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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.
A mudslide has shut down both lanes on Highway 150 between the College’s California campus and Santa Paula. Although the California Department of Transportation has begun preparations for clearing the roadway, officials do not expect to finish the work before sometime this summer. Therefore, if you will be traveling to campus from points south, please be sure to give yourself enough time to navigate the detour route, which will take you along Highways 126, 101, and 33. Directions to campus >
A mudslide has shut down both lanes on Highway 150 between the College’s California campus and Santa Paula. Although the California Department of Transportation has begun preparations for clearing the roadway, officials do not expect to finish the work before sometime this summer. Therefore, if you will be traveling to campus from points south, please be sure to give yourself enough time to navigate the detour route, which will take you along Highways 126, 101, and 33. Directions to campus >
Tutor Dr. Richard Ferrier Appears on Classical Education Podcast
A tutor on the California campus, Dr. Richard Ferrier appears in a recent episode of the Classical Education Podcast, sharing five decades’ worth of learned insight. “The purpose of education as a whole, from little children to graduate school,” he says in the interview, “is to strengthen the soul so that one loves, and seeks, and finds … the truth concerning the things that are central to human life.”
Of course, Dr. Ferrier — known as much around the College for his heartfelt patriotism as for his intellectual acumen — could not fail to mention that education has an irreducibly civic dimension. “The free man is free not only with respect to his thinking about speculative matters,” he says. “There’s another aspect of freedom, particularly in a free society, and that is loving and knowing your republic, so that you can take your part as a free human being in the common life of the community.”
Throughout the interview, Dr. Ferrier displays his characteristic optimism and vigor. He stands athwart critics who allege that the contemporary revival of classical education is only a trend destined for the offal at the wayside of history. “I beg to differ,” he says with a chuckle. “We just started a new campus! We’re going to have twice the students next year that we had, say, five years ago, when you add the two campuses together.” Indeed, he sees initiatives such as the Classical Education Podcast as signs that the revival is no mere fad: “You are the Johnny Appleseed for classical learning in the K-12 world — and in conversations about classical learning in college and graduate school, too!”
Other topics discussed include the architectonic role of the Catholic faith in shaping Thomas Aquinas College’s integrated curriculum, the transcendent beauty of mathematics, and the educational function of studying literature. The full interview bursts with rich ideas and a catching enthusiasm. As the podcast hosts say in the show-notes, “Dr. Ferrier is a true sage in classical education.”