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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
National Catholic Register: On Science and Catholic Education
Writing in the National Catholic Register, Patrick J. Reilly, president and founder of the Cardinal Newman Society, considers a question often raised by Thomas Aquinas College’s prospective students: “Can a college that teaches theology and philosophy be good at teaching science?”
His answer, emphatically, is yes. Mr. Reilly goes on to survey the natural-science offerings at various schools recommended by the Newman Guide, culminating in a passage about Thomas Aquinas College. The article heavily quotes Dr. Thomas J. Kaiser, the associate dean on the New England campus, who — in addition to being an alumnus of the College — holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles:
The Great Books education at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, and Northfield, Massachusetts, “requires knowledge of the principles of all the major disciplines, including math and science,” according to Dr. Thomas Kaiser, associate dean of the College in New England. … [S]tudents get a rigorous foundation in Euclidian geometry, mathematical reasoning, scientific reasoning, natural science and philosophy.
“Having a philosophical overview of the principles and methods of the sciences is excellent preparation for specialization,” says Kaiser. “Those who specialize without this preparation may unknowingly accept philosophical presuppositions without any opportunity to critically assess them.”
Kaiser explains how, in our world today, “scientists have displaced the theologians and philosophers as the supposed wise men.” He laments that “many of them are atheists, and even those that aren’t think that there is no compatibility between faith and reason.”
“Of course, this never has been the position of the Church,” says Dr. Kaiser.
Over the course of the College's history, graduates have had little difficulty moving into special fields of medicine and healthcare. Although they may need to take some prerequisite courses, the education at the College helps them to assimilate readily the new material. Alumni have been successful in all the branches of science and medicine.
In conclusion, writes Mr. Reilly, “Students can prepare for careers in the sciences while being educated from an authentically Catholic perspective. It’s a wise choice, if wisdom is the objective.”