Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

What is the history of Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia?

Saint Joseph's University is a private Jesuit university founded in Philadelphia in 1851. It began as Saint Joseph's College, a Catholic institution intended to provide a liberal arts education, and later became a university as its academic programs expanded.

The institution moved to its present Hawk Hill location in the 1920s. Two recent mergers substantially changed its size and academic range: the University of the Sciences joined Saint Joseph's in 2022, bringing health and pharmaceutical sciences programs and a University City campus; Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences joined in 2024, extending the university's presence to Lancaster. Applicants comparing older descriptions of Saint Joseph's should account for those changes, particularly when checking where a program is taught.

What are the faculties and departments at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia?

Saint Joseph's organizes its academic programs across the College of Arts and Sciences, Erivan K. Haub School of Business, School of Health Professions, and Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, alongside nursing and allied-health offerings associated with its Lancaster expansion. Its credentials include undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.

Students can find liberal arts and sciences subjects such as biology, English, psychology, and political science; business fields such as accounting, finance, and marketing; and health-related study including pharmacy, nursing, and occupational therapy. A prospective student should check the current academic catalog for a program's degree type, prerequisites, accreditation where relevant, and campus location. A Philadelphia-based undergraduate major and a Lancaster-based health program should not be assumed to have the same schedule or facilities.

What is the location of Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia?

Saint Joseph's principal Hawk Hill campus is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, near the city's western edge and adjacent to Lower Merion Township. The university also has a University City campus in Philadelphia and a Lancaster location. The relevant campus depends on the student's program.

Hawk Hill has a more residential setting than many downtown campuses, while University City sits within Philadelphia's larger university and health-care district. SEPTA transit and regional roads provide commuting options, but travel time between locations matters for students whose classes, jobs, or clinical placements are not all in one place. Philadelphia International Airport serves the region; it is more useful to consider a program's actual campus than to assume every university facility is close to the airport or Center City.

What is the mission and vision of Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia?

Saint Joseph's describes its mission in Jesuit and Catholic terms: educating students intellectually and ethically, encouraging inquiry, and preparing them for service and leadership. Its educational approach draws on Jesuit ideas of reflection, attention to the whole person, and responsibility to others.

That identity can shape general education, campus ministry, service opportunities, and discussions of ethics across fields of study. It does not mean every student follows the same faith tradition. Applicants who want to understand the practical effect of the mission should examine their intended program's curriculum and the university's student-life offerings rather than treat a mission statement as proof of a particular classroom experience.