The Catholic University of America is at a historic juncture in its journey as a research institution.
Since its founding 138 years ago, the University has remained focused on groundbreaking research across a variety of disciplines in a constant quest of discovery. From physics to psychology and nursing to business, the community of scholarship has been unfailing in purpose, as we seek knowledge and understanding that supports human flourishing.
Now, as 2025 begins, we have hit a key milestone in our quest for top-tier research status, or R1, a designation reviewed every three years by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In the 2024 fiscal year, Catholic University garnered more than $50 million in research expenditures and 79 new Ph.D. graduates, putting it on track to earn R1 status when the next round is announced in 2028.
H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D., is the University’s new senior vice provost of research and a key leader in this drive to expand and elevate our entire research enterprise.
“R1 status is not an end in itself,” explains Yost. “But it serves as a milestone to measure how we’re building a more vibrant University, and how we’re fulfilling our mission to pursue the truth in the lights of both faith and reason. Our commitment to academic excellence and our Catholic identity set us apart in the research landscape.”
Over the next two years, the University will enter the review process as the Carnegie Foundation analyzes key data (degree data, enrollment information, and research activity) and then determines eligibility and final awarding decisions.
The University continues to make important decisions about how best to align programs with our twofold mandate to both impart and advance knowledge. Already evident in fruitful partnerships with NASA, NIH, Templeton Foundation, and other organizations that contribute to the common good, this news underscores our enduring commitment to be a leading Catholic research university of the highest caliber.
Read more about this journey…
