For information on graduate degree programs, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions 215.951.2943 gradadm@PhilaU.edu; www.PhilaU.edu/graduate
Accreditation. Graduate programs at the University are approved by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Accreditations associated with specific schools and programs can be found on the respective school/program web pages at www.PhilaU.edu.
Graduate students are taught by a faculty that includes both full-time professors and experienced industry professionals and practitioners. Their academic credentials and industry experience make them uniquely qualified to provide students with the knowledge to become successful professionals in their chosen fields.
Graduate classes average about 18 students and are offered in the late afternoon/early evening hours and occasionally on Saturdays. Some graduate programs offer courses during the day. Students may begin graduate coursework in the fall (August), spring (January) or summer (May and July) semesters. Some programs enroll students throughout the calendar year. Others are limited to one start-term per year.
Any individual who has or is about to receive a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university is eligible to apply. Graduate programs are designed to accommodate students from all undergraduate disciplines. The Admissions Committee admits those students who show the capacity and motivation to pursue a challenging graduate program.
For admission to the Ph.D. program in Textile Engineering and Science, please see page 305.
To apply, students must submit an application, official transcripts, recommendations (not required for programs within the School of Business Administration) and appropriate standardized test scores (not required for the M.S. in Digital Design or the M.S. in Disaster Medicine and Management). The standardized test requirement is waived for those students who hold a prior master’s degree or who are C.P.A.s. Applications are accepted throughout the year for entrance in the fall, spring or summer semesters.
Note: International students may begin in fall and spring semesters only. Please refer to the graduate application for admissions procedures and instructions (see page 352).
Director of International Student Programs . Located in The Kanbar Campus Center 215.951.2660
The University welcomes applications for admission from qualified international students. Persons who have completed their studies outside the United States must present all post-secondary school credentials. Such credentials must include all studies completed to date, marks or examination results received, degrees, diplomas and certificates earned. International applicants must submit an evaluation of academic credentials. While World Education Services (WES) is Philadelphia University’s preferred evaluator, any evaluation service accredited through the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) will suffice. For a full listing of accredited evaluation services, visit www.NACES.org. Documents must be authenticated or certified and those not written in English must be accompanied by notarized English translations. Courses at the University are taught in English; therefore, all international graduate students are required to take English reading and writing placement tests before registering for any courses. Exceptions: (1) If applicants gave a TOEFL computer-based score of 233 or higher (577 or higher for paper based tests and 90 or higher for internet based tests), they will not be required to take the placement tests before registering for courses. The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) will be considered as a possible substitute for the TOEFL. International students may begin in fall and spring semesters only. M.B.A. and M.S. in Taxation students may begin in the summer semester.
After acceptance is granted, a $100 nonrefundable tuition deposit, an International Student Agreement Form (see page 367), a notarized Statement of Financial Support (see page 371) and official bank statements are required for the University to issue a SEVIS I-20 form.
Courses at the University are taught in English; therefore, all international graduate students are required to take English reading and writing placement tests before registering for any courses. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree (more than 100 credits in residence) at a United States college or university are exempt from this requirement. Also, if students have scored a 233 or higher on the TOEFL computer-based test (577 or higher for paper-based test; 90 or higher for Internet-based test), placement tests are not required. The tests are scheduled by the staff in the Learning and Advising Center a few days before classes begin. If students miss the scheduled testing session, it is their responsibility to report to the Learning and Advising Center for testing before registering for classes. Based on the results of the placement tests, students might be required to take undergraduate ESL courses in reading and/or writing. Students required to take ESL courses in reading and/or writing (READ-098ESL, WRTG-100ESL) must receive a minimum grade of “C” in these courses to graduate. If students need extensive English preparation, it is University policy to have students complete an intensive English program elsewhere before enrolling in graduate courses. Any fees associated with these courses are the responsibility of the student.
Students may be admitted to a particular graduate program under one of the following acceptance classifications:
Acceptance
Students who have met all admissions requirements with satisfactory performance as judged by the Admissions Committee are granted full acceptance. Full acceptance is granted only when the student’s file is complete. A complete file includes: official copies of standardized test scores, official copies of academic transcripts, two recommendations and a completed application, unless otherwise noted by the Office of Graduate Admissions. The standardized test requirement is waived for those applicants who have completed a prior master’s degree or are C.P.A.s.
Note: Individual graduate programs may require additional admission materials for full acceptance.
Probationary Acceptance
Students with academic performance and/or test scores below the normally acceptable levels, but who show potential to be successful in a graduate program, may be granted probationary acceptance at the discretion of the Office of Graduate Admissions. Probationary students will be monitored closely by the program director during their first five courses. Failure to maintain a 3.0 or better GPA is cause for dismissal. After the completion of five courses, with a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0, the probationary status may be removed at the discretion of the program director.
Conditional Acceptance
The University reserves the right to grant conditional acceptance to students who are missing some of their application materials but who otherwise meet admissions criteria. Conditional acceptance is limited to one semester, during which time the missing application materials must be submitted. Completed application materials will then be reviewed for full acceptance. Individual programs have different requirements for conditional acceptance, and some programs do not offer conditional acceptance. For programs within the School of Business Administration, conditional acceptance is only granted for those who have submitted all of their application materials, but who will need to complete business foundation courses before starting the program.
Non-Degree Acceptance
In certain circumstances, a student may wish to apply as a non-degree student. To apply for non-degree status, students need to submit an admissions application and a transcript indicating the possession of a bachelor’s degree. A maximum of five graduate courses may be taken as a non-degree student. Courses taken under non-degree status may be applied to a degree program, but only after all admissions requirements are met and full acceptance is granted. Acceptance as a non-degree student does not guarantee full acceptance into a graduate program. To change from non-degree to degree status, students must complete all admissions requirements and apply for a change of degree status to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Non-degree acceptance is not available for all programs.
Readmission
Students who have not registered for two consecutive semesters (excluding the summer) must apply directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions for readmission. To be readmitted, students must be in good academic standing (minimum GPA 3.0) and must have no financial obligation to the University. Students must submit official transcripts from any institutions attended since leaving Philadelphia University. Readmission is also subject to available space in the program. Students should check with their program director upon re-entry to review any curriculum changes that may have occurred. Students may be asked to complete additional requirements to graduate.
All documents received as part of the admissions procedure become the property of the University. They will not be duplicated, returned to the applicant, or forwarded to any other college, university, individual or agency. One copy of each of the transcripts will be released to the program director.