Thomas More College is a four-year Catholic liberal arts college that combines intensive reading of the Great Books with lectures and seminar discussions placing those works in their historical, cultural, and theological context. Students are trained to see in the many facets of Beauty the single face of Truth. The College welcomes students of all faiths.
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
Founded: Thomas More College was founded in 1978 by Catholic laymen.
History: Thomas More College of Liberal Arts was founded in 1978 by Catholic laymen. For forty years Thomas More College has manifest a vision of higher learning which affirms the inherent order of the universe and the mind’s ability to contemplate that order. The College is a community of scholars, bound by the living tradition and the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, and dedicated to the transmission of the patrimony of Christian civilization and the pursuit of wisdom, both human and divine.
Campus: Thomas More College is housed on a 14-acre campus in Merrimack, NH on the original lot of the “Brenton Grant,” which is a piece of land given to William Brenton by the Massachusetts Court in 1658. The campus is 45 minutes north of Boston, one hour from the seacoast of Maine or the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and three hours from Quebec Province.
Academic Programs: Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts; Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.
Our Program consists exclusively of the great works of the Western canon, deliberately organized in our single, integrated program of studies. By carefully guiding in-class conversations, our exceptional faculty start students down the path of Wisdom in a mode more characteristic of discovery than instruction. These aspects alone set the College apart from most other institutions of higher learning, yet the College is truly unique in its emphasis on the necessity of experience. Each student sees first hand the impact of culture in our mandatory semester in Rome, begins the study of philosophy by studying the natural world in our Natural History course, and learns the value of craftsmanship in our Guild program.
Student Ratio: 50% women, 50% men
Student Body Size: 99
Freshman Retention Rate: 83%
Graduation Rate: 75%
Student Right to Know Document
Average class size: 18
Graduate Schools: Over 80 Graduate, Medical, and Professional Programs and 30 Schools of Law have accepted our graduates for admission.
Chapel: Thomas More College is faithful to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. Mass and Confession are offered daily. During the week, students have the opportunity to attend Mass in both the ordinary and extraordinary forms. The Rosary and the Divine Office are recited daily.
Faculty: Student/Teacher ratio is 10:1.
Rome Campus: All Thomas More College students study in Rome for one semester. The current program residence, Villa Magnolia, is nestled at the top of Via delle Fornaci, a short walk from St. Peter’s Square.
Geographic Breakdown: Students come from 24 US states and 3 foreign countries.
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Northeast/mid Atlantic – 47%
- South – 24%
- Midwest/West – 28%
- International – 3%
Students Living on Campus: 94%
Tuition and Fees 2023-2024: $29,300
Food and Housing: $11,000
Statistics: After four years at Thomas More College, each student has…
- Written at least 64 papers.
- Participated in 1,792 seminar hours
- Translated over 1,000 lines of Homer, Cicero, or other Classical authors.
- Read 10,000 pages of the Great Books.
- Traveled over 8,400 miles to and from Rome, Italy.
- Visited over 100 baroque churches, Roman architectural sites, Renaissance piazzas, and catacombs.
- Defended a controversial proposition in the Junior project and oral examination.
- Written a Senior Thesis and presented it to the entire college.
- Had the opportunity to attend 840 daily Masses on campus (Confession is available before Mass) and 40 Station Masses in Rome.
- Spent time learning fine woodworking, naturalistic drawing, and music through our unique Medieval Guild Program.