St. John's College and Pascal Institute Launch New Master's Program in Europe

The Huygens Master's Program in Liberal Arts will bring the Great Books curriculum to Leiden, Netherlands starting in 2026.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 10:04pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of an open book with a quill pen, repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the iconic symbols of education and learning transformed into modern pop art.The Huygens Master's Program in Liberal Arts will bring St. John's College's renowned Great Books curriculum to Europe for the first time.Annapolis Today

St. John's College, a renowned liberal arts institution, has partnered with the Pascal Institute to launch the Huygens Master's Program in Liberal Arts, Europe's first Great Books master's degree program. The new program will be based in Leiden, Netherlands, with additional study options in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as online.

Why it matters

This new program represents an exciting expansion of St. John's College's distinctive Great Books curriculum to a European audience. It provides an opportunity for students across the Atlantic to engage with the seminal works of philosophy, literature, history, politics, science, and more that have shaped Western civilization.

The details

The Huygens Master's Program will allow students to spend one or two semesters studying in Leiden before completing their degree through St. John's College. Graduates will earn a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from the St. John's College Graduate Institute. The curriculum will focus on classic texts by authors such as Plato, Shakespeare, Newton, and Tocqueville.

  • The new program will launch in September 2026.
  • Classes will be held in Leiden, the Netherlands.

The players

St. John's College

A renowned liberal arts college known for its Great Books curriculum and Socratic teaching method.

Pascal Institute

A European educational organization partnering with St. John's College to bring the Great Books program to Europe.

J. Walter Sterling

President of St. John's College.

Jordi Wiersma

President of the Pascal Institute.

Christiaan Huygens

A renowned Dutch scientist whose work is studied at St. John's College, and for whom the new master's program is named.

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What they’re saying

“At St. John's we offer a truly distinctive education, one built on civil discourse and close reading. This education is more relevant now than ever before, and we are excited to be able to engage with a new audience in Europe.”

— J. Walter Sterling, President, St. John's College

“This is a dream turned into reality. Together with St. John's College, we are proud to bring Europe its first Great Books master's program, the Huygens Master's Program in Liberal Arts launching in September 2026 in Leiden. Years in the making, and we couldn't be more excited.”

— Jordi Wiersma, President, Pascal Institute

What’s next

European applicants can learn more about the Huygens Master's Program at pascalinstitute.com/pascal-masters-program-2026/, while information on St. John's College graduate programs is available at sjc.edu/academic-programs/graduate.

The takeaway

The launch of the Huygens Master's Program in Liberal Arts represents an exciting opportunity for European students to engage with the Great Books curriculum that has defined the educational approach of St. John's College for decades. This partnership between two prestigious institutions will bring a unique and transformative liberal arts experience to a new international audience.