Saint Joseph’s University is a private, coeducational, Roman Catholic Jesuit learning institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although it was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, the idea of putting up a Jesuit College in Philadelphia had been in their minds since 1741. However, lack of people and funds delayed this plan for over a hundred years.
The person who finally did it was Rev. Felix Barbelin, S.J. who also served as Saint Joseph’s College first president and who welcomed the 32 young men who made up the school’s first batch of students. Initially founded as an all-male school, women students were admitted only in the fall of 1970. By 1978, the Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognized the college as a university.
Today, Saint Joseph’s University is one of the 28 member-institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. With an average annual enrollment of over 8,500, the university offers over 75 undergraduate programs leading to an award of a certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree, 30 semester abroad programs, 47 graduate programs, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. With 17 centers and institutes. Saint Joseph’s is one of the oldest Jesuit Catholic universities in the United States.
Cost of attendance for academic year 2010-2011 for fulltime undergraduate students is US$35,080 per year for tuition; US$150 for student activity fee; US$100 for laptop program fee plus additional charges for room at a rate that varies from US$7,550 to US$10,030 and board at US$4,424 per year. To make sure students are able to pay for their cost of attendance, the university extends financial aid in the form of loans, grants, scholarships and work-study arrangements.
For more information on admissions, college majors, degrees offered, online programs, athletics, school rankings, tuition, scholarships and financial aid options, please contact Saint Joseph’s University.