Student Experience
Whether you live on campus or learn online, you’ll interact with students of many faiths from many different parts of the world. The quintessential Hartford International University experience is when a faculty member or another student shares their own faith tradition, culture, life experience, or ritual in a way that enhances and deepens your own. That’s the “aha moment” of interreligious understanding, and you’ll have many of them.
What you’ll take away from the experience at Hartford International University is a lifelong change of perspective. You’ll also have a network of faith leaders around the globe who will enrich whatever journey you find yourself taking.
The Best Friends You Have Yet to Meet
Hartford International University students cultivate lifelong friendships. It’s not uncommon for our graduates to meet up with each other in all different parts of the globe for conferences, leadership training, or just for vacation. HIU students “get” each other because they share the experience of learning together in our unique, interreligious environment.
Spiritual Life
Spiritual life at Hartford International University takes many forms. Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others come together weekly for Community Prayer. Jummah is held on Fridays, and many students become embedded in a local faith community where they attend regular services. We also have a labyrinth on campus that is available from sunrise to sunset, and a community partner that offers student discernment circles.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Students who live on campus often say they learn as much outside the classroom as in it. Some of those activities are planned by our Student Care and Residential Life Coordinator – from picking apples to hiking to themed dinners – and some are part of our field education program, which pairs students with organizations that can help them gain experience in their chosen fields. Other learning happens when friends simply get together to talk about their lives. It’s not unusual to have Christian, Muslim or Jewish students meeting someone from that faith for the first time in their lives and becoming close friends.
Interacting Online
If you choose to study remotely either full or part-time, you’ll interact with other students in a different but no less impactful way. Hybrid synchronous classes bring you directly into the classroom via Zoom. Asynchronous classes let you connect with others at your own pace through our interactive Canvas platform. For some students, online learning is the best way to balance career, family, and education.
Related Blog Posts
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Interfaith Table: Recipes & Stories for Interfaith Dialogue
When I was assigned the challenge to grow our weekly newsletter subscribers, I got stuck, I must admit. What could we offer that felt genuinely valuable? What would make someone click and want to stay? It had to be something that embodied HIU. The post Interfaith Table: Recipes & Stories for Interfaith Dialogue first appeared on Religion & Peace.
Building Interfaith Communities
The Bombs Fall on Iran; The Hatred Falls Next Door: On Islamophobia, War, and the Wisdom of Mahmoud Ayoub
My teacher, the late Professor Mahmoud Ayoub, used to say ignorance is the original sin of interfaith relations. Not malice, but ignorance. Malice, he believed, was simply ignorance that had found a megaphone. The post The Bombs Fall on Iran; The Hatred Falls Next Door: On Islamophobia, War, and the Wisdom of Mahmoud Ayoub first appeared on Religion & Peace.
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Multi-partiality as a Path to Transformative Peace: Lessons from Constructive Conflict Intervention
Over the past few months, my understanding of multi-partiality has shifted from something abstract into something lived and embodied. The post Multi-partiality as a Path to Transformative Peace: Lessons from Constructive Conflict Intervention first appeared on Religion & Peace.
General HIU News
HIU Community Mourns the Passing of Former Professor Clifford J. GreenMay 11, 2026
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Earth, Spirituality, and Hope on the Agenda for Events with Dr. Lisa DahillMay 5, 2026
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