Academics
The University of Dallas is a small Catholic university that aims to unite its "community of learners" by having them "[investigate] the same essential questions of human life." This is accomplished through the school's Great Books curriculum, which puts all 1,500 undergrads through a sequence of 19 core English, philosophy, and history courses. While this focus on primary texts leads to a "heavy homework load," students embrace this "rigorous, but reasonably so" coursework, saying that it creates "thoughtful and provoking discussions" that encourage them to develop "independent and opposing viewpoints to aid in a well-rounded education." Further setting UD apart from other institutions is the way it uses its "extremely well-established" Rome Program to encourage students to visit notable cities from their studies: "it's one thing to read and discuss the Great Books in a Texas classroom, and another to do so while immersed in the places where those books were written."
University of Dallas professors are the cornerstone of enrollee support. Instructors "care about their students and the UD community at large," as illustrated in the ways that "combine academic expertise and experience, classroom rapport, and interest in their students." And given the 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, it is no surprise that students and faculty form close relationships. Undergrads appreciate how professors treat them as intelligent individuals, saying they "are not trying to push their own agenda onto the students" and "lead us to reach our own conclusions and develop our own ideas rather than having us regurgitate lecture material." Many attest that the faculty at UD "want [them] to succeed," and their teachers' unending support has "made this university [their] home."
Student Body
Community is strong at University of Dallas. Everyone at UD is "very close and welcoming, [which] makes it easy to find a group of people with which you can learn and grow together," and the core "really does bond students together in the first years of college before getting more specific major-only classes." As one undergrad notes, "Every student, no matter what major, can relate to any other student because they all have the same academic background to some extent." With more than 75 percent of this "fun and respectful student body" identifying as Catholic, "the authenticity of the Catholic tradition is prevalent on campus and stays true to its nature." Enrollees find that with so much in common between their academics and their commitment to Catholic values, students will "talk all the time and for hours about everything, and it's awesome." Above all, undergrads at UD appreciate "spending genuine and meaningful time with one another when they aren't studying."
Campus Life
At this "very academic focused" university "most students study together" across campus "in lounges, [the] library, the cafeteria, empty classrooms, [and other] main areas," as the "majority of the week is spent doing homework." But when undergrads are ready for a break, the school "has really unique traditions that offer plenty of occasions for fun activities." For instance, the Campus Activities Board hosts weekly TGIT (Thank. Goodness. It's. Thursday!) events at the bar and grill on campus, which include live music, drinks, and themes, as well as Quiz Bowl on Wednesdays, where students "can win gift cards and prizes." For those looking for relief in the form of a spiritual community, "daily Mass is also a popular weekday activity." On the weekends, you're never too far from your friends since all students under the age of 21 are required to live on campus in one of seven residence halls. In the dorms, undergrads enjoy participating in "programs put on by the resident assistants." Many also make plans to "attend sporting events [together] or hang out in each other's dorm rooms for fun." And when they're looking to get off campus for a bit, students "love to have bonfires, go on road trips, hang out in coffee shops, and have get-togethers."
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