You were meant to
PURSUE SOMETHING COURAGEOUS.
At Soka, you’ll become a true global citizen.
Someone who thinks across borders, listens with empathy, and acts with purpose.
In fact, global citizenship is a key part of our mission. To us, it means becoming someone who is socially responsible, respects human diversity, and actively contributes to a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
It also means developing the adaptability, perspective, and collaborative skills that employers value most in our interconnected world.
You’ll join a community that values wisdom, courage, and compassion. You’ll live and learn alongside peers from around the world who, just like you, are committed to making a difference through meaningful careers.
You’ll graduate with skills in communication, critical thinking, and cultural fluency that will prepare you to succeed in any career and equip you to tackle critical global issues like peace, equity, and sustainability.
SUPPORT CHANGE WITH CLARITY AND CARE.
One major.
At Soka University of America (SUA), every student earns a B.A. in Liberal Arts, choosing a concentration that matches their interests. You’ll have the flexibility to investigate different ideas, disciplines, and cultures. From your first semester, you’ll develop skills in dialogue, analysis, problem-solving, and more — skills that translate directly to any profession — through challenging courses that ask big questions about issues like peace, human rights, and the coexistence of nature and humanity.
Five concentrations.
You’ll choose one of five concentrations to focus your studies while exploring the full breadth of a liberal arts education.
Environmental Studies
Humanities
International Studies
Life Sciences
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Develop a global mindset through:
Multiple perspectives
Non-native language study
Built-in study abroad to deepen your language skills
Small classes with diverse students
Mentorship and guidance from expert faculty
Learning is meant to advance society.
The classes you’ll take are crafted to equip you with the tools to promote nonviolence, respond to ecological challenges, address global poverty and injustice, and uphold human dignity and equality — preparing you to lead meaningful change while building a successful career that matters.
Immerse yourself in the natural world.
Our campus is a peaceful retreat, perched on a scenic ridge in Aliso Viejo, California. Just a few miles from the ocean and within driving distance of Los Angeles and San Diego, it offers quiet places to reflect, sunny skies year-round, and natural beauty that will put you in harmony with the world around you.
LISTEN DEEPLY, AND RESPOND WITH UNDERSTANDING.
With students from more than 35 countries and a 7:1 student-faculty ratio, Soka’s community is both tight-knit and globally minded. You’ll live and learn alongside people who bring different cultures, languages, and ideas into every conversation.
These connections are what make Soka special. Professors and staff are here to support you, and students look out for one another like family. You’ll grow not just as a student, but as a human being — learning to understand others, and yourself, with patience and care.
Residence Halls
Soka’s 10 modern residence halls are incredibly comfortable. Your first year, you’ll live in a double room alongside other new students in our first-year halls. As you continue, you’ll have lottery-based options for suites or single rooms in upper-class residence halls. Every room comes with a private bathroom that you’ll share only with your roommate or suitemate.
Four years on campus. A lifetime of connection.
At Soka, your peers come from around the world, bringing cultures, experiences, and identities that challenge and expand your thinking. Over the four years you live on campus, you’ll form close friendships as part of a supportive and diverse community. From study sessions to late-night conversations, your connections with other students play an integral role in your learning and growth.
Just some of the things you’ll do as a student.
Study abroad
Experience life and learning in a city like Tokyo, Dakar, or Valencia as you sharpen your language fluency, build cultural competency, and gain new global perspectives.
Take a Learning Cluster
Collaborate with classmates and faculty in an intense, 3.5-week course that tackles real-world questions, with topics as diverse as nuclear disarmament and the politics of Disneyland.
Get involved
Build your leadership skills by joining clubs and cultural groups, from performance troupes to social advocacy initiatives to student government.
Be an athlete
Compete as a Soka Lion on one of our 11 intercollegiate teams.
Catch a show
Visit our award-winning Soka Performing Arts Center, which hosts a variety of breathtaking events.
TURN PASSION INTO ACTION, AND WORK
At Soka, you’ll build the confidence and skills to succeed anywhere, and the courage to lead with purpose.
Soka graduates are making their mark across industries worldwide: in environmental conservation, journalism, technology, entrepreneurship, medical research, humanitarian nonprofits, and more. What connects them all is the ability to think critically, communicate across cultures, and collaborate on creative solutions — skills that open doors in any field.
Get
a
head start on graduate studies.
Soka offers accelerated dual-credit graduate programs with Claremont Graduate University and the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. These partnerships allow motivated students to begin earning graduate credits as undergraduates, reducing both time and cost for advanced degrees.
Sharpen your skills with an internship.
Soka’s Career Development Office will partner with you from day one to translate your liberal arts education into career success. From resume-building to networking opportunities, we help you apply skills like critical analysis, cultural fluency, and collaborative problem-solving to meaningful career paths.
“The Environmental Studies Concentration introduced me to the fundamental skills needed to jump-start my career. The multidisciplinary approach to the curriculum gave me the confidence to engage with stakeholders from diverse professional backgrounds and varying levels of familiarity with conservation management projects.”
Dominic Goshert ’17 | Environmental Studies
Senior Capstone
The impact of climate change on the spread of malaria
After Graduation
Completed an M.S. in environmental management at the University of Stirling in Scotland
Current Role
Conserving endangered species in Hawaii as a botanical monitoring specialist at the Center for the Environmental Management of Military Lands
“I never imagined how much joy there could be in engaging in dialogue with thinkers and authors across different times, cultures, and languages. The habit of challenging my own thinking prepared me for the tough but rewarding journey of becoming a more well-rounded thinker and global citizen.”
Natsuha Kataoka ’23 | Humanities
Senior Capstone
Nature and fashion in 11th-century Japanese court literature
Current Role
Ph.D. student in Japanese studies at the University of Cambridge
2,000 43% 88%
alumni in more than 60 countries
graduation rate of undergraduates are first-generation college students
HERE’S WHAT TO DO NEXT. ↓
Visit soka.edu to apply, request information, or schedule a visit.
Connect with a counselor directly at 949.480.4150 or admission@soka.edu to set up a campus visit and learn more about our admissions process.
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