Holy Names University in Oakland, California, was founded over 150 years ago by the Sisters of the Holy Names. Their founding social justice mission remains unchanged today, as the University continues to empower and prepare a diverse student body for lives of leadership and service.
The University’s idyllic 60-acre campus offers panoramic views of San Francisco Bay from its Oakland hills location. You’ll discover that HNU is a special place the moment you set foot on our welcoming campus or tune in to your online classes. We pride ourselves on our rigorous academic programs, small class sizes, and personalized faculty mentorship.
Take your career to the next level with an advanced degree from HNU. You’ll earn that extra edge in a supportive environment. Whether you decide to study Psychology, Business Administration, Education, Nursing, or one of our many other programs, you’re setting off on an exciting journey—one that will have a huge impact on people’s lives, including your own.
Graduate school is an investment in you and your future. At Holy Names University, we are committed to providing personalized support in the planning that makes it achievable. We offer tuition discounts for graduate students who are employed by a partner organization as well as scholarships for some programs.
What Our Students Say...
“My HNU professors prepared me to be a consultant in any type of corporate environment. No matter what the framework, I was prepared to problem-solve.” — Adamaka Ajaelo '10, MBA
“The program’s flexibility allowed me to keep working as a teacher. And I saw the benefits of being in the program immediately as I applied my learnings to more effectively reach my students.”
— Kay de Veer '17, Educational Therapy
“My HNU faculty mentors set expectations so high. Because they did, I always wanted to exceed them. I couldn’t be the teacher I am without that foundation.” — Precious James '12, Teaching Credential
“After graduating, I want to serve others to live out their own high-performance goals by teaching them skills that strengthen and fuel their minds to excel in their discipline.”
— Nobel Hadgu, Applied Sport & Performance Psychology (Master's)
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