The Catholic University of America
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Your Story Begins Here
The Catholic University of America is unique among universities in the United States—even among Catholic universities. And it’s not just because we're located in Washington, D.C.— a city of global significance and a place of extraordinary educational opportunity. We are a national research university in the heart of the nation's capital and we are rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Our university was founded by the Catholic bishops of the United States, with a charter from then Pope Leo XIII, to be the national university of the Catholic Church in America. For more than 130 years, we have lived out our mission to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research. Catholic University scholars in all fields embrace both reason and faith as they apply the inexhaustible resources of the Catholic intellectual tradition to solve contemporary issues and enrich the culture around us.
Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art
The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art has already produced 2 Oscar, 7 Tony Award, and 2 Pulitzer Prize winners, and remains home to a broad range of performing arts programs at Catholic University. Committed to advancing opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, promoting cultural enrichment, developing aural, visual and verbal literacy, and developing imaginative new ways of expression in the arts, the Rome School offers a wealth of concentrated as well as cross-disciplinary experiences for both students and faculty, including programs giving students a chance to develop their skills and talents while working closely with experienced and renowned professionals in the dynamic cultural scene that is Washington, D.C., with its many theaters, concert venues, clubs, cabarets, and public performance spaces. It is the ideal place to study the arts.
School of Arts and Sciences
Think of the School of Arts and Sciences as the liberal arts college embedded within Catholic University. We're very diverse in our fields of study, but we're united in acknowledging the origin of our existence, the divine source of the natural law that's encoded in our hearts, and in the pursuit of truth.
All of our disciplines—arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences—constitute a circle of knowledge where we're all connected through our common effort to try to uncover the truth in various ways. Each area of study is rooted in the belief that the ordered universe is the foundation of all research and knowledge. Our 17 departments and seven interdisciplinary programs are perpetually in pursuit of excellence, and devoted to discovering how to better serve our fellow human beings.
 |
Recognized as a 2023–2024 College of Distinction |
 |
Recognized as a Catholic College of Distinction |
 |
Recognized as a College of Distinction in Washington, DC |
 |
Ranked #8 among The Best 388 Colleges for "Most Engaged in Community Service" | The Princeton Review |
 |
Ranked #21 among the "Best Green Colleges in the US" | College Consensus |
 |
Ranked #87 among the "Best Value Schools in the Nation" | U.S. News & World Report, 2024 |
 |
Named among the "Best Catholic Colleges," "Best Colleges in America," "Best Private Universities in America," and "Best Colleges in Washington, D.C." | Niche |
“I was immediately drawn to Catholic from the moment I stepped on campus. I could tell there was something special and that it was more than just a university, it really was a family.”
“As a politics student, there's no place like Washington, D.C., to live and learn. The opportunities to gain professional experience off campus with internship opportunities have been invaluable to my student experience.”
“I've made excellent friends in all grades and majors. And the professors are gems who care about their students and are great teachers and scholars. This is simply an open and welcoming and cheerful place.”