The Catholic University of America

Founded in 1887 by Catholic bishops, CUA is not only a pontifical institution but one of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the United States. The CUA is based in Brookland, a district of capital city Washington D.C that is known as ‘Little Rome’ for its many Catholic institutions.

While CUA began its existence as a research and graduate college there are now more than 60 undergraduate programmes available across 12 schools at CUA, such as the School of Business & Economics, Canon Law, and Architecture. At the Columbus school of Law students can accentuate their chosen field of study through a 26 credit Master of Legal Studies Programme.

Inventio magazine has been published at CUA since 2015, containing research essays from students, and the inaugural issue featured articles with subjects as wide-ranging as Operation Desert Storm and the role of Thomas Aquinas in modern Psychology.

An active study abroad programmes is fostered at CUA. In co-ordination with the Australian Catholic university, the institution has an established Rome centre, just a mile from the Vatican itself. In previous years CUA students have also studied at institutions in Berlin, Buenos Aires, and the British Parliament Internship Programme offered by CUA in Westminster, London.

Actor John Slattery, Oscar winning actress Susan Sarandon, former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley, and archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan are some of the many esteemed graduates to have studied at the CUA. In 1971 the university was also the first to award an honorary degree to Mother Teresa.

CUA has been visited no less than three times by serving Popes; John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2008, and Francis I in 2015. While on campus Pope Francis canonised Junípero Serra, the first such event to occur on U.S. soil.