- Q: Curriculum- I’m perfectly fine with a liberal arts curriculum, but I’d need a job some time after
graduation. I’m planning a career in environmental science or policy, so are there other courses
offered as well? Specifically, could I be job-competitive after graduating from Soka?
A: Really cool! If you are planning a career in ES or policy you are still looking at the right school. A few of my friends actually chose the Environmental Studies concentration (I secretly wish I did too) and had so many cool experiences. Soka is very research oriented but also very hands on. Some of my classmates had the opportunity to do research in the Amazon and Galapagos. Others took advantage of our surroundings and stayed local, exploring the Wood Canyon Wilderness Park. Check out some of the Learning Clusters too! Just look it up online for Soka Learning Cluster 2015. Here are some examples:
From Field to Cup: The Politics, Economies, and Ecologies of Sumatran Coffee | Singapore and Indonesia
Biosecurity in Aqua-structure: Parasites in Food | Iquitos, Peru
Sustainable Housing and Urban Development in Argentina (Sustainable Housing in Argentina)
THE RESOURCES ARE THERE- if you take advantage of these opportunities you will be successful. Fortunately, SUA has some of the best staff, support, resources, and high academic standards. You should check out the Environmental Studies Website to see where some of the students continue on to: http://www.soka.edu/academics/concentrations/main-environmental-studies-website.aspx
- Q: Academics- I don’t know how good Soka is academically, and I’d like a place where I can be
challenged and learn from good profs. While I’m not bragging, I am applying to places like Colorado College, U. of Richmond, Washington and Lee, places that do brag about their academics. I’d be uncomfortable living among people who are only geniuses or have already cured cancer, so I’d sort of like a variety of academic aptitude in people. Does Soka have that in its student body, both really good students and some perfectly-normal people?
A: While we might have a few geniuses, prodigies, and more… what I love about SUA is that it’s very diverse and inclusive. One of the cool things about SUA is that it has a holistic application process, which means that they look for more than just numbers- they look at the student as a whole. SUA offers a very rigorous curriculum. The average class size is 12 and I remember that one of the smallest classes only had 5 students. At times I felt that that was rough but thinking back, I am grateful for having the opportunity to really understand the subject and even have opportunities to learn outside the classroom with all my peers. Just to give you an idea, SUA has become one of the top 50 National Liberal Art Schools according to U.S. News. It accomplished this in less than 15 years! Since it opened in 2001, I am sure this university was created to provide a prestigious education but with an additional twist: to create global citizens and teach them to be contributive. All of the students have to study abroad in order to graduate… Although challenging, I believe it’s such a wonderful experience and provides valuable skills. In regard to our professors, most of them, if not all, have a PhD and we do not have any teacher assistants or graduate students teaching our classes. So to answer your question, SUA does have challenging curriculum and no one has cured cancer here- yet (One could hope). We have a diverse population and according to what you describe, I think you will find it to be a right fit. You should definitely schedule a campus tour and see it for yourself.