Programs at Philadelphia University are professionally oriented and feature a unique blend of liberal studies and career preparation. The curricula seek: a) to enhance students’ ability b) to ensure students’ understanding of the ideas, traditions and values of their own and other cultures; and c) to prepare students to apply the concepts and techniques of both general and specialized learning to a full personal and professional life.
The academic programs offered at Philadelphia University are administered by the School of Architecture, the School of Business Administration, the School of Design and Engineering, the School of Liberal Arts, the School of Science and Health, the Department of Physical Education and the Office of Continuing and Professional Studies. The academic programs and courses of study for each school or department are outlined in the next section.
Philadelphia University recognizes that assessing student learning is an important part of measuring institutional effectiveness and is employed throughout the curriculum. Assessment extends beyond the evaluation of individual student work routinely conducted in courses. It seeks to explore teaching-learning connections and to apply what is learned from this exploration to the improvement of University programs through the efforts of its faculty.
All curricula at Philadelphia University combine theory and application, as well as performance and integration. This mixture guides the faculty as they develop specific learning outcomes for their programs. Assessment helps in understanding how well students are achieving these outcomes and reflects the belief in the importance of learning by doing. Assessment also helps to ensure that the University’s programs fulfill the University’s mission to provide students with a distinct blend of liberal and professional education.
The general education program at Philadelphia University is designed specifically for professionally oriented students. Technological change, economic shifts and increasing interdependence demand a strong grounding in liberal education, as well as professional and technical expertise. All students in the University take the common liberal arts education sequence called the College Studies Program. Study in the liberal arts and sciences develops the skills to be an integrative thinker who can see connections in a wide range of knowledge and across disciplinary boundaries. Through exposure to complex, real-world issues, and studies in history, humanities and the social sciences, mathematics and the natural and physical sciences, students become graduates who are well-read, well-spoken, worldly, flexible and adaptable – individuals who never stop learning and making connections in everything they do.
The School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science and Health have joint responsibility for courses in this program, promoting the best of a strong liberal arts and sciences tradition while working alongside the professionally oriented curriculum. Students progress through a carefully constructed four-year sequence, making connections between disciplines and viewing their own fields of choice through larger social, economic, political and cultural lenses. College Studies forms the backbone of every student’s major, bringing classmates together to share a common educational experience and to learn from each other’s diverse perspectives. All students at the University take approximately 40 percent of their coursework in College Studies.
General education at the University is broader than just College Studies. General education objectives are built into the course of study in each major. College Studies and our wider general education focus allow our students to become lifelong learners, able to adapt to changing career demands.
The professional studies component of the degree is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for successful entry into a career. Courses are sequenced over four or five years to allow students to build skills and an understanding of their professional discipline throughout their educational experience.
A minor is a set of courses that collectively provides coverage and understanding of a subject area. A student may choose a minor with the assistance of an academic advisor upon completion of 60 semester hours. Options for minors are determined by the academic program and must consist of a minimum of twelve credits in the subject area. A student may not use the same course for credit in both the major and the minor areas.
A concentration allows for an in-depth exploration of a focused area within the scope of the student’s major discipline. Concentrations are available for study by majors within the appropriate area only. Options for concentrations are precisely specified by the academic program. Similarly, the number of credits required to complete the concentration and the sequence and selection of required and elective courses are determined by the program.
Designated electives allow students to select from a pre-approved set of courses that enables both freedom of choice with some degree of programmatic guidance.
Free electives allow students to tailor their degree program to meet their personal and educational goals. Students who participate in the Internship Programs will use these credits to partially satisfy the free elective requirement.
A two-semester sequence of physical education or a one credit service learning course is required of all day division students. These course options offer a variety of activities, which include traditional instruction, making it possible for students to fulfill this requirement in a constructive and enjoyable manner.
PE options are PE 00-Varsity Athlete, SERVE 101 and/or PE 02 Recreation and Wellness, see http://recreation.philau.edu for PE 02 activities.
Internship programs assist students in preparing for their careers through facilitation of a work experience directly related to the major or career, and by augmenting that experience through elective academic courses designed to include professional goal-setting activities and reflective writing assignments. Students receive the support and guidance of the program staff and a faculty member from the student’s major throughout the job search, as well as during the semester of program participation. At the conclusion of the internship semester, all students are evaluated both by their employer and faculty member, and receive a grade derived from successful work performance as determined by the employer and the quality of academic assignments submitted to their faculty.
Students are strongly encouraged to apply early for the best success in finding an appropriate experience, but should note that program application does not guarantee employment. To prepare for the internship search process, students should develop a résumé as well as take advantage of the numerous career development services and events offered by the university as part of the Career Services Center to aid in researching companies, careers and in successfully interviewing.
Full-time status
Completion of 60 credits by the start of the internship experience
2.5 cumulative GPA in the semester preceding the internship
Studying abroad aids students in preparing for successful professional participation and competition in an increasingly interdependent world, and in performing with distinction in the international and multicultural contexts that are shaping professional life, while also experiencing a foreign culture firsthand. Largely a junior-year program, students may study abroad in University-sponsored short courses of just a few weeks, or spend an entire semester or academic year abroad.
To ensure a successful experience abroad, program applicants receive individualized attention and counseling when assessing their Study Abroad options. An approved program of study is created by discussing academic and career goals with the student’s academic advisor and Study Abroad staff. The Study Abroad Office then guides the student toward achieving her or his foreign study needs and goals by overseeing the transfer of academic credits.
In order to transfer credits earned while abroad, students must apply to, and be accepted by, the Philadelphia University Study Abroad Office before studying overseas. Deadlines apply. Students accepted into the Study Abroad program remain enrolled at Philadelphia University and register for study at a college or university approved by Philadelphia University. Only approved credits and equivalencies earned overseas in the above manner may be reported on students’ Philadelphia University transcripts.
Philadelphia University’s expanding Study Aboard program offers options in such diverse locations as Australia, China, Denmark, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Scotland and Spain. Applications and information may be obtained from the Study Abroad Office. General information is available on the Study Abroad web site at www.philau.edu/studyabroad .
Philadelphia University approved program of study
Completion of 60 credits by the start of studies abroad (semester/academic year abroad)
2.5 cumulative GPA both at the time of application and at the end of the semester preceding studies abroad
Two Study Abroad recommendation forms completed by faculty members at Philadelphia University
Certification from the Office of Student Life that the student is not on disciplinary probation at the time of application to Study Abroad. Students on disciplinary probation may not apply
A short, formal essay detailing how the student hopes to benefit from studying abroad
Other requirements as may be noted on the Study Abroad application
Note: Schools and departments may impose additional requirements. Students are also subject to the academic requirements of foreign institutions and the immigration laws of foreign nations.
The Honors Program brings together highly motivated students and dedicated faculty in a curriculum that is both challenging and supportive. The program reaches beyond professional or specialized study to inspire students to a lifetime of broad intellectual curiosity, self-sustained inquiry and personal growth. It attempts to develop critical thinking, leadership skills and awareness of global issues.
A combination of enriched courses and co-curricular activities, the program is designed to challenge the best students at the University. Faculty and students join in a common intellectual and social venture; share an openness to new ideas; commit to the energetic pursuit of excellence; and nurture the complete development of the individual. In each course, faculty attempt to foster a climate in which individual differences contribute richly to a common pursuit of learning.
The core of the program is composed of seven Honors-level courses in the College Studies curriculum. As a capstone course, all Honors scholars enroll in an Honors section of the COLLST-499 Contemporary Perspectives course during their senior year. Honors credits can be met in a variety of ways. Honors options range from more traditional choices, such as enrolling in Honors classes and studying abroad, to creating an individualized college experience through specialized research, independent study, or assuming leadership roles in community-service projects.
Philadelphia University recognizes the vital role of written communication in college, the workplace and the community. As a result, students begin in the first year with a dynamic and demanding Writing Across the Curriculum program that includes a wide range of academic and professional writing. The writing curriculum is integrated throughout the institution’s professional majors and the general education core. Before graduating, all Philadelphia University undergraduate students must complete two writing-specific courses and four courses designated in the University Catalog as writing-intensive (WI). In addition, students are also required to complete numerous and diverse writing assignments in courses, studios, and labs that carry neither the writing-specific nor the writing-intensive designation. The Writing Across the Curriculum program supports Philadelphia University’s commitment to fostering strong writing skills so that students will be able to write well both in their lives as college students and later as professionals and citizens. Toward this end, the program offers Honors, Fundamentals, and English as a Second Language writing courses. Students may also pursue a range of additional opportunities to write in co-curricular and professional arenas such as the student yearbook, Analysis; and Open: A Writing & Design Collaboration . Professional writing tutors in the Learning & Advising Center support students in all subjects and at all levels of the curriculum.
Information literacy is embedded in the curricula of each school. Students are exposed to information literacy concepts in the context of their professional programs, in addition to their College Studies courses. Students learn how to use the information resources and technologies relevant to their lives as scholars on campus and as professionals in the field. Throughout their undergraduate career, students gain practical experience in the critical application of data and information to various information needs and problems.
The 21st-century workplace recognizes the value of information-literate employees. Today’s technology and knowledge-driven economy demands highly skilled workers who are adaptable, resourceful, intrinsically motivated and able to learn. Through the University’s efforts to create information literate graduates, students engage in the same process of information problem solving that will continue for the rest of their lives.