The liberal education we offer at the college is not for the faint of heart: the journey to freedom— intellectual and spiritual freedom—is a high calling. But no one at the college undertakes this journey alone. We support one another within and beyond the classroom as we seek to become fully human and fully free.
Dialogue is a key animating principle of community life at Magdalen College. Together, students and teachers are engaged in a common search for wisdom. Students enter into a dialogue with the books they read and with each other within a curriculum oriented toward the fundamental questions of life. As a community we seek wisdom in solidarity.
At the beginning of the junior year, each student declares a major – theology, philosophy, literature, political science or great books. While continuing the humanities sequence of courses, students focus on a particular discipline, extending their enquiry through dialogue and the close reading of primary sources within their majors.
Through the Junior Project students have the opportunity to spend one academic year reading the works of a single author of their choosing from within their major discipline. As Juniors consider key critical works about these authors and their writings, they share this deeper knowledge with their peers.
During their final year at the college, seniors have the opportunity to write a thesis and introduce the fruit of their labor to their peers and members of the faculty through a sustained presentation and discussion of their work.
Beauty is experienced in and out of the classroom at Magdalen College. The “Arts of the Beautiful” program encourages students to visit museums, attend plays and concerts, and enjoy the arts as a community. Trips are planned throughout each semester with free or reduced ticket prices.
Students at Magdalen College also have the opportunity to grow in their personal ability to sing while participating in the beauty of sacred music. The all-college choir unifies students across years while bringing glory to God. Studio art and iconography are also available to students.
Within the Philosophy and Humanities sequence, students take up the philosophy of art as it is expressed through Josef Pieper’s Leisure the Basis of Culture and Etienne Gilson’s The Arts of the Beautiful. In turn, they bring this understanding to bear on musical and visual works from the early medieval period through the twentieth century, integrating this knowledge with their studies of literature, philosophy, theology, and politics. Students who wish to pursue these studies further may adopt the Fine Arts Concentration and take a course devoted to the Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics.
Students will have the opportunity to earn one college credit by taking one of the following courses offered at Magdalen College. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and discover if it could lead to a college major or area of focus. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Myth in Philosophy: Seeking Wisdom through Poetry and Story (1 credit) – Dr. Erik van Versendaal
What is the relationship between poetry and philosophy? Why does speaking about ultimate things lead philosophers into the realms of poem and story? This course considers philosophical works that are undertaken in a poetic mode alongside poems that express philosophic truth.
Physics: Understanding Boomerangs, Billiard Balls, and Balance Beam Routines (1 credit) – Mr. John Klucinec
This course explores the laws of motion as described by Galileo and Newton, by reading and discussing these authors and through classroom experiments. Students will gain an understanding of physics in concrete phenomena: through the aerodynamics of the boomerang, the motion of billiard balls, fluid dynamics, air flight and the physics of gymnastics and diving.
Theology of the Body: The Deeper Meaning of Love, Sex, and Marriage (1 credit) – Dr. Ryan Messmore
When it comes to romantic relationships and marriage, today’s culture is awash in confusion. The Church calls people to see a deeper meaning to sexual desire and marriage. But what is that, and how can it be pursued in modern times?
$325.00 USD
Students will experience the joy of learning in a variety of liberal arts fields, including courses in literature, philosophy, theology, and politics. Taught primarily in Socratic-style seminar discussions, these courses allow students to read classic texts and wrestle with big questions across a range of disciplines. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
$125.00 USD
Saturday October 30, 2021
10:00 am | Brunch |
11:30 am | “Favorite Authors in the Curriculum” led by Dr. Ryan Messmore, Dr. Mary Mumbach, and Dr. Erik van Versendaal |
12:30 pm | “Word and Truth” seminar led by Dr. Erik van Versendaal |
1:30 pm | “Life after Magdalen” Career Pathways/Alumni Panel led by Dr. Eric Buck |
2:30 pm | Refreshments in President’s office for Prospective Students and Parents |
2:30-5:00 pm | Enjoy our beautiful campus and surrounding town of Warner
|
5:00-6:00 pm | Dinner |
6:30 pm | Jeopardy featuring faculty and alumni guests |
7:00-10:00 pm | Bonfire and Swing Dance with the East Bay Jazz Band |
Sunday October 31, 2021
10:30 am | Mass |
11:30 am | Brunch |
1:00 pm | Consecrating Ourselves to The Blessed Trinity |
Saturday October 30, 2021
10:00 am | Brunch |
11:30 am | “Life After Magdalen” Career Pathways/Alumni Panel led by Dr. Eric Buck |
12:30 pm | “Nature of Man” seminar led by Mr. John Klucinec and Dr. Eric Buck
or “Word and Truth” seminar led by Dr. Erik van Versendaal |
1:30 pm | “Favorite Authors in the Curriculum” led by Dr. Ryan Messmore, Dr. Mary Mumbach, and Dr. Erik van Versendaal |
2:30 pm | Refreshments in Dining Room for Current Parents |
2:30-5:00 pm | Enjoy our beautiful campus and surrounding town of Warner
|
5:00-6:00 pm | Dinner |
6:30 pm | Jeopardy featuring faculty and alumni guests |
7:00-10:00 pm | Bonfire and Swing Dance with the East Bay Jazz Band |
Sunday October 31, 2021
10:30 am | Mass |
11:30 am | Brunch |
1:00 pm | Consecrating Ourselves to The Blessed Trinity |
Saturday October 30, 2021
9:30 am | Coffee with the President |
10:00 am | Brunch |
11:30 am | “Life After Magdalen” Career Pathways/Alumni Panel led by Dr. Eric Buck |
12:30 pm | “Nature of Man” seminar led by Mr. John Klucinec and Dr. Eric Buck |
1:30 pm | “Favorite Authors in the Curriculum” led by Dr. Ryan Messmore, Dr. Mary Mumbach, and Dr. Erik van Versendaal |
2:30 pm | Refreshments in Dining Room for Alumni |
2:30-5:00 pm | Enjoy our beautiful campus and surrounding town of Warner
|
5:00-6:00 pm | Dinner |
6:30 pm | Jeopardy featuring faculty and alumni guests |
7:00-10:00 pm | Bonfire and Swing Dance with the East Bay Jazz Band |
Sunday October 31, 2021
10:30 am | Mass |
11:30 am | Brunch |
1:00 pm | Consecrating Ourselves to The Blessed Trinity |
Baby-sitting will be available for children of Alumni from 11:00-2:00, please register.