IRVING, Texas (April 29, 2024) — Unique among organizations that rank American colleges and universities, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) publishes a ranking that focuses on the rigor and breadth of undergraduate course requirements. The University of Dallas is one of just seven colleges and universities to receive the highest possible grade on this ranking, called the What Will They Learn? project.

What Will They Learn? tracks whether students take classes in composition, literature, foreign languages, government or history, economics, mathematics and science. Just seven colleges and universities in the country require all their students to study these subjects rigorously in order to receive a liberal arts education in full. The University of Dallas is the only Catholic university, and the only member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, to receive ACTA’s A+ ranking.

“I am grateful to ACTA for generating annually a ranking that actually measures what matters most when selecting a university by assessing what students actually learn. The University of Dallas Core Curriculum is truly exceptional in the landscape of higher education today,” said President Jonathan J. Sanford, PhD, president and professor of philosophy. “Students are not only exposed to the full array of major disciplines that compose human pathways to knowing, but they study the greatest authors, thinkers and works of Western civilization in pursuit of truth and wisdom. This type of education forms students, intellectually, morally, and spiritually for a life well-lived.”

The University of Dallas has earned the highest grade possible since ACTA began publishing its ranking in 2009. 

About the University of Dallas

The University of Dallas is the premier Catholic liberal arts university in the country, known for its rigorous undergraduate Core Curriculum and robust graduate and professional programs in business, ministry, education and the humanities. According to national rankings, the University of Dallas has one of America’s most challenging, comprehensive undergraduate interdisciplinary programs, offered at an excellent value to some of the happiest students in the country. With campuses in Texas and Italy, UD stands apart as a thriving community of learners committed to an education that forms students intellectually, socially and spiritually for a life well-lived. For more information, visit udallas.edu.