Johnston brings together bright, creative, independent, and active students with a genuine interest in academic and civic pursuits—it is a place where diversity is cherished and ideas are debated. Today some 200 talented and passionate Redlands students live and learn together in the Johnston complex, which includes two residence halls, faculty offices, a coffee house, classrooms, and community spaces.
About Johnston
If you have a unique vision for your education and believe in collaborative learning, Johnston might be the place for you.
The Johnston educational experiment started in 1969 and is based in the notion that students should have ownership of their education. At Johnston, we honor the individual path and the collective process. That means that students, faculty, and staff learn from each other, and we learn best when we learn together.
Two Johnston students talk about their experiences in the program: click here to watch.
In the sophomore year, each Johnston student maps out a plan that brings together classes from multiple departments, experiential learning, and cross cultural experiences to fulfill an educational vision.
This Graduation Contract includes:
- A vision for your education in the context of an intentional living-learning community.
- An Emphasis that integrates your most pressing academic questions with existing classes from multiple departments and multiple modes of learning.
- Liberal Arts Breadth to ensure your ability to see problems and questions from a variety of viewpoints.
- A Cross Cultural Component that helps you to extend your cultural perspective and integrate multiple aspects of your education.
In your senior year, you revise your sophomore contract into your Graduation Narrative that describes what you studied, what you learned, your plans for the future, and how your time in the Johnston community and the wider university impacted your education.
What would you title your degree?
Here’s what a few recent Johnston alums have done…
Cultural Studies: Gender, History, and Media (Maggie Ruopp)
How to Treat People: Diverse Perspectives of Health & Medicine (Gilbert Chavez)
Cross-Cultural Ethics & Social Justice (Samantha Armacost)
Integrated Marketing and Sustainability (Malik Coburn– Sophomore Contract)
Integrated Marketing and Sustainability (Malik Coburn)
Performing Arts and Expressive Therapies (Sam Corso)
Political Thought and Practice (Adam Gottlieb)
The Neuroscience of Oneirology (Simon Titone)
The Art of Storytelling (Christine Munroe)
Fashion in Business, Media, and Culture (Keyona Richey)
Helping Change the Way We Think, through Therapy and Writing (Zac Zilz–Sophomore Contract)
Creative Expression through Psychology and Humanities (Zac Zilz)
Applied Humanities: Living a Meaningful Life (Keziah Baltz– Sophomore Contract)
The real Redlands experience starts with you.
There are countless reasons to choose the University of Redlands, but only one actually matters: yours.100 years of distinctionAt Redlands, we’ve maintained a reputation for excellence since opening our doors in 1907.Learn moreFaculty mentorshipRedlands’ 13:1 student-faculty ratio results in transformational mentorship and growth. You’ll be living and learning in a true community of attentive professors and engaged students.Students from everywhereDiversity makes us great. We are proud to host students from more than 23 nations in our residential campus community.Learn moreRedlands is affordableA premier school that’s accessible to all. In our College of Arts and Sciences, 94 percent of students enjoy some form of assistance, from financial aid to merit-based scholarships.Learn moreA multicultural hubA microcosm of Redlands as a whole, our Multicultural Center is a safe place for students, a home base for diverse clubs and organizations, and a symbol for international openness.Learn moreGlobal scholarsWe’ve nurtured 24 Fulbright students since 2008, making us a true leader for this globally recognized award.Learn moreFull of opportunityWith more than 120 clubs and organizations including everything from Greek life to student leadership, Redlands’ residential community offers endless opportunities.Learn moreNCAA Division III teamsGo Bulldogs! We are the proud home of 21 NCAA Division III athletic teams, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse, softball, water polo, volleyball, golf, tennis, track & field, and more.Learn more
At a glance
The numbers don’t tell the whole story about the College of Arts & Sciences, but they do paint a vivid picture. We offer limitless opportunities, and give our students personalized attention with small class sizes and accessible faculty.
- 1907Year founded
- 2,527students from 41 states and 46 countries
- 12:1student-to-faculty ratio
- 120,000+community service hours
- 19average class size
- 50+programs of study, ranging from chemistry to studio art
- 100+student organizations
- 177full-time faculty members
Burbank CampusMarin CampusOrange County CampusRancho Cucamonga CampusRedlands CampusRiverside CampusSan Diego CampusTemecula Campus
Find Your Place
From urban centers throughout California to our lush, historic main campus, our many locations put a Redlands education within your reach.OUR CAMPUSES
Points of distinction
- Top 7% of four-year colleges, ranked by alumni earning above expectationsThe Economist
- Top 25% of America’s Top CollegesForbes
- Ranked #20 for “Lots of Race/Class Interaction.”Princeton Review
Viewbook
Learn more about why Fiske Guide to Colleges calls Redlands “One of Higher Education’s Best Kept Secrets.”GO TO VIEWBOOK