College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University

Students enrolled at the College of St. Benedict, a Catholic women’s college, and St. John’s University, a Catholic men’s college, take classes together under a joint academic program. In the peace studies department, students apply humanities and social sciences methods to the study of violence and peace.Core courses for peace studies majors include classes on nonviolent struggle, mediation and conflict resolution, an internship and a capstone seminar. Additionally, each major takes elective courses in an individually developed focus, such as human rights, ethics of war, or public health.For their internships, students spend a minimum of 160 hours in a placement relating to their focus area. This component of the curriculum, plus other “service-learning” activities, reflects the College of St. Benedict’s and St. John’s University’s emphasis on community-based education.While the two schools, about six miles apart, share academics, they maintain separate campuses, athletic teams and other programs. Both universities emphasize Benedictine Catholic values, including peace, sustainability and community, in all facets of students’ lives.