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School of Arts & Sciences

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The Heart of the University

At the School of Arts & Sciences, you’ll use faith and reason to discover truths about the world, the human person, and God. Home to a full range of human knowledge — from theology and philosophy to mathematics and the natural sciences, and from the social sciences and humanities to the performing arts and music — the School of Arts and Sciences finds common ground in a liberal arts core curriculum. This foundation of spirituality and ethics, communication, logic, and global stewardship lies at the heart of education and prepares students for excellence – for Life!

Our approach to learning emphasizes the unity of all knowledge – what you learn in theology only enhances what you learn in biology, and what you study in philosophy only contributes to your understanding of politics. Our approach is interdisciplinary, collegial, and dedicated to the discovery of truth.

School of Arts and Sciences Programs

Undergraduate Programs

Biology, Biology Ed, Biochemistry, Catholic Studies, Chemistry, Chemistry Ed, Communication, Dramatic Arts, Economics, English, English Ed, History, History Ed, Mathematics, Mathematics Ed, Music, Music Ed, Music Performance, Philosophy, Politics, Sacred Music, Social Studies Ed, Spanish, Theology, University Studies

Graduate Programs

MA in Applied Catholic Theology, MA in Apostolic Leadership, MA in Music, MBA/MA in Philosophy

Choral students performing in chapel

Music at Mary

With four music degree options and 13 ensembles open to all students, there’s always a song in the air at Mary.

Student looking through a microscope.

Summer Research

Engage in professional research in our Summer Undergraduate Research Vocation Experience (SURVE).

Group of smiling study abroad students in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

Expand Your Horizons

Study abroad at our Rome campus, take a faculty-led trip, or participate in a medical mission.

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Mary College at ASU

Our unprecedented partnership allows us to bring the Catholic intellectual tradition to a research-one university.

Dr Bungum teaching students

Catholic Studies

This exciting academic program examines the rich, intellectual, and cultural traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and its impressive contributions to human thought and culture — past and present.

Welcome to the School of Arts & Sciences!

We want to help you discover your vocation and mission in life. Our mission is to pursue truth, advance knowledge, and hand on the Catholic intellectual tradition in our teaching, scholarship, and service. We house 14 academic undergraduate programs and four at the graduate level. We instruct every Mary student through the Liberal Arts core curriculum — preparing you for a career and for life.

Through our school, students participate in several unique learning opportunities. Our Rome program offers a life-changing semester of study in the Eternal City. Mary College at ASU provides unparalleled opportunities offered by the nation’s largest research university. Our Catholic studies program forms a close-knit community of faculty and students who examine the influence of Catholicism on thought and culture from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Students can take courses in our summer semester, learn from world-class visiting scholars, and go on excursions through Year-Round Campus – our innovative program through which students can graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 2.6 years or a master’s in four. And these are just the beginning; we have so much more!

Our graduate-level offerings — full degree programs, certificates, and courses — are designed for the working adult. They teach our students how to integrate Catholic perspectives with their careers and provide them the opportunity to become the best in their fields, as leaders, and as area experts. Through our school and programs, our graduates gain practical knowledge and cultivate a unified vision of reality informed by the truths of the Catholic faith. In all that we do, we aspire to create a culture grounded in St. John Henry Newman’s vision for higher education and marked by charity, wisdom, humility, and moderation.

I encourage you to consider us as you prepare for your future. We hope you will join us!

– Dr. James Peliska, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

Headshot of Shayla Elm

The School of Arts and Sciences is composed of a diverse group of students and faculty … I am thankful for every moment spent with my classmates and the second family the University of Mary has brought me.

Shayla Elm, ’20

Have Questions?

We’re here to help. Call us at 701-355-8030 or 800-288-6279 (MARY) or email us.