A polymath is a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Michael Araki in his study, Polymathy: A New Outlook (find it here) defines the key characteristics of a polymath as breadth, depth, and integration.

Practically speaking, breadth refers to three or more different fields of knowledge. So instead of being an expert in unicycling, bicycling, and tricycling which are all adjacent to each other, a polymath would be someone with expertise in bicycling, hip hop, and structural engineering.

Depth refers to the level of knowledge a polymath has developed in their fields of knowledge, and distinguishes a polymath from a dabbler or a dilettante. One might be a polymath if they have true expertise in a field, or if they can be creative in that field of knowledge.

Finally, integration is the skill of a polymath in taking concepts, frameworks, and insights from one field of knowledge and applying it to another. One simple example is the creation of Olympic swimsuits modeled after the texture of shark skin, or designing building in ways that mimic the structural integrity of trees.

On the spectrum of nature vs. nurture, one must be naturally curious to be a polymath but one must also make deliberate choices over the course of a lifetime to pursue and nurture that curiosity. In this sense, being a polymath is something that can be developed just like leadership or project management.

In common language, the term "polymath" is often thought of to refer to someone who is a genius like Leonardo daVinci or Maya Angelou. However, being a polymath arises from a series of choice and often find themselves explaining an otherwise circuitous life or career path.

Polymaths have been proven to be more creative, and to be better able to solve complex problems, unpredictable problems that they've never seen before.

Additionally, studies have shown that people who pursue multiple majors in college where those majors are unrelated to each other are more resilient to economic shocks like layoffs and recessions.

Finally, polymaths are described as having a high tolerance for ambiguity and as systems thinkers. They can connect disparate pieces of information in new ways, making them highly effective at innovative problem solving and valuable when working on complex, novel challenges.

Read more about the science behind being a polymath here.

Polymath University doesn't have a physical campus, but will launch in Chicago, Illinois. Once launched, we plan to expand to other urban and rural cities across the country.

While courses will be offered in a hybrid format with approximately two weeks in person per academic year, our cohort of students will all be from the same city. This allows for our in-person time to be low-cost for students, with in-person instruction being accessible by public transit. This also allows for students to build their social and professional networks with other students and to create study groups for increased collaboration.

The Polymath University team is still in build phase working with employer partners, developing curriculum, and getting ready to launch our application to welcome our first class as early as Fall 2026.

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All degrees earned at Polymath University will be accredited. The path to independent accreditation is a multi-year path, likely taking nine years.

After our application for a finding of eligibility which formally confirms our academic and business plan is eligible for accreditation, we’ll then have two years to apple for candidacy. Once approved, we’ll have five years to apply for accreditation. Once we’ve applied for accreditation, it can take another two years to earn final approval.

While we work to earn independent accreditation, a university partner will underwrite the accredited degrees offered through Polymath University.

Polymath University is committed to making college accessible to all who want it through a debt-free degree. Working with employer partners to fill high-demand roles, Polymath U. will place students into internships in their second and third years of a 3-year degree program. While concurrently studying toward a degree and working as an apprentice, Polymath U. students will earn entry level pay and will have their tuition covered by their employers.

For students who are unable to pay for their first year, prior to earning an income through their apprenticeship, a payment plan that draws from that apprenticeship income and that concludes at graduation ensures that a Polymath U. degree is available to all and that our graduates walk the stage to receive their diplomas without carrying school debt beyond that stage.

For illustrative purposes only, if a student is unable to pay for their first year is placed into an apprenticeship that pays $42k per year in addition to their tuition for years two and three, they would take home approximately $2,900 monthly after taxes. To cover their first year tuition of ~$9,000, they would pay $375/month during their 24 month apprenticeship ending at graduation. In total, they will have earned ~$70k post-tax over two years and after paying back $9k for their first year, and will graduate with a no-debt bachelor's degree and over a year's worth of cumulative work experience, placing them well ahead of their peers.

We do not guarantee that you will be offered a job by your apprenticeship host upon graduation, but Polymath University will work to support your immediate employment at one of our employer partners. You will be given every opportunity to show your value to the team and organization throughout your apprenticeship.

With over a year of cumulative work experience under your belt upon graduation, and with the breadth of your studies, graduates of Polymath University are expected to be highly sought after.