Curriculum St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe)

1 curriculum

1.1 great books program
1.2 reading list

1.2.1 freshman year
1.2.2 sophomore year
1.2.3 junior year
1.2.4 senior year


1.3 graduate institute liberal arts program
1.4 eastern classics program

curriculum
great books program

the great books program (often called program or new program @ st. john s) developed @ university of chicago stringfellow barr, scott buchanan, robert hutchins, , mortimer adler in mid-1930s alternative form of education rapidly changing undergraduate curriculum. st. john s adopted great books program in 1937, when college facing possibility of financial , academic ruin. great books program in use today influenced jacob klein, dean of college in 1940s , 1950s.

the four-year program of study, of mandatory, demands students read , discuss works of many of western civilization s prominent contributors philosophy, theology, mathematics, science, music, poetry, , literature. tutorials (mathematics, language, , music), seminar , laboratory, discussion-based. in mathematics tutorial students demonstrate propositions mathematicians throughout various ages have laid out. in language tutorial student translations presented (ancient greek studied in first 2 years , french last two). tutorials, seminar , laboratory, constitute classes. classes, , in particular seminar, considered formal exercises; consequently, students address 1 another, teachers, honorific , last name during class.

st. john s avoids modern textbooks, lectures, , examinations, in favor of series of manuals. while traditional (a f) grades given, culture of school de-emphasizes importance , grades released @ request of student. grading based largely on class participation , papers. tutors, faculty members called @ college, play non-directive role in classroom, compared mainstream colleges. however, @ st. john s varies course , instructor. class size small on both campuses, student tutor ratio of 8:1. seminar largest class, around 20 students, led 2 tutors. daytime tutorials smaller, typically ranging between 12 , 16 students , led 1 tutor. preceptorials smallest class size, ranging between 3 , 9 students.

the program involves:

four years of literature, philosophy, , political science in seminar
four years of mathematics
three years of laboratory science
four years of language (ancient greek, middle/early english, , french)
freshman year chorus followed sophomore year music

the great books not texts used @ st. john s. greek , french classes make use of supplemental materials more traditional textbooks. science laboratory courses , mathematics courses use manuals prepared faculty members combine source materials workbook exercises. example, mathematics tutorial combines 1905 paper albert einstein exercises require student work through mathematics used in paper.

reading list

although varies year year , differs between campuses, great books reading list basis of school s curriculum. 2015–2016 list follows:

freshman year

sophomore year

junior year

senior year

graduate institute liberal arts program

the graduate institute in liberal education established @ st. john s college in 1967 summer program on santa fe campus. size , scope of institute have expanded both annapolis , santa fe campuses offer year-round graduate-level study based on principles of st. john s undergraduate program. students in liberal arts program explore persisting questions of human existence studying classic works of western tradition. program organized 5 semester-long thematic segments: philosophy , theology, politics , society, literature, mathematics , natural science, , history. students earn master of arts in liberal arts (m.a.l.a) completing 4 of these 5 segments. common curriculum provides basis shared intellectual community; discussion fellow students , faculty mode of learning both inside , outside classroom. each semester, students attend seminar, tutorial , preceptorial—all carried out small-group discussions under guidance of st. john s faculty members. these 3 types of classes framework of distinctive st. john s educational experience.

eastern classics program

at santa fe campus, there program offering master of arts in eastern classics (m.a.e.c.). program 3 semesters long , designed completed in 1 12-month period. impetus program came recognition undergraduate program not justice great books of 3 main asian traditions (india, china , japan) trying squeeze in few works among many european masterworks. ec program therefore provides full set of readings in philosophical, religious , literary traditions of 3 cultures listed above. thus, students learn chinese culture reading not confucius, laozi , zhuangzi, mencius, xun zi, han feizi, , mozi, historical narratives sima qian , zuo zhuan, later movement of neo-confucianism , zhu xi, narrative works such journey west or romance of 3 kingdoms , great chinese poets, li bai, wang wei , du fu. list represents one-third of required corpus, covers major teachings , branches of hinduism , development of theravada, mahayana , zen buddhism, such literary masterpieces mahabharata, shakuntala, tale of genji, narrow road deep north , others. students take language, either sanskrit or classical chinese.