classics program, students probe the great works that are central to the philosophical, literary, and religious traditions of China, India, and Japan. Through close reading and spirited discussion, students and faculty alike examine each text’s most vital questions—questions that are fundamental to Eastern thought, Asian studies, and human nature.
Students have the option of studying on campus in Santa Fe, NM or online through our low-residency program. You have the opportunity to experience a deeply personal education rooted in the St. John’s tradition of great books and thoughtful exploration alongside your fellow students and our experienced faculty from anywhere in the world.
This one-year master’s degree is a deep dive into three important Asian cultures, and also traces the movement of Buddhism across geographic regions and across millennia. From Confucius to the Bhagavad Gita to The Tale of the Heike, the Eastern Classics curriculum is wide and varied in scope and includes students selecting intensive language tutorials in either Sanskrit or Classical Chinese.
Classes meet in the late afternoon and evenings to accommodate work and family schedules.
To learn more, contact Graduate Admissions or fill out the form on this page.
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1
Our one major will take you anywhere. Credits are equivalent to a double major in philosophy and the history of math and science; and a double minor in literature and the classics.
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7:1
The low student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1 contributes to our Number 8 ranking for “Best Classroom Experience” by the Princeton Review.
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200+
Johnnies’ chronological study of more than 200 great books and scientific experiments, which span 3000 years, is often considered the most rigorous education in America.
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$35k
St. John’s undergraduate tuition of $35,000 is among the most affordable of top-ranked liberal arts colleges in the country.
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2
The Graduate Institute offers two master’s degrees: one in Liberal Arts and one in the Eastern Classics of Asia.
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50%
Half of all Johnnies do at least one internship, many of which are fully-funded through the Hodson and Ariel internship programs.
#5
The Princeton Review ranks St. John’s as fifth best in the country for top professors. Of course, at St. John’s we call them “tutors.”
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80%
Most Johnnies live on campus in Annapolis or Santa Fe, including all freshmen and sophomores.
7,000
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The Annapolis campus is just 30 minutes from Washington, D.C., making it one of the best colleges for politically engaged students.
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3-2
Johnnies hold the national collegiate croquet championship title and last year beat the US Naval Academy 3-2 at the world-famous Annapolis Cup.
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1696
Johnnies have been reading great books since 1696 (when we were called “King William School”), making St. John’s the third oldest college in the United States.
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#1
Ranked as the college sending the highest number of students to PhD programs in the humanities, St. John’s sends students to pursue advanced degrees and directly into dozens of fascinating careers.
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St. John’s is in the top 4% for the number of students receiving PhDs in science and engineering. The curriculum includes four years of advanced mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
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From East to West: Micah Beck (A09, EC2026) Embraces Global Classical Traditions in Annapolis and Santa Fe
Teaching Like an Eternal Student: How the St. John’s Graduate Institute Taught Professor David O’Hara (SFGI00) to Approach Life as an Open-Ended Seminar
St. John’s College and Indian Creek School Partner to Provide Teaching Fellowship for Graduate Students
Graduate Institute Alum Brings St. John’s-Style Pedagogy to South Korea’s Incheon National University
From Dōgen to the Dhvanyāloka, Eastern Philosophy Leads Stephanie Spong (EC24) Back to the Metaphorical Forest
St. John’s College is a Family Affair for Father-Daughter Duo Gordon and Genevieve Fowler
From Adam Smith to the 'Mahābhārata,' Dimple Kaul (AGI21, EC25) Is on a Mission to Read the World's Greatest Philosophers
St. John’s College Graduate Institute Announces Summer Lecture Series
