Chatham University

What is the history of Chatham University?

Chatham University is a private university in Pittsburgh that began as a women's college in 1869. Founded as Pennsylvania Female College, it later became Pennsylvania College for Women, took the name Chatham College in 1955, and became Chatham University in 2007.

Its women's-college history remains part of its identity, although Chatham began admitting men to its undergraduate programs in 2015; its graduate programs had already been coeducational. The university also expanded beyond its original Shadyside setting. Its Eden Hall Campus north of Pittsburgh supports work in sustainability, food systems, and related fields. These changes help explain Chatham's present combination of liberal arts, professional programs, and environmental studies.

What are the faculties and departments at Chatham University?

Chatham offers undergraduate and graduate study across the arts and sciences, business, health professions, and sustainability. Its academic organization includes the School of Arts, Science & Business, the School of Health Sciences, and the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment.

Representative undergraduate subjects include biology, psychology, business, writing, design, and sustainability. Graduate and professional options include health-related programs such as nursing and occupational therapy, as well as programs in writing and environmental fields. Applicants should examine the catalog for their intended degree: a program's prerequisites, clinical placements, campus location, and professional requirements can differ considerably from those of another Chatham program.

What is the location of Chatham University?

Chatham's main campus is in Pittsburgh's Shadyside neighborhood, an urban residential area near the city's universities, hospitals, and cultural institutions. The university also uses its Eastside facilities in Pittsburgh and its Eden Hall Campus in Gibsonia, north of the city.

Campus location matters when comparing programs. A class, laboratory, or field activity at Eden Hall may involve a different commute from one in Shadyside; students should check the location of courses in their actual schedule. Pittsburgh Regional Transit serves the city, while students bringing a car should review Chatham's parking rules - particularly first-year restrictions. Pittsburgh International Airport is the region's principal commercial airport.

What is the mission and vision of Chatham University?

Chatham states that its educational purpose is to prepare students for purposeful lives and work through liberal learning and professional preparation. Its stated priorities include sustainability, women's leadership, global understanding, and engagement with communities.

Those priorities reflect both the university's history as a women's college and the academic role of Eden Hall Campus. They describe institutional aims, not outcomes guaranteed to every student. A prospective student can assess how they appear in a particular major by reviewing its required courses, experiential opportunities, and graduation requirements.