Español

Haz click aquí para ver este centro en español

Renowned for leadership development in justice, science, business and ministry, St. Thomas University is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and there’s no sign of this popular university slowing down. St Thomas University’s academic expansion now includes unique degrees in global entrepreneurship and international business, sports administration, intercultural human rights and undergraduate science research conducted in state-of-the-art laboratories. A small-class size, private university is the competitive advantage that allows students to reach their highest potential.

St. Thomas University is the home of Biscayne College; schools of Law; Science, Technology and Engineering Management; Business; Leadership Studies; Theology and Ministry; and a wide variety of extracurricular, spiritual and community-oriented programs, all designed to further their students’ goals and leadership abilities.

Today, St. Thomas University is in the midst of one of the most exciting periods in its history. The Fernandez Family Center for Leadership and Wellness is an athletic and educational hub serving as the home to the University’s School of Leadership Studies, the nationally renowned Sports Administration Programs and the basketball and volleyball teams.

With the opening of the Carnival Cruise Lines Science and Technology Building, St. Thomas University has dramatically increased its undergraduate research abilities and is beginning to offer nationally unique science programs like the STEM (Science, Technology, and Engineering & Mathematics) FELLOWS cohorts. The Fellows program offers selected minority students with outstanding academic records the chance to pursue research-based majors in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. These baccalaureate students will be prepared to compete for entry into the finest graduate science, mathematics, and medical programs in the nation.

From the new athletic facilities to the expansion of academic programs and nationally recognized undergraduate research, the campus will have a lasting impact on students for generations to come. The St. Thomas University experience, which includes a Study in Spain program, a United Nations internship and travel to Haiti, is a laboratory for life in the coming decades with people of many cultures sharing ethical values and bringing about positive change in their local communities.

Mission of St. Thomas University

According to the excellent website for St. Thomas University, the following is the school’s mission statement:

“St. Thomas is a Catholic university with rich cultural and international diversity committed to the academic and professional success of its students who become ethical leaders in our global community.”
Brief History of St. Thomas University

St. Thomas University was founded in 1961 as Biscayne College by the order of the Augustinian Friars. The college was accepted as a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and first accredited by the Commission on Colleges in 1968. Through continued growth and development, Biscayne College earned university status in 1984 after the addition of 10 Master degree programs and the opening of the School of Law. The University came under the sponsorship of the Archdiocese of Miami in 1988, conferring upon St. Thomas the distinction of being the only Catholic Archdiocesan sponsored university in the State of Florida.

When University status was attained, the name of the institution was changed to St. Thomas University to reflect its Cuban heritage. The University traces its roots to the Universidad de Santo Tomas de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, by American Augustinians with assistance from European Augustinians. When the Castro government expelled the Augustinians from Cuba in 1961, several of the American Augustinians came to Miami where they founded Biscayne College. Given their experience in Cuba, the University’s founders, and specifically its first president, who was vice rector of Villanueva, were intimately familiar with teaching students from different backgrounds. That commitment to student diversity continues strongly today.
The St. Thomas University School of Law is one of only two accredited Catholic law schools south of Georgetown University’s School of Law in Washington, DC. The School of Law at St. Thomas was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in February 1995, and offers the Juris Doctor degree (J.D.).

St. Thomas has given its graduates the confidence and skills necessary for success in a variety of fields. Among notable graduates are: Alex Penelas, the former Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Andy Elisburg, Vice President of Operations for the Miami Heat; Christina Fernandez, Chief Marshall for the Southern Region U.S. Marshals Service; and John Dooner, CEO of Interpublic Group of Companies.

St. Thomas University Diversity

A haven for diversity, St. Thomas University has students enrolled from more than 70 countries and many different ethnic backgrounds.

The University defines itself as an institution that values diversity. This diversity is reflected in the importance and pride the University places in a student body that includes a balanced number of men and women, and includes people from a variety of racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, and national identities.

The University recognizes the traditional liberal arts goal of expanding students’ intellectual horizons by exposing all students both to a diversity of cultures and to an analysis of the experience of being different.

The Office of Student Affairs provides technical support and assistance to multicultural organizations on campus. These organizations enable students to explore, maintain, and strengthen their cultural identities, while maintaining their connections to the life of the University through campus-wide activities.

The existing Multicultural Organizations were developed by groups of students who had the desire and saw a need for a group to support their common interests. The Office of Student Services is always open to new ideas in areas in which students see a need for greater community.

St. Thomas University welcomes you to our rapidly growing international student population. An education from St. Thomas University provides unique cross-cultural and international experiences and background inside and outside of the classroom. You will have the opportunity to explore these perspectives at St. Thomas which brings together American and international students in an intimate, personal learning environment.

Student Life at St. Thomas University

St. Thomas University is your place to be: your place to be interested, informed, involved and engaged. The school has many kinds of organizations and activities to stimulate your heart and mind including athletic events, service & theme clubs, student government, a literary magazine, a campus TV station, the student newspaper, concerts, cookouts, exciting speakers, and worship services. All these outlets provide the opportunity for students to interact with members of the Bobcat community and participate in university life.

The faculty and administration expect your time at St. Thomas to be an exciting one, a time when you’ll be exposed to many different people, ideas, and cultures both within the university and in the surrounding environment. Situated between Miami and Fort Lauderdale in the U.S. state of Florida, St. Thomas University is well located for the exploration of South Florida and its rich diversity. Students are encouraged to partake in the cultural and ecological uniqueness of the area as they prepare themselves for a life of personal and professional leadership no matter where the road leads them after St. Thomas.

Welcome to St. Thomas, to academic life and to life beyond the classroom. Their personnel in all student-contact offices are eager to assist you; Bobcat Enrollment Center, Student Center, Residential Life, and Athletics staff are happy to have you there and to share the best student experience possible with you.

All Programs Available:
  • Business
    • Management
  • Communications
    • Communications
  • Computing
    • Information Technology
  • Education
    • Education
  • Finance
    • Finance
    • Accounting
  • Hospitality, Leisure, Tourism and Travel
    • Tourism
    • Hotel Management
  • Human Studies and Services
    • Social Work
  • Humanities
    • History
  • Law
    • Law
  • Sciences
    • Biology
    • Political Science
    • Psychology
Language of instruction

English

Type of school

Private University

Telephone

(305) 625-6000

Location

16400 NW 32nd Ave., Miami, Florida, The United States, 33054-6459


Related schools