Joshua Bennett
Santa Clara University is a private, Jesuit, Catholic university in California, founded in 1851. It is the oldest continuously operating university in California. The university is affiliated with the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church, and around half of its undergraduates identify as Catholic. The university encourages students to practice and deepen their faith, but religious participation is not mandatory. All undergraduates are required to take three religious studies courses, and the university offers campus ministries, leadership and scholarship opportunities, and other community-building programming for its Catholic students.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Santa Clara University is a highly ranked academic institution
- The university is privately owned and governed by a board of trustees
- SCU maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation
- The university welcomes students from all religious backgrounds
- SCU encourages students to attend Sunday Mass and participate in campus ministry
Santa Clara University is a highly ranked academic institution
Santa Clara University is ranked #63 out of 436 National Universities in the US, according to US News & World Report's 2025 ranking. It was also ranked 7th in "Best Universities For a Bachelor's Degree" by PayScale in 2025, up from 9th in 2023. The university's Leavey School of Business was ranked 10th in the nation by Money Magazine in 2017. Santa Clara University's Part-time MBA Program ranked 19th, its Business Analytics MBA Program ranked 5th, and its Finance MBA Program ranked 6th as of 2025.
The university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as law, business, engineering, education, counseling psychology, and pastoral ministries. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest academic division, with more than 30 majors offered through 17 departments. The total enrollment across all programs is approximately 8,000 to 9,000 students.
Santa Clara University maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation and encourages students to participate in religious activities, although it is not required. The university offers a holistic education that focuses on the development of the whole person, encouraging students to consider the ethical and social justice implications of their studies.
Peru's Catholic Education System: What Kids Learn
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The university is privately owned and governed by a board of trustees
Santa Clara University is a private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Santa Clara, California, with a significant part of its campus in San Jose, California. The university is privately owned and governed by a board of trustees composed of 44 members. It is not owned by the Catholic Church or the Society of Jesus, but it is affiliated with the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church. The Jesuits are members of the Society of Jesus, an international Roman Catholic religious order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century.
The university was founded in 1851 as Santa Clara College, making it the oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in California. It was chartered in 1855 and granted its first bachelor's degree in 1857. In 1912, it became known as the University of Santa Clara and was elevated to university status. The name was changed to Santa Clara University in 1985, in part to avoid confusion with the University of Southern California (USC).
Santa Clara University is built around the historic Mission Santa Clara, with the Adobe Lodge, built in 1822, being the oldest building on campus. The university's campus has expanded to more than 106 acres, and it has a total enrollment of approximately 8,000 students, including undergraduate and graduate students. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest academic division, offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields such as law, business, engineering, education, and counselling psychology.
As a Jesuit university, Santa Clara is invested in the spiritual and religious lives of its Catholic students, offering campus ministries, leadership and scholarship opportunities, and other community-building programmes. The university maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation and supports initiatives to further its religious mission. While about half of the undergraduates are Catholic, the university welcomes students from all faiths and encourages religious tolerance and inclusivity. Students are not required to attend religious services, but they are encouraged to participate in campus ministry programmes and lectures. All bachelor's degree programs require three religious studies courses as part of the academic core, with a focus on ethics, social justice, and faith commitment.
The Length of Catholic Liturgies: How Long Do They Last?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
SCU maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation
Santa Clara University (SCU) is a private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Santa Clara, California, with a significant part of its campus in San Jose, California. It is the oldest institution of higher education in California, founded in 1851 on the site of the Santa Clara de Asís mission, which was established by Franciscans in 1777. The university is built around historic Mission Santa Clara, with the current structure dating back to 1818.
The Jesuit community at SCU is made up of 47 priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus, many of whom are faculty members, while others serve in various administrative roles. The Jesuits have always aimed to provide an education that forms students as whole persons who will positively impact the world, and this ideal remains at the core of SCU's mission. An important principle of Jesuit education is care for the whole person, and SCU strives to create an inclusive environment where students from diverse backgrounds can find a sense of community.
SCU also offers various programs and opportunities for its Catholic students, including campus ministries, leadership and scholarship opportunities, and other community-building initiatives. The Pedro Arrupe Partnership and Kolvenbach Solidarity programs further emphasize social justice by offering service and immersion opportunities in the community and worldwide.
Exploring the Number of Catholic Patriarchs
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![A Question of Faith [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81M0I2oEwwS._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The university welcomes students from all religious backgrounds
Santa Clara University (SCU) is a private, coeducational, Jesuit university located in Santa Clara, California. It is the oldest continuously operating university in California, founded in 1851. The university is built around the historic Mission Santa Clara, with the present university home to around 5,435 undergraduate and 3,335 postgraduate students.
While SCU is rooted in Catholic and Jesuit tradition, it welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. The student body is approximately half Catholic, with the other half comprised of people from other faiths or no faith. The university encourages all students to practice and deepen their faith, but religious participation is not mandated. Events like the Sunday Mass often attract full houses in the historic Mission Church, and many regular attendees are not Catholic. They appreciate the sense of community with other students, as well as the quiet time set aside for meditation and prayer before the busy school week begins.
The university maintains and provides to all faculty and campus organizations a religious calendar of non-Catholic holidays so that accommodations can be made and inclusivity practiced. All undergraduate students are required to take three religious studies courses as part of their academic core, with dozens of diverse classes to select from to meet this requirement. For example, a student might take "Asian Religious Traditions", "Environmental Justice in the Catholic Imagination", or "Shia Islam in the Contemporary World".
SCU is invested in the spiritual and religious lives of its Catholic students, offering campus ministries, leadership and scholarship opportunities, and other community-building programs. However, the university advertises itself as religiously tolerant and open to non-Catholic and non-religious students. The Jesuits, who make up the university's religious community, are committed to providing an education that forms students as whole persons who will change the world for good. This ideal remains at the core of Santa Clara University's mission.
Global Catholic Diocese: How Many Are There?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Finding Faith [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71teRY+YW0L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
SCU encourages students to attend Sunday Mass and participate in campus ministry
Santa Clara University (SCU) is a private, Catholic, Jesuit university located in Santa Clara, California. It was founded in 1851 and is California's oldest operating institution of higher education. The university is affiliated with the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church and maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation.
All bachelor's degree students at SCU are required to take three religious studies courses as part of their academic core. There are dozens of diverse classes to select from to meet this requirement, such as Asian Religious Traditions, Environmental Justice in the Catholic Imagination, and Shia Islam in the Contemporary World. An emphasis on social justice is furthered through the Pedro Arrupe Partnership and Kolvenbach Solidarity programs, which offer service opportunities in the community and immersion opportunities worldwide.
SCU maintains an active Jesuit community on campus, with 47 priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus, many of whom are faculty members. The university also provides a religious calendar of non-Catholic holidays to all faculty and campus organizations to ensure accommodations and inclusivity for non-Catholic and non-religious students. While SCU has made strides in creating an inclusive campus environment, some students and staff have noted challenges due to vocal Catholic conservatism from the Jesuit community.
First Communion: A Sacred Catholic Rite of Passage
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Santa Clara University is a private, Jesuit, Catholic university. It was founded in 1851 and is California's oldest continuously operating university.
Santa Clara University maintains its Catholic and Jesuit affiliation and supports initiatives to further its religious mission. While the university encourages students to participate in religious activities, it also advertises itself as religiously tolerant and open to students from all faiths and backgrounds.
No, it is not mandatory to be Catholic to attend Santa Clara University. While about half of the undergraduate students are Catholic, the university welcomes all qualified and motivated students. The mix of diverse perspectives is seen as enriching and helps prepare graduates for a pluralistic and global society.
While religious participation is not mandated, Santa Clara University encourages all students to practice and deepen their faith. Students are not required but are encouraged to attend the Sunday evening student Masses in the mission church and to participate in campus ministry programs.
Yes, all undergraduate students at Santa Clara University are required to take three religious studies courses as part of their academic core. However, there are dozens of diverse classes to choose from, such as "Asian Religious Traditions," "Environmental Justice in the Catholic Imagination," and "Shia Islam in the Contemporary World."
