Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California, United States. It started in 1851 and is the oldest university in California. The campus is built around the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís, which began in 1777. The buildings look like the mission, with Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival styles.

The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through six colleges. These include the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education and Counseling Psychology, Leavey School of Business, School of Engineering, Jesuit School of Theology, and School of Law. As of Fall 2024, it has about 6,484 undergraduate students and 3,151 postgraduate students.

Santa Clara's sports teams are called the Broncos, and their colors are red and white. They play at the NCAA Division I level in the West Coast Conference in 19 sports. The Broncos have won NCAA championships in men's and women's soccer. Many athletes have played professionally or for their countries in the Olympics.

History

Mission Santa Clara de Asís, founded by the Spanish Empire in 1777

Santa Clara University is the oldest school in California, starting in 1851. Its campus is built where an old mission, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, was founded in 1777 by Saint Junipero Serra. The mission was built on land that belonged to the Ohlone people.

In 1851, two Jesuit priests started Santa Clara College, which later became Santa Clara University. It was the first college in California to open its doors to students and gave out the state’s first bachelor’s degree in 1857. Women were allowed to study there starting in 1961. In 2026, the university announced plans to start a new medical school with help from Sutter Health, thanks to a big donation. This will be the first new medical school in the San Francisco Bay Area in over 100 years.

Campus

The Santa Clara University campus is in Santa Clara, California, with some parts in San Jose, California. Over 150 years, the campus has grown to more than 106 acres.

In the 1950s, the university bought land around it for new buildings and sports fields. In 1989, a major road was moved, helping to bring the campus together. The 1990s brought many new buildings, like a music and dance building, a science wing, and a fitness center.

Mission Santa Clara de Asís is at the heart of SCU's historic campus.

Recent developments include a new baseball field (Stephen Schott Stadium), a renovated basketball arena (Leavey Center), and a large new library. In 2022, the university finished the Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, a big place for science and engineering. In 2025, the Jesuit School of Theology will move from Berkeley back to the main campus.

The campus has interesting spots, such as the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís, used as the university chapel. There is also a fitness center, a sports field, and a parish hall.

The university works to be environmentally friendly. It has received awards for its green efforts and follows rules to make new buildings better for the planet.

Administration

Santa Clara University is a private university led by a group of 44 people called a board of trustees. The university has about 5,435 undergraduate students and 3,335 graduate students. There are 522 teachers across four schools and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Kenna Hall, built in a Spanish Colonial Revival style in 1924

In July 2009, the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley joined Santa Clara University and is now called the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. It remains in Berkeley, California.

The president of the university must be a Jesuit priest. Many Jesuit priests and brothers work as teachers and leaders at the main campus and at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. They teach many subjects.

In 2024, Santa Clara University began programs to help students with financial aid so they can afford to attend.

Colleges and schools

Santa Clara University has six main schools. These include the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education and Counseling Psychology, SCU Leavey School of Business, School of Engineering, Jesuit School of Theology, and the School of Law. Each school is led by a dean.

College of Arts and Sciences

O'Connor Hall on the Alviso Mall

The College of Arts and Sciences gives students Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees.

Leavey School of Business

Main article: SCU Leavey School of Business

The Leavey School of Business started in 1923. Students can get a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, a Master of Business Administration, an Executive Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS).

Education, Counseling Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries

The School of Education, Counseling Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries began in fall 2001. It has many graduate programs in these areas.

School of Engineering

The School of Engineering started in 1912 and offers bachelor’s degrees. Over time, it added master’s and doctoral programs. Students and teachers often work with companies and groups in Silicon Valley.

Jesuit School of Theology

Main article: Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University

The Jesuit School of Theology is in Berkeley, California. It became part of Santa Clara University in 2009. Before that, it was called the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.

School of Law

The School of Law started in 1911. It offers the Juris Doctor degree and can also combine this with other degrees like a Master of Business Administration. The school also gives special training in areas like High Tech, Intellectual Property law, International law, and Public Interest and Social Justice law.

Academics and rankings

Santa Clara University has about 6,500 undergraduate students and 3,200 graduate students. Students can choose from 45 different majors in three main schools: Arts and Science, Engineering, and Business. The university also has six graduate schools, including Law and Education.

Classes are small, with most having fewer than 50 students. The university is selective, accepting about 42% of applicants. It focuses on social justice and its Catholic Jesuit traditions, encouraging students to help their communities.

In rankings, Santa Clara University is often highly placed. It was ranked 38th among the best colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal, and tied for 59th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report. It also ranks well for specific programs like Engineering, Business, and Communications.

Undergraduate demographics as of fall 2022
Race and ethnicity	Total
White	40%
Asian	21%
Hispanic	19%
Other	11%
Foreign national	6%
Black	3%
Economic diversity
Low-income	11%
Affluent	89%

Student life

Santa Clara University has many student groups for students to join. There are over 125 groups with activities like sports, careers, community service, cultures, business, health, media, music, art, politics, and more. Some popular groups are the SCU Ski & Snowboard club, which goes skiing weekly to Lake Tahoe, and SCEO, which helps student entrepreneurs connect with others and learn new skills.

The university has special groups that plan events, a student newspaper called The Santa Clara, a literary magazine, and a student radio station, KSCU 103.3 FM. There are also groups that help the community and promote sustainable living on campus. Students can join the university’s student government, which represents undergraduate students. The university also has a ROTC program with a long history and has received awards for excellence.

Athletics

Main article: Santa Clara Broncos

Santa Clara University is part of the NCAA's Division I and competes in the West Coast Conference. The university has many sports teams, including soccer, basketball, and water polo. There are 19 main teams and many more club sports. The school's colors are red and white, and the team mascot is called the "Bronco."

The university has strong soccer and basketball teams. Many of its athletes have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games. The football team stopped in 1993, but other sports continue to grow. The university has special places to play sports, like stadiums and arenas, where students can enjoy games and matches.