Faculty

A Teacher-Scholar Model

Our faculty members are outstanding scholars and leaders in their fields. They conduct high-level research, publish books and articles, advise multinational corporations and governments, and serve as expert consultants around the world. More than 90 percent hold a PhD or equivalent. But they are more than scholars. Their scholarship informs their teaching as they bring extensive experience to the classroom every day.

Focus on students

Our professors are dedicated instructors who share a commitment to reaching every student. Consider, for example, professor Walter Johnson, named Massachusetts Professor of the Year for 2005 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

In our New England School of Art and Design, students work one-on-one with studio teachers to develop their individual interests and strengths. Whether as freshmen or as advanced graduate students, our students all have the chance to study with practicing professional artists and designers who bring a practical, realistic perspective to the classroom.

That’s the Suffolk model. And to make it work better, we have initiated the Center for Teaching Excellence, which values and rewards superb teaching and provides resources to further develop teaching knowledge across the University.

Access to instructors

We stand behind our model by promoting a close connection between students and faculty. Classes are small, with an average student-faculty ratio of 12:1.

Professors are often available beyond the classroom. It’s not uncommon to find a faculty member staying late after class to review a student’s research project, discussing a midterm exam over coffee, or helping a student make a job connection during open office hours.

Visiting experts

In addition to our full-time faculty, the College also brings nationally renowned scholars, artists, and writers to Suffolk through its new Visiting Scholars Program, putting some of the most formidable minds in the world today in front of our students.

Recent visiting scholars include award-winning author Maxine Hong Kingston, noted journalist and National Book Award-winner James Carroll, celebrated playwright and director of the American Repertory Theater, Robert Brustein, as well as Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.