Notre Dame de Namur University
Notre Dame de Namur University is a Catholic, not-for-profit school located in Belmont, California, just south of San Francisco and San Mateo. It is the third oldest college in California and maintains an historical commitment to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. Graduate students can find on-campus and online options in business, psychology, education, and beyond.
Both as an education institution and a community resource, Notre Dame de Namur University has served its surrounding community for more than 165 years. It deeply values diversity, community service, and offering education in a meaningful, spirited way. NDNR’s programs and curricula are informed by its Catholic roots and the problems and challenges our world faces today.
Here are some great reasons to consider attending Notre Dame de Namur:
In 2018, U.S. News ranked Notre Dame de Namur University #32 in Best Value Schools and #41 (tie) in Regional Universities West. The school received an overall score of 44/100.i
The average class size at NDNU is 17 with a student to teacher ratio of 11 to 1. Of the school’s full-time teaching faculty, 98 percent hold a doctoral or terminal degree in their subject. Overall, NDNU has 208 teaching faculty, 105 full-time equivalent faculty, and 159 part-time faculty. Its library has three full-time library faculty available to on-campus and online students.ii
Despite being a smaller school (with 1,691 total students in fall 2016), NDNU has varsity sports teams for men and women in basketball, cross-country, soccer, and track and field. Men also have golf and lacrosse teams, and women have softball, tennis, and volleyball teams.
NDNU athletics are NCAA Division II teams and play in the Pacific West Conference.
The Notre Dame de Namur University Values
NDNU has seven hallmark characteristics or dedications developed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in collaboration with SNC learning communities. These hallmarks inform and influence the school’s identity, learning environment, and community:
For students interested in pursuing advanced education at a Catholic school, the NDNU Catholic Identity Statement might inspire their attendance. Three sources inspire NDNU’s character:
Consistent with its character, NDNU strives to create a community of respect, active and vibrant conversation, and openness to a wide variety of opinion and belief.
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Notre Dame de Namur University is rooted in the Catholic tradition. Founded by the values of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the school strives to provide excellent professional and liberal arts programs that cultivate community engagement, social justice, and global peace. The Notre Dame de Namur University offers a diverse and inclusive learning community that asks students to consciously apply values and ethics in their personal, professional, and public lives.
For graduate-level admissions to the University of Notre Dame de Namur, applicants must submit complete applications that include:
International applicants and applicants to Ph.D. programs must fulfill additional Notre Dame de Namur admissions requirements.
Special Learning Opportunities: Grad Distance
Credit Accepted: Dual credit, Credit for life experiences, Credit For Military, Advanced placement(AP) credits
Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
There are 195 full-time
215 Part-time instructional faculty
ROTC Services
Study Abroad Services
Remedial Services
Academic Career Counseling Services
Employment Services for Students
Placement Services Completers
Library Services
Students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree can apply for financial aid to pay their Notre Dame de Namur University tuition and living expenses. Qualified students can access Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, private loans, and endowed scholarships (through the University).
Receiving Pell Grants
Receiving Grant or Scholarship Aid
Receiving Student Loans
Having gone through a rigorous quality assurance process, Notre Dame de Namur University earned institutional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). WSCUC is one of several regional institutions sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct the accreditation process. Accreditation helps ensure that schools meet the standards of quality they promise.
In addition to institutional accreditation, Notre Dame de Namur University has programmatic accreditation for the following programs:
The graduate division at Notre Dame de Namur University offers ten graduate programs (nine master’s degree and one doctorate degree) through its three schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business and Management, and the School of Education and Psychology. Three of its master’s degree programs are offered on campus and online: the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Public Administration, and the Master of Art in TESOL (Teaching English to Learners of Other Languages).
During the 2016-2017 school year, 37 of Notre Dame de Namur’s 160 students earning master’s degrees did so in business administrationiii, making it the school’s most popular master’s degree that year.
The MBA program curriculum brings advanced knowledge, practical leadership skills, quantitative analysis, and theory together and helps students understand how to apply them to real business situations. The scholarly environment of the program fosters innovation, leadership competencies, and global business skills.
In their MBA programs, students study core and concentrated subjects. Through their core curriculum, students study financial accounting, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and statistics. In addition, students select a concentration. Options for concentration include: finance, human resource management, marketing, and media and promotion.
Students can participate in an MBA program at Notre Dame de Namur University’s home campus, online, or at its Tracy, CA location.
Program Filters
To learn more about the Notre Dame de Namur University and to explore specific programs, click on the programs below. You can also contact the University directly using our on-page form. Start exploring the Notre Dame de Namur California campus and online programs now.
Institution Programs
The 36-unit Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program at NDNU offers students a scholarly environment focused on fostering innovation, superior management, and leadership competencies through the practice of analytical decision-making. more >
The 36-unit Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program at NDNU offers students a scholarly environment focused on fostering innovation, superior management, and leadership competencies through the practice of analytical decision-making. more >
NDNU's Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy (MA/MFT) is a 63-unit program that prepares students for state licensure as an MFT in California. It also prepares students to become Registered Art Therapist (ATR). more >
NDNU's Master of Arts in Education Program is designed to serve educators, administrators, and community leaders working with and on behalf of schools. more >
NDNU’s Level I Education Specialist Credential in Special Education is designed to train teachers to alleviate the increasing shortage of special education teachers in the State of California. NDNU’s Education Specialist Credential in Sp more >
The Master of Public Administration offered at Notre Dame de Namur University is offered on campus. more >
NDNU’s Clinical Psychology Department (CPD) approaches the study of psychology with a value on the development of the whole person throughout the lifespan. more >
NDNU's Master of Arts in School Administration degree program prepares students to administer programs in public and private schools. more >
NDNU's PhD in Art Therapy is designed to educate leaders in the field who will be at the forefront in career options, including teaching in the field, research, clinical work, and international job opportunities. more >
NDNU's Master of Arts in Art Therapy (MA) is 63-unit program that prepares students to be eligible to become a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and also prepares students for licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). more >
NDNU's Department of Education offers a program of professional preparation for the California Multiple Subject Credential and California Single Subject Credential, approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Multiple Subject more >
NDNU’s Level I Education Specialist Credential in Special Education is designed to train teachers to alleviate the increasing shortage of special education teachers in the State of California. NDNU’s Education Specialist Credential in Sp more >
NDNU's Department of Education offers a program of professional preparation for the California Multiple Subject Credential and California Single Subject Credential, approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Multiple Subject more >
