Academics and Special Programs

At Marian University, we pride ourselves on our outstanding academics and meeting the intellectual needs of students from a wide range of backgrounds. Our distinctive educational model equips students to make an impact—in their careers, their communities, and their world.

As a small university with high academic standards, Marian University offers benefits distinct from other liberal arts institutions:

• Small Class Size – Undergraduate classes, including for freshmen, average 17 students per class.
• Individual Attention – All classes are taught by professors, not TAs, and professors invite one-on-one interaction with their students.
• Experiential Learning – Undergraduates conduct original research and publish in ways that are normally limited to graduate students or Ph.D. candidates. From day one, our students are taught in a hands-on way that promotes real-world application.
• Fieldwork Opportunities – We encourage and equip our undergraduates to take advantage of incredible internships with top companies and do other work in their fields. This makes Marian University graduates highly employable and successful in their work.
• Study Abroad – Marian University builds a feeling of global involvement through our core values and encourages students to broaden their experiences through study abroad.

Our programs aren't limited to traditional undergraduates. Marian University believes that non-traditional students add depth and perspective to our academics, so we designed programs to meet the needs of those students while enhancing the experience of our traditional cohort.

• Our Advanced Study Program offers dual high school and college credit for high school students looking for additional challenges.
• Marian’s Adult Programs (MAP) gives adults a flexible, accelerated way to earn a bachelor’s degree.
• The Online Accelerated Nursing Program allows students with a previous bachelor’s degree to add a bachelor’s degree in nursing and more quickly move to clinical rotations.