Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university, offers its students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees and engineering Ph.Ds Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all US master's universities, California's oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. Founded in 1851 by the Society of Jesus as "Santa Clara College," SCU was established on the site of Mission Santa Clara de Asis, the eighth of 21 California missions. The university draws upon more than 450 years of the Jesuit tradition to educate leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion. Located 40 miles south of San Francisco, in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University offers abundant career opportunities and access to a variety of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. The 106-acre campus features beautiful gardens and landscaping, and contains more than 50 buildings, the newest being the Locatelli Student Activities Center-opening in 2010-a green, two-story facility featuring space for student clubs and organizations and a flexible place for students to schedule events. At Santa Clara, the notion of sustainability informs many of the classes and campus activities. University leaders have committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions to a level 20 percent below 1990 emissions by the end of 2010. High student satisfaction and achievement are reflected in the fact that 93 percent of freshman students advance to the sophomore year and 85 percent graduate within six years, among the highest percentages in the country. One example of high student achievement is 2009 SCU graduate Beth Tellman, who double majored in sustainable globalization and environmental studies, received the Fulbright US Student Award, and researches food security for coffee farmers in El Salvador. Santa Clara's emphasis on a community of scholars and integrated education attracts faculty members who are as committed to their students intellectual and moral development as they are to pursuing their own scholarship. Santa Clara University's 449 full-time faculty members include Fulbright professors, nationally recognized authors and poets, groundbreaking scientists, and highly regarded economic forecasters. The integration of Santa Clara University and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (JST) in 2009 resulted in the new Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Santa Clara University's 77,332 alumni live in all 50 states and in 93 foreign countries. More than half live in the Bay Area, where many of them are leaders in business, law, engineering, academia, and public service. In 2009, President Barack Obama selected SCU alumni Leon Panetta as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Janet Napolitano as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. In 2009, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine named Santa Clara University among the top 50 best values among private universities nationwide, and Business Week ranked the undergraduate business program 39th in the nation. For nearly a decade, the School of Law's intellectual property program has been recognized among the top 10 in the country. The University also was named to the 2009 US President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for community service programs and student involvement.
General Information
Selective, Medium School, Catholic Affiliation, Urban/Major City, Co-Ed, Graduate Students - High, Total Minority - High, Hispanic Students - High, Asian Students - High, Any Cost, Reader Service for the Blind, Handicapped Student Services, Note taking Services, Study Abroad, Accelerated Study, Cooperative Work Experience, Reserve Officers - Training Corps (ROTC), Campus Publications, Dormitories, Foreign Student Organizations, Honor Student Organizations, Minority Student Organizations, Radio/TV Station, Religious Organizations, Social Fraternities and Sororities, Student Government, Student/Faculty Ratio - Medium
Campus Description
104-acre, suburban campus in Santa Clara, three miles from San Jose and 46 miles from San Francisco. Served by train; major airport and bus serve San Jose; major airport also serves San Francisco. Public transportation serves campus.
Other Admission Requirements
, TOEFL test ONLY required, Financial statement NOT required, Advance deposit NOT required, Pre-application form NOT required, Separate application form NOT required
School Type
Private not-for-profit (religious affiliation), 4-year or above
