1 University Drive
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

In 1944, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, a Japanese educator and Buddhist leader who opposed World War II, died in a Japanese prison. His crime was being a "thought criminal." However, his beliefs live on in Soka University of America.

Located on a 103-acre campus in Aliso Viejo, Calif., Soak University of America is a descendant of the small education society Makiguchi founded before the war in 1930. Translated, Soka means "to create value" in English. Soka schools are world-renowned and Soka schools exist from primary schools to the more than 8,000 student university in Japan. Members of Makiguchi's organization work for education, cultural exchange and Peace in nearly 200 countries.

Soka University of America was established in 1987 as an independent, non-profit organization. The school began building on its current campus in 1995 and opened for classes in 2001.

The Bachelor of Arts program emphasizes a cooperative study of Eastern and Western values and emphasizes a core curriculum that studies non-native language and culture. Students are required to study abroad during their junior year, a cost that is built into the cost of tuition. Students study in a university quality classroom environment in a country in which they have studied a foreign language in california. Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish are currently the foreign languages offered at Soka University of America. The experience is designed to give students a first hand perspective of another culture using a different language.

The graduate program at Soka University of America offers students the opportunity to tech ESL to students on campus. The rigorous academic schedule is supported by small class sizes. Many Master's degree holders go on to teach Japanese or English in other countries after graduation. There are currently alumni teaching in more than 20 countries.

Quick Facts:

Soka University of America offers a 9:1 student to teacher ratio. The average class size for undergraduate classes is 13 and the average class size for the graduate program is 8.

The library on the campus at Soka University of America currently has more than 60,000 printed volumes. Growth is expected and planned, the library has the capacity for more than 225, 000 volumes.

The Soka University campus is surrounded by a 4,000-acre wilderness park on 80 percent of its borders.

The 8,000 square foot Founder's Hall Art Gallery hosts special exhibitions and shows.

Soka University offers team sports in soccer, swimming and diving, cross country and track and field. Sports facilities include a recreation center with a fitness complex, pools, a track and field complex and tennis courts.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.