At Rockhurst University, we help you become who you want to be, not just what. We’re proud to be Kansas City’s Jesuit university for over 100 years. We’re in the city for good in every sense of the phrase.
Whether this is your first time researching all that Rockhurst has to offer, or you’ve been a loyal Hawk for decades, we welcome you with open arms.
Here are just a few things we want you to know about RU.
Our Catholic, Jesuit Heritage
We’re proud of the company we keep as one of 27 Jesuit colleges in the U.S. alongside universities such as Georgetown, Xavier, SLU and Gonzaga. About 35-40 percent of students are Catholic, so we offer activities for all denominations. A Jesuit education is prestigious and, in short, it prepares our graduates to lead, shape and change the world around them. We want you to love your future career, but, more importantly, to love your life. Find out more about what it means to be a Jesuit institution.
The Liberal Arts Tradition
Our curriculum is based on the seven classical liberal arts modes of inquiry: artistic, historical, literary, philosophical, theological, scientific relational and scientific causal. Ok, but what does that really mean? It means we’ll stimulate all parts of your brain. You’ll view the world differently.
Recognized as Superior
Rockhurst rocks. Prove it, you say? RU has been consistently ranked among the top regional universities in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report. Recent surveys show our students rank their educational satisfaction among the highest in the nation.
We even earned the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching back in 2010 – a recognition given to institutions that engage students, staff and faculty with the community through curricula, by providing university resources for community use and through partnerships that benefit the university as well as community organizations. It’s kind of a big deal.
Accreditation
Rockhurst University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association: 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, 800-621-7440.
RU and the Helzberg School of Management are also accredited by AACSB International – the gold standard in business accreditation given to only the top five percent of the top business schools in the nation: 777 South Harbour Island Boulevard, Suite 750, Tampa, FL 33602, 813-769-6500.
Points of Pride
- RU ranks fourth among Missouri colleges and universities for return on investment, and in the top 17 percent nationwide.
- The Helzberg Executive MBA program, one of the first of its kind in the nation, boasts an alumni list that includes more than 750 top leaders in major organizations throughout the Kansas City area and the nation.
- Our 30-hour Helzberg MBA program offers online and evening courses to accommodate work schedules, allowing students to complete the program in an average of two years. The accelerated option can be completed in just one year.
- Two master's programs and three doctoral programs prepare professionals for work in occupational therapy, physical therapy, education and speech pathology.
Governance
Rockhurst is an independent, nonprofit organization governed by a board of elected trustees. The majority of our board members are Jesuit-educated CEOs or top leaders in their organizations. A maximum of 35 members and two recent graduate trustees can serve on the board.
Academic Excellence
Our average class size is 25 with a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. You won’t find any thousand-seat lecture halls here. Rockhurst also offers 70+ bachelor's and graduate degrees.
Our Campus
Rockhurst's quiet, 55-acre campus is nestled just blocks from KC’s famed Country Club Plaza and minutes from downtown. Our campus quad is accented with large oak trees, and surrounded by rustic stone buildings. In Fall 2019, we opened a brand new health and wellness center – Magis Activity Center (MAC), then in 2022 our beloved, 100-plus-year-old Sedgwick Hall received a full facelift. Other recent campus improvements include a new academic building – Arrupe Hall, a parking garage, enhancements to athletic facilities and more. More is planned!
Athletics
The Rockhurst University Hawks are part of the NCAA Division II. Our men and women athletes compete across 20 teams and are known for their award-winning ability to balance academics and athletics. #SKOHAWKS
Alumni
While more than half of Rockhurst's more than 29,000 alumni live in the Kansas City metropolitan area, every state and many foreign countries are influenced by the RU alumni who live there. Our graduates serve as executive leaders for major companies and organizations in Kansas City and beyond, becoming part of a network of more than 1.6 million Jesuit university alumni in the United States.