Type Private, Catholic President Derry Connolly Postgraduates 100 Undergraduate tuition and fees 24,900 USD (2015) Phone +1 858-653-6740 | Established 2003 Undergraduates 200 Acceptance rate 87.5% (2014) Total enrollment 167 (2011) | |
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Motto Impact Culture for Christ Address 155 W Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025, USA Similar Westminster Seminary California, Thomas Aquinas College, California Miramar University, Horizon University, Humphreys College | ||
John Paul the Great Catholic University (nicknamed "JPCatholic") is located in Escondido, California, United States. It currently offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Communications Media and Business, each with several concentrations offered, a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Film Producing, and a Master of Arts in Biblical Theology. JPCatholic emphasizes its loyalty to the Catholic Church, and lists "impacting the culture for Christ" as one of its main goals. The University was named one of North America's "21 Catholic colleges and universities which most faithfully live their Catholic identity" by the Cardinal Newman Society and has consistently been listed in the Newman Society's "Guide to Choosing a Catholic College". In May 2013, the University purchased a building in Escondido, a city north of San Diego, and relocated during the summer of 2013.
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History
John Paul the Great Catholic University was founded in 2003 under the name "New Catholic University." After the death of Pope John Paul II in April 2005, the Board of Trustees decided to change the name to honor the late Pope, while retaining the word "Catholic" in the official name to emphasize the priorities of the school. JPCatholic officially opened its doors with its first classes on September 21, 2006 with a temporary campus in Scripps Ranch. The University moved to a permanent campus in Escondido in 2013, holding its first classes there at the start of the Fall 2013 academic quarter. In the spring of 2016, John Paul the Great University became the third University in America to adopt the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as an alternative to the SAT and ACT.
Campus
JPCatholic is located in downtown Escondido, a city immediately north of San Diego, California and approximately 30 miles (48 km) north of downtown San Diego. Classrooms, sound stage, and chapel are located in a former Mingei art museum on Grand Avenue, the heart of Escondido's historic downtown, while administrative offices are housed in a building across the street. In early 2016, the University purchased a long-vacant furniture store with the intent to renovate the space "to house a huge sound stage, a library and an auditorium." The school has also purchased the campus of the defunct Center City High School to serve as the campus chapel. Students live "on campus" at the latitude33 apartment complex approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) away from the classrooms.
Academics
JPCatholic operates on a non-traditional year-round schedule, with three 10-week quarters per academic year and four quarters per calendar year. Students graduate in three years, beginning the program at the start of a fall quarter and graduating at the end of their third summer quarter. Consequently, there are never more than three "academic classes" of students on campus at any given time.
Undergraduate Degrees
JPCatholic currently offers two Bachelor of Science degrees: Business, with concentrations in Entrepreneurship, Sales & Marketing, Leadership & Management; and Communications Media, with concentrations in Screenwriting, Producing, Production/Directing, Acting, Animation, Game Art & Design, and its unique New Evangelization emphasis, which the University calls a "practical theology degree" Undergraduate students also take core curriculum classes in philosophy, art, literature, and science, with a heavy emphasis on Scripture and Catholic theology.
Senior Business Plan
JPCatholic is noted for its focus on business entrepreneurship, and offers an educational track and resource hub for entrepreneurial students, called the Business Launchpad. Seniors business students work with business-experienced faculty to develop viable business plans, and use University resources to launch a company.
Graduate Degrees
The school offers a Master of Business Administration degree with concentration Film Producing, and a Master of Arts in Biblical Theology. The MA in Biblical Theology is offered on-campus or online. In addition, the school offers certificates in Theology and Philosophy.
Red Line (2013 film)
JPCatholic's media programs provide a focus on applied learning, with an effort to create opportunities for students to get experience on real-world projects. Red Line was a 2013 feature film directed by professor Rob Kirbyson that incorporated 60-70% of the student body in production. The film was created with a budget of $220,000 and achieved distribution in both domestic and international markets.
Accreditation
JPCatholic is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission. The University was notified of Initial Accreditation in a letter from the Commission dated March 6, 2015.