Arete: An Introduction to the Classicsengages students in the questions of excellence and the noble life by studying selections borrowed from UD’s Core Curriculum. Activities include classroom film screenings, an outing to Shakespeare in the Park, a visit to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, and so much more. In this intensive two-week program, students experience life as residents on UD’s Irving campus.
Two weeks, on campus: June 8th through 21st
Earn three hours of college credit
Housing, meals, and cultural excursions included
Location: University of Dallas 1845 E. Northgate Dr., Irving, TX 75062
All-inclusive cost:
$1,700
$895*
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, costs have been significantly reduced.
Duration: June 8 - 21, 2025
Location: University of Dallas 1845 E. Northgate Dr., Irving, TX 75062
“The program was an amazing, life-changing experience. It has given me a different impression of the world around me, making me want to dig deeper and truly analyze everything. All in all, it has given everything a greater meaning.”STUDENT TESTIMONIAL
Why Arete?
Earn three hours of college credit.
Engage with fellow thinkers.
Study with UD faculty.
Improve academic skills.
“The University of Dallas' Arete program is more than a college experience; it's a step into a profoundly intellectual and friendly community. Such an experience is something you carry forever -- it teaches you that the best things are worth being excited about and sharing with others.”Kate Shapiro, 2024 Arete Participant
The noble life requires removing the scales from one’s eyes and seeing clearly. The next step is to do the right thing: to be able to choose, in sometimes ambiguous circumstances, the path that leads to freedom rather than enslavement.
This twofold process, one which encourages us to live nobly, has formed the basis of liberal education and constitutes the foundation on which Western civilization rests.
In introducing you to the essential texts of Western civilization and allowing you to reflect on works of fine art and film, Arete will offer you a taste of how education frees you to know your purpose in life, and it will help you develop indispensable reading and writing skills.
Rising high school juniors, high school seniors or recently graduated seniors are eligible.
“Arete opened up the entire Western Tradition before my eyes and heart. I now see just how amazing the philosophical life is, and that it is worth living. I left the program with great joy and wonder for the Truth.”Graham Muller, 2023 Arete Participant
“The program gave new life to how I view literature and its value. Before Arete, I thought of literature as something to be examined and loosely applied to real life, but Arete showed me that it can be intriguing if you want it to be, and change you as a person if you indulge your inquiries. I learned that not only the literature in the Arete Program, but the act of willful learning itself can be a valuable tool in the pursuit of an excellent life.”Sarah Lanicek, 2024 Arete Participant
